Noseband

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A noseband is the part of a horse's bridle that encircles the nose.

[edit] Uses of the Noseband

The noseband was originally a leather or rope halter worn beneath the bridle that allowed the rider to remove the bit from the horse's mouth after work and leave a restraining halter on underneath, or to tie the horse by this halter, instead of by the bit, which could result in damage to the horse's mouth if it panicked.

Today, its functions are threefold. First, to give a balanced and traditionally correct appearance to the horse's turnout at shows. When raised high, it can make a long-nosed horse's face look shorter and more proportional. Various positions up and down the nose may help the face look more handsome, and a wide noseband can make a heavy head appear more delicate.

Second, to keep the horse's mouth closed. Originally, this was for safety, since a horse that fell on his face while galloping at high speeds, should he have his mouth open, would likely fracture his jaw. The noseband is still used to keep the mouth closed, but this is mainly to prevent a horse from evading the bit by opening it.

Third, the noseband is also used to help stop a horse from pulling and as an attachment for other equipment, such as a standing martingale. A stronger noseband can many times be used in place of a stronger bit, which makes it a valuable option for riders that want more control, but do not want to "back their horse off" from fences, which is often an undesirable consequence when the horse is "bitted-up." Additionally, it is valuable for young horses just learning to go "on the bit," as it supports the jaw and helps the horse to relax his masseter, and flex softly at the poll.

A bridle does not necessarily need a noseband, and many, such as those used in Western-style riding, flat racing, or endurance riding, do not have one. Some horses, especially sport horses shown in-hand, do not use a noseband because it shows off their head. Many old paintings will also depict a hunt horse without a noseband, since it was considered useless by their riders.

All nosebands will add some pressure to the nose when the reins are applied. However, if padded, it effect is minimal.

[edit] Types of Nosebands

• Plain or French Cavesson: a noseband that encircles the nose 1-2 inches below the cheekbone. This type of noseband is seen in most English disciplines, especially in dressage, show hunters, and field hunters, but is the basic noseband for all disciplines and so is never an unusual sight. This noseband comes in various styles from a plain flat leather suitable for hunting, to raised, double raised, fancy stiched and padded styles. All of them perform the same purpose.

• Flash noseband or Aachen noseband: The flash was originally developed for jumping riders, so they could close the mouth lower down in addition to having an appropriate noseband for a standing martingale, and then it grew popular at the auction for young Warmbloods. An additional feature of this noseband is that it holds the bit steady in the horse's mouth, which some horses prefer. The noseband is similar to the plain cavesson in that the top part encircles the nose 1-2 inches below the cheekbone, but it also includes a strap that runs from the cavesson, down in front of the bit, and under the chin groove, before coming back around to the cavesson. This second piece is used to help keep the horse's mouth closed and to keep the horse from crossing his jaw. A flash noseband may be used with a standing martingale when the martingale is attached to the cavesson piece. This noseband is usually seen at the lower levels of dressage, or in the dressage phase of eventing.

• Hanoverian noseband: This is the same as a flash noseband, but with the addition of a padded jawband like a crank noseband has. It operates to hold the horse's mouth shut, and hold the bit steady in the horses' mouth. It is very commonly found on dressage bridles currently.

• Figure-eight or Grakle or Mexican noseband: this noseband crosses from the top of the ckeekbone on one side, over the nose to the chin groove on the other side, under the horse's chin, and back up to the opposite cheekbone. It is used to remind the horse to keep its mouth closed and prevents him from crossing his jaw, but provides more expansion of the nostrils, which is preferable for horses preforming work involving galloping (eventing, polo, racing), and has always been popular in show jumping. Many people believe that this type of noseband is more comfortable than a flash.

• Drop noseband: Invented by the Spanish Riding School, this noseband encircles the nose around the chin groove, as opposed to just below the cheekbone, with the strap on the nasal bone, and never below it. It reminds the horse to keep his mouth closed and prevents the horse from crossing his jaw. Due to its position, it should not be used with a standing martingale. A drop noseband is not as suitable for galloping work as the other nosebands, as it tends to restrict the nostrils if it is fitted incorrectly. Although the drop used to be very popular in dressage, it is very rarely seen today, partly because many riders dislike the look it gives the horse's head. However, most horses prefer the drop noseband to the flash, and it is a very useful piece of equipment.

