why use a flash nose band????

[jo90]

can anyone explain to me when you should use a flash nose band??/ my new secd came to me in a straight bar pelham (which i didn't tnink he needed, or seemed happy in) so i put him in happy mouth snaffle. howver he did look like he was working in an outline before! now he doesn't seem to work in outline, opens his mouth in trot but seems much calmer and has good brakes. my friend said i should use a flash with the snaffle, does it really matter if he opens his mouth???:confused:

[mikh]

I think opening their mouth can evade the contact

[eventerbabe]

it's hard without seeing before and after pics, but are you absolutely sure he was working into an outline and not just backing off the pelham? my cob used to do a beautiful 'false' outline when telling me the pelham was just too much for him. Can you perhaps try some other bits, see if that stops the mouth opening? From my experience, welsh D's tend not to have huge gobs so bits with lots of play in them (loose ring, french links, lozenges and rollers) tend to go down quite well :) putting a flash on will stop the evasion (mouth opening) but not really cure the root cause. good luck!

[jo90]

I think you're right, he only looked as though he was working in outline, if i took his martingale off he flicked his head all over place in the pelham. so i don't think he likes it. Is a snaffle with a french link or roller, kinder or more severe?? thanks for advice!:o

[emmathechief]

A french link, lozenges etc have a kinder action then a single joined mouth piece. The single joint can cause a nutcracker effect in their mouth and also hit the roof.
My horse was ridden in a flash as she used to open her mouth and then tank off! They can be very useful, if needed!

[mikh]

Snaffle is kinder than pelham yes, why not try straight bar snaffle or happy mouth - keep mouthpiece the same just remove pelham part?

[eventerbabe]

I think you're right, he only looked as though he was working in outline, if i took his martingale off he flicked his head all over place in the pelham. so i don't think he likes it. Is a snaffle with a french link or roller, kinder or more severe?? thanks for advice!:o

something with a single joint can hit the roof of their mouths if they've a small mouth. a link or lozenge/roller stops this happening :) snaffles with links certainly aren't what i'd class as severe :)

[kirby]

Try a bitless Bridle in a safe area :D

[puzzles]

However a flash does not stop the horse from avoiding the contact nor wanting to, and does not make him accept it. Quality schooling and riding, bit trials and errors and a simple, unrestrictive/non-forceful noseband are the ways forward IMO!

x

[shikras mum]

this sounds just like my boy

he came to me in a metal mullen mouth pelham, something we could never understand as he is so responsive and not strong at all

I didnt have the confidence to change bits though but my friend who is now riding him put him in a flexi mouth pelham first, this went well so we changed to flexi mouth snaffle

he kept opening his mouth quite a bit at first and he stopped going on the bit as much but now that he is used to it he's going really well in it, maybe he just needs time to adjust to the fact he has a much kinder bit in his mouth

[cwb]

Echo above - Scully came in a snaffle - I changed for a French link and now a ported Myler - she originally opened her mouth to evade the bits but now works well with no noseband at all.

[Bobbin]

I use a flash on and off as my mare forgets her manners and wanders around with her mouth open and her jaw crossed. If they do that then you may aswell not bother with a bit in the first place. Another thing that is a pet hate of mine is having a flash and then not doing it up tight enough so it actually works.

If the horse isn't happy in the bit anyway, then it would be unfair to put a flash on. Imagine having your mouth clamped shut on a bit of metal that pinched your tongue and you couldn't get away from it. I think that might make you protest.

[Yann]

However a flash does not stop the horse from avoiding the contact nor wanting to, and does not make him accept it.

Whether they actually do or not they certainly help considerably with those things, it's the main reason they're so popular. I think they are a bit of a shortcut and it would be amusing to see what would happen if they were made non dressage legal, but like anything else they do have their place. I've used one on a pony to discourage it from opening its mouth and disappearing and it helped a lot.

[Soot]

I use a flash when schooling at home sometimes - I think it helps to stop Lucy's brain from falling out of her wide open mouth ;)

For dressage competitions, lessions with my RI and hacking I don't use one.

[STEFF79]

Harry has a flash on his bridle it wont do up tight enough but he doesn't need it so it is just there for decoration!! :p

[jo90]

thanks for all advice:)I do actuallly have dr cooks bitless from my old horse. he came in an american gag! gradually we lost the flash, went into a myler comfort snaffle,then the nose band came off it seemed like the next step. I love riding bitless!!! my new horse is 7 years old and although i will eventually try going bitless I found that when selling my previous horse not many people wanted to ride him without a bit in his mouth:rolleyes:even though he was such an angel. not that i want to sell my horse on... its just that for dressage or showing in general, bitless bridles are still not allowed which is a shame. I might do as some have suggested and try a staright bar happy mouth, then maybe i can ditch the flash and the martingale:D:D:D

[Bobbin]

I use a flash when schooling at home sometimes - I think it helps to stop Lucy's brain from falling out of her wide open mouth ;)
.

Hahaha, yes, thats exactly why I use a flash on ocassions aswell:D

[igloo]

Mine has a flash because he tries to grab hold of the reins and munch on them when they're long :D