Your thoughts on the flash

jenren!!

jenren!!

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Sep 16, 2004
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Aramis has an awful habit of opening her mouth wide open when she's ridden. She doesnt grab the bit or lean too much, although she does a little. I used to have a flash on her but eventually took it off. Im wondering whether to put it back on.

It just looks so awful to watch. Any thoughts on this, and the flash itself?
 
I guess as with everything used properley is fine, however it may restrain the problem but its still there, perhaps check if theres any underlying problems making her do this........HOWEVER!!! out of 93 horses at my work we only have 1 in a flash. She is a mare who liturally crosses her jaw, grabs the bit and buggers of!! :rolleyes: She is late teens so think we have tried long enougth to break her habit sadly to no avial!
 
I know this is difficult, and this is only my opinion, I dont mean it to sound harsh or anything it is just my opinion. :eek:
but I hate flash nosebands!
I would sooner go for a grackle or mexican if there was no other choice?
but I would sooner find out why the horse has its mouth open, if there is the smallest chance ever that the horse may have some discomfort in its mouth or even just didn't like that particular bit? I would feel horrible having clamped its mouth shut over the discomfort with a flash noseband.
 
boo has exactly the same problem, she evades the bit and contact by opening her mouth. i dont really like using a flash on her but she goes so much better and she actually listens to what your asking her to do. as ive said before hopefully with more schooling it wont be necessary but for now it works for us
and i dont have it really tight, in fact my instructor says its needs to be tighter but have ran out of holes! .... can anyone tell me how tight it should be? how many fingers should you be able to fit around it? thanx
 
I'll admit I have a love/hate relationship with flashes :cool: .

Part of me has had great success with them. But there's also another niggling feeling I have which says "why is she opening her mouth in the first place?"

I've ridden and known hundreds of horses who wear a flash and who've been totally unscarred by the experience - some don't like it, but many (more than not) it doesn't appear to cause upset with.
I do use one on Ruby sometimes (and she'd sure as hell let me know if she disliked it!). So I'm not against them (if fitted correctly of course!).
But I do think all other avenues need to be explored before resorting to a gadget (and even then, as a means to an end - ie, I fully intend to remove her flash one day). Her dental is all up to date, as are her physio and tack checks, and I'm confident that my hands aren't the problem.
But if I was less than 100% on the above points, she wouldn't be in one.

It's a very individual thing me thinks.
 
I used to be a huge fan of the old flash and had one on my old horse.

I eventually took it off and haven't used one on Bry.

Untill today that is and I have to say that I'll be using it again, as it was pointed out to me today that you have to use what you have to use to be safe.

xx
 
i hate them, i just cant bring myself to accept them as a useful tool in training.
this is because i like to address the problem, ratehr than cover it up with force in the form of a flash.
yes, it can be comfy for sime horses and useful, but surely you should check the fit and suitablilty of your horse's bit, and check her teeth and also your own riding too - perhaps with some lessons - rather than resorting to 'gadgets'.
 
I really, really don't like flash nosebands.

Personally, I prefer to sort my problems, rather than just cover them up.
 
i agree that english and mexican grackles are more preferable as they are more comfy (even loom nicer in my opinion!) and disperse preddure more evenly, but get your mare/tack all checked frist.
 
She could do with her teeth doing, she hasnt been done since last xmas, but she has done this even when her teeth had only just been done. Its possible she might be finding things a little uncomfy as she does have bone spavin after all. She only does it if you ask her to work, its as if she's saying 'urgh do i have to, its hard', and therefore opens her mouth.

Her saddle isnt a great fit either, but is fine for now. But like i say, before she had the saddle she still did it. She doesnt usually do it out hacking. If you were plodding round the arena she doesnt either.
 
I personally love flash nosebands, and ride almost all my horses in one. It helps properly direct the bit, and keep it in the correct position as help those who like to evade contact. And some of you have the impression that it helps covers things up...it really doesn't. If the horse desperately wants to open his mouth, the flash won't stop that ;) It's not like draw reins which is a substitute aid for riding, flash nosebands serve a purpose entirely on their own, and a very useful one at that.
I think the reason that flash nosebands get such a bad rep is because some riders really crank it up as tight as it can go...and that's not how a flash is suposed to be used.

Generally speaking, when I tighten my flash, I'll make sure I can comfortably get a finger in. That way it's tight enough that it'll actually serve it's purpose-keeping their mouth shut (and many, many horses open their mouths not as a sign of resistance, but also to play with their tongue and bit)-but not tight enough to restrict airway ;)
 
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leaning, chewing, mouth-opening, etc, are all signs of resistance - almost always (99.9%) due to discomfort, either due to the rider's hard or unsympathetic hands, sharp teeth or an uncomfy bit.
try mylers on trial (they're amazing) or a happy mouth which may be more easy on her mouth, for several days; you may be amazed.
 
I used a flash on my old cob for the same reason as Denbenj. He was ex-RS & I think he crossed his jaw as a defence against rough hands, he just never got out of the habit although he got loads better when I put him in a French link. I don't want to use one on my youngster, she does open her mouth quite a bit but I'd far rather work slowly on trying to get her to accept a contact - which I think is the root of the problem - than just treat the symptoms of it. I can see myself wanting to put something on her for xc because she sometimes opens her gob & bombs off when she sees a field full of jumps, but I'd rather use a drop than a flash - it won't push her cheeks into her teeth - and I would only use it if I really needed it, and only then for as little time as possible.
 
my previous horse had a flash when I bought her, I took it off but did have problems with her opening her mouth and really leaning on the bit, funnily enough she had bone spavin in her hocks too, I tried her in a myler bit and the difference was amazing, her previous owner had her back for 6 weeks (long story) when she tried her in the myler she couldnt believe the difference, she said it was like riding a different horse altogether.
 
Ok, thanks for your advice guys. The thing is she is for sale, i dont want to be spending loads of money when she might go the next week, but i also dont want to hand problems over.

It isnt a massive problem, but it can be a bit cringing to watch. She doesnt take off or anything, but a bit change might be an idea, so thanks.
 
I personally would only use a flash if I was 100% convinced of the riders good hands. I also think a grackle is potentially more severe if both are used correctly. The main problem with flashes is that people seldom do the main noseband up enough and the flash strap then restricts the horses breathing.

Of all my school horses one wears a flash only when good riders are on her, one has a drop also for good riders grackle is restricted to our own horses when going XC.
 
Personally wouldn't ever choose to use one, putting aside physical factors like teeth or a bit the horse doesn't like, if a horse is opening it's mouth I must be doing something wrong either right at that moment(like being heavy handed or too aggressive) or I missed out a step in it's earlier schooling and it doesn't understand what I want.
I've seen too many horses get their mouths strapped shut over unsuitable bits and hard hands to ever wish that on one of my own, without a flash they can tell me when I've done something wrong.
Skye'll open his mouth slightly and flick his nose out at the bit when I've let him fall out through the outside shoulder, maybe the problem with Aramis is something like that?
 
I don't use one on Rio or Tess. I'd also go with the theory that if they're opening their mouth and evading it's for a reason, I personally feel that if you can get the bit, teeth, physicals and riding right then you shouldn't need one. My horses sometimes gawp when I'm riding them, but more often than not they don't.
I don't have a particular issue if people want to use them on excitable horses to stay safe XC or hacking if they're sympathetic riders either. I do think it's a shame when they're slapped on regardless just because it's dressage though.

Teeth not seen to for 11 months and hock troubles could both be causes of the resistance you're seeing.
 
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