• Crank noseband or Swedish Cavesson: used on upper-level dressage horses, this noseband is similar to the plain cavesson except it is designed to be easy to get very tight, so as to keep the horse's mouth closed. Double bridles can't use flashes or drops, so the crank is preferred for the upper level dressage horse who will not keep his mouth shut. It is also used occasionally on show hunters and hunt seat equitation horses. The downside is the horse can't open his jaw slightly when the crank is tight, so he can't come truly through. Additionally, it can push the cheeks against the horse's teeth, especially when over-tightened, which is painful.

• Kineton or Puckle: Originating in horse racing for animals who would be uncontrollable at high speeds, this noseband often cited as being more severe than the others listed above. It works by transferring bit pressure from the rider's hand to the nose. However, it is possible that it may work not because of pain, but because the horse responds better to noseband pressure than to bit pressure (which can be painful and cause the horse to run out of fear). The kineton has metal half-rings that pass under the bit, and a leather strap that sits below the bit and over the nose (which it does not encircle) about where a drop noseband would cross. There is no strap to keep the horse's mouth closed. This noseband should only be used with a snaffle bit (which should be slightly wider than usual to take into account the half-rings), and a martingale should not be attached to the noseband. This is most commonly seen in eventing on the cross-country phase, and in show jumping. This noseband is most suited for horses that are hard pullers, allowing the rider to ride lightly with a mild bit and still stop a strong horse. It is also popular for use on hot horses, to get them to trust the bit and relax.

• Combination or Lever Noseband: this noseband has a half-moon piece of metal that goes on each side of the horse's face. On the "top" end of the curve (near the horse's cheek bone), a piece of leather is attached that runs under the jaw and attaches to the other side of the face. At the peak of the curve is a piece of leather that runs over the top of nose in a position slightly lower from where a regular cavesson would cross. At the "bottom" of the curve, a third piece of leather goes under the chin groove of the horse. This noseband is similar in design to the figure-eight, and works similarily by preventing the horse from crossing his jaws (which is especially helped by the metal on either side of the face). Unlike the figure-eight, it does not stabilize the bit and it tends to push the cheeks in against the horse's molars which can be painful.

• Studded: a studded cavesson has round or sharp studs, which are meant to increase or take the place of rein pressure. These cavessons are commonly seen in Iberia, especially on young horses, so as not to "spoil" their mouths, and in Austro-Hungaria. They have also been adopted in other disciplines, including show jumping and hunt seat, as a means of controlling the horse. If the studs are round, they have a relatively mild effect and do not cause much discomfort. If they are sharp, like a serrated knife, they can actually cut the horse and are extremely painful. They act on the normal action of the noseband, which applies pressure to the nose when the bit is pulled back, and increases the effect of this pressure.

[edit] Fitting the Noseband

Different styles of noseband should be fitted according to their purpose.

French or plain cavesson: this should be fitted so that two fingers can be inserted between the noseband and the top of the nose. The noseband headpiece should be adjusted so that the noseband sits equidistant between the prominent cheek bone and the horse's lips.

Drop: This should be fitted on the nasal bone, with the strap and buckle fastening below the bit in the chin groove. Care should be taken not to allow the top part to rest below the nasal bone - if it presses on the soft tissue below this bone it can impede breathing.

Flash: as above, but somewhat tighter to prevent the noseband being pulled down towards the end of the muzzle by the lower flash strap. The lower flash strap runs below the bit and under the chin groove. With the buckle done up, the remainder of the strap should point downwards, not up towards the top of the horse's nose as is often seen.

Crank: Opinions vary on the tightness a noseband should be fitted. Some believe it should be extremely tight, to prevent the horse from opening or crossing its jaws. Others think that the noseband should be more of a reminder to the horse to not open its mouth, should only prevent excessive gaping of the mouth, and that good riding will solve most issues. In this case, a finger should be able to pass between the noseband and the horse at any point. In general, a drop noseband should not be fitted as tightly, nor should the flash piece of a flash noseband, as the horse's nostrils will be constricted.

It is true that a horse must be able to open its mouth slightly (about 1/4 of an inch) in order to flex correctly at the jaw and come on the bit, and a tight noseband will prevent this. The rider may then try to force the horse into a headset, by pulling back on the reins.