Grackle Bridles??

V

VickyS

Indy monster :)
Mar 25, 2008
445
0
0
County Durham-England
Hi,
I just wanted to check a few things about them as I'm considering getting one if they would suit Indy.
I ride him at the moment in just an ordinary bridle with a flash, which he needs. And,just looking at a few photos of him the other day the noseband doesnt seem to sit quite straight across his nose and looks,well to me anyway! a bit stiff and uncomfortable.He doesnt have any sores or anything but it doesnt seem to have moulded to him very well.
So, I was considering either getting him a new one of the same but made from better quality leather or maybe trying a grackle.
am I right in thinking they are very similar in what they do?but there just nothing going along the side of the face where the back teeth are?any info would be greatly appreciated!!
Also im not sure if he'd suite one,as bridles I like them but what do you think?
Below are some pics of the one he wears now so you can hopefuly see that it looks a bit wonky etc.also tell me if you think he'd look ok in one??!!
thanks in advance for any help :)
vicky
x
S7300220-Copy.jpg

p.s.sorry the pic is huge:o
 
You will make that one fit better if you lower the noseband and do it up tighter, At the moment it is being pulled out of place by the flash strap.

I always thought grakles were more severe than flashes but I am not really a fan of flashes. Have you considered a drop noseband?
 
Grackles are usually for when a horse crosses its jaw to avoid the bit. Flashes are for when they open their mouth to avoid the bit.
I cant help very much sorry, but I'm assuming its not just a schooling issue?
 
yeh i will try ajjusting it further b4 i spend any money on anything!! He wears if becasue he opens his mouth at times,can be schooling or hacking lol.thanks for that help though it cleared up a few things,id always thought they were very much similar :)
 
Shame your tack is black, as I have a havanna grackle that I don't use anymore. I think your boy would suit a grackle but I'm not a fan of clamping a horse's mouth shut so I changed the bit to find one that she accepted without trying to fight it. What's he in at the moment?
 
Another vote for a drop :) Grackles can be great for a horse that crosses its jaw & really grabs the bit but it doesn't sound like that's what your horse does. A drop won't press the horse's cheeks against his molars, it only acts where it's needed & should be more comfortable.

ETA - lovely hoss, reminds me of my old cob - stunning!
 
Another one for drop in place of flash.

However if for whatever reason you want to keep away from drops, I'm personally always in favour of grackles over flashes. Your cavesson of the noseband is pulling down in the middle due to the flash, and if the leather is prone to doing this, it's likely to continue doing it if you drop the overall noseband down (although by all means try it). This will possibly cause the flash to lie across the nostrals and soft cartiladge, compressing the airways.

A grackle sits differently on the head, and due to th crossing over on the nose, rather than a loop up and down like on the flash, it shouldn't pull down and restrict airways if adjusted correctly to start with. I personally tend to prefer grackles with rings on the sides apposed to stitched, as I feel rings allows the different straps of leather to move to a position suited to the conformation/shape of the head as well, where as the stitched ones are obviously a little less flexible and rigid, although not problematically so with most horses.

Hope thats of help. As said, drops would be well worth looking into x
 
eml said:
You will make that one fit better if you lower the noseband and do it up tighter, At the moment it is being pulled out of place by the flash strap.

I always thought grakles were more severe than flashes but I am not really a fan of flashes. Have you considered a drop noseband?
Click to expand...

Agree.
Fit the noseband where it should be without at first attaching the flash. You'll find it needs to come down to fit correctly (2 fingers below cheekbones). Then once you've got the noseband sitting where it should be fit the flash if you need it. Shouldn't pull on the noseband at all now.
 
thanks for all the help :) i've had a sort out of his bridle 2day (took about 20 mins cos he was being a big fidget :p) lowered his noseband down so its not being pulled down by the flash and also managed to tighten it onto the next hole becuase it was quite roomy.All in all looked a much better fit so I then rode it it and all was still good after.
Also,hes in a french link snaffle at the mo which he seems to like and for the most part goes well in.
I think id always thought a flash and a grackle we both for opening mouths but now at least I know a grackle is for crossing jaws!!
thanx again.I will post a pic of how it looks now asap so you can hopefuly see an improvement or suggest any more tips :)
vicky
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VickyS said:
I think id always thought a flash and a grackle we both for opening mouths but now at least I know a grackle is for crossing jaws!!
thanx again.
x
Click to expand...

Grackles can be used to stop the mouth being opened too - I've used it in the past for this reason. As can drops. The reason flashes were invented I believe is for the use of standing martingales - you can't attach a standing martingale to an 'active' part of a noseband, so not on a drop or grackle as functional. Flash provides a cavesson to attach the standing to, but also the mouth strap to become functional aswell. People then favoured them over a drop for aesthetics more than anything I THINK, as a drop can cause a head to look long =]

Not a prob if fitting correctly but as I say, just make a note to check it won't restrict the nostrils flaring, as they do this to pull more air in when exercising hard and obviously you don't want to restrict oxygen uptake =] If thats all fine, great =] x
 
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