Nosebands are well known. The bridle often doesn’t look complete without it. Even non horse people draw nosebands on the horse’s head, usually in a very cartoonish way, sometimes adding 2 or 3 of them. They’re aware something goes there, even if they aren’t sure why or how many.
Why are nosebands on bridles? There’s a few reasons.
- To keep the horse’s mouth closed and quiet. Some horses open their mouths, which is an evasion technique to avoid the bit. Some horses cross their jaws. Some put their tongues over the bit. I have my own personal beliefs about why horses do that, but I’ll keep it to myself for now. The point is that if a horse is doing these behaviors, they can be harder to control, which is never safe.
- A horse with a quiet mouth is usually an obedient horse, and nosebands help encourage the horse to have a quiet mouth.
- As an anchor point for a standing martingale, which is tack that will prevent the horse from throwing its head up in the air. This can be useful because no one likes a face full of horse skull. Plus it is another evasion tactic.
- The look. Let’s be clear, some people just like the look of different nosebands. Just like clothes on people, they can emphasize all the right spots and make your horse look good.
There’s a lot of different options for nosebands, so how do you know what you need? Read on to find out why you’d use different nosebands.
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No Noseband
Also called: naked, so nakee, and variations of that.
Although it may be shocking to see on an English horse, you can actually go without a noseband. I know this is a horrifying statement to some, but its true. You don’t need a noseband.***
***Now for the caveat – you do need a noseband in competitions. It is required, depending on where you are competing. But, it’s not always required, sometime people just feel they need it, even if they don’t. Check the rules of your show to see if you need one.
For instance, for a long time I rode Stu without a noseband. I wasn’t trying to make a fashion statement, or any kind of statement. I just took it off at one point and forgot where I put it.
I wasn’t doing any shows, or even leaving the property, so I just went without it. I literally didn’t need it. We all survived without the noseband.
Later on I found the sneaky thing in my horse trailer, so I did put it back on. I just like the way a hunter bridle looks.
My pony also doesn’t have a noseband, because I lost it. That one seems to be gone forever though. Really losing things seems to be an ongoing problem for me.
But lots of people that aren’t me also don’t use a noseband. Take a look at western horses, as a stereotypical group. There is a nary a noseband amongst them. Are they all just perfectly trained to the bit? Do they never have mouth issues? I really don’t know enough to say. But broadly generalizing, they don’t use nosebands (maybe in speed events.)
But I will say this – I believe that the majority of times a horse trying to evade the bit is because of a training or comfort issue. Either the horse isn’t trained to understand the bit, or the rider is too rough with their hands. Or a previous rider was too rough and the horse remembers. A horse’s mouth is extremely sensitive. They don’t like pain. It’s pretty simple.
With all that said, sometimes there’s a legitimate reason a horse is evading that has nothing to do with pain or training. So even though you likely could go without a noseband, there might be a good reason for you to use a noseband. Let’s look at the options.
Plain Noseband
Also called: regular, cavesson, plain, English
This noseband is considered the “standard” noseband. It’s the traditional noseband, the one everyone thinks of first.
It’s a simple design, just a piece of leather across the bridge of the nose with the buckle underneath. It does restrict some jaw movement, but not much. It’s a perfect noseband for a horse without mouth evasion issues.
A noseband is also required in most English competitions, so this is a good one to have. This is also the required noseband in hunter competitions.
It’s also a connection point for using a standing martingale. A martingale would be used if your horse is a head tosser, so you don’t get a face full of horse skull – they can throw their heads back pretty far. Or, less dramatically, it just keeps the horse from bringing its head high enough to evade the bit.
It’s worth noting that some people use a martingale just for the traditional appearance – you’ll see it in a lot of hunter over fences classes at horse shows. A lot of these horses probably aren’t doing anything weird, their owners just like the look.
(But perhaps the owners are the weird ones for pretending their horses have an evasion habit. Awfully suspicious, if you ask me.)
Plain Noseband
Drop Noseband
Also called: Hanoverian
The drop noseband is similar to the traditional style, but it sits much lower, going below the bit and around the mouth.
The drop noseband isn’t popular right now. Some believe it’s in an unflattering position for a horse’s head, and it’s not suitable for use with a standing martingale. In most areas, it’s been replaced with the very popular standard noseband and flash combination. But the drop design has been used in some anatomical styles of bridle, so you sort of see it there.
In cases of very strong horses, Dy’on has come up with a bridle that features both a standard noseband and a drop noseband. I personally have not seen anyone use one, but it could be an option if you have a very strong horse.
Drop Noseband
Flash Noseband
Also called: Aachen
The flash is a piece of leather that comes down from the standard noseband, and circles the horse’s mouth in below the bit. It can be used with a standing martingale attached to the standard part of the noseband. It prevents the horse from open its mouth too wide to evade the bit, and is pretty mild, so most horses find it very comfortable.
This noseband can also help keep a loose ring snaffle centered in the horse’s mouth.
This is a very popular noseband for jumpers, eventers, and lower level dressage. Really everyone seems to want a piece of this noseband. And you can buy it in pieces, too. The flash attachment is sold by itself, so you can save yourself a marginal amount of money.
Flash Noseband
Flash Attachment
Just the strap itself – attach it to your existing standard noseband.
Figure 8 Noseband
Also called: Grackle
Named after the shape is takes, if you squint your eyes a little bit and use your imagination. It does sort of look like an 8, if 8s were made of straight lines, which really goes against the whole point of the 8, two circles.
But I digress.
The most distinct feature of this noseband is the high crossover point in the center of the horse’s nose, sometimes lined with sheepskin or neoprene. From there, the straps go upwards slanting towards the eyes, and another set goes downward in front of the bit.
The pressure from this noseband keeps the mouth closed, and prevents the haw from crossing. But the real benefit to this is the cool appearance the positioning of the straps allows for maximum expansion of the nostrils.
Figure 8’s are very popular for cross country and show jumping, to get that sweet sweet air flow. They also may be more comfortable for the horse as the straps don’t push into the cheeks into the teeth. This is an ideal noseband for the super athlete doing demanding work, or just for looking cool, which it does a pretty good job at.
Figure 8 Noseband
Crank Noseband
Also known as: Swedish, cinch, adjustable
The crank noseband is popular in dressage, as it can be used in the higher levels with double bridles, where flashes are not allowed. However it is also used in other disciplines, sometimes with a flash.
The leverage in the design allows the noseband to be very tightly fitted all around the nose. The crank is located underneath the face, with a double strap that provides the leverage to tighten it. There’s a padded strap, and a thinner leather strap.
It’s very easy to abuse the crank noseband. It can be made extremely tight, which some people definitely take advantage of, despite not needing to. The recommended tightness for use is “snug,” and still able to fit a finger underneath. Do not over tighten! Other than being incredibly uncomfortable for the horse, it can also cause injuries. Just like with all other tack, this is a tool that should not be abused.
Honestly, crank nosebands give me the “ick.” I really don’t think a horse’s mouth needs to be clamped shut. However, it does seem to be popular, as I’ve seen it at many dressage barns.
Use with caution.
Choosing tack is a big decision. You have to carefully weigh out what might be causing horse issues, and what the solution may be. If you’re doing this on your own, it’s always good to check with a professional trainer for advice. Often they can provide insight that wasn’t even on our radar, or give us a new way of thinking that provides a path for the solution.
Luckily with something like nosebands, they aren’t a huge investment, and as long as they aren’t too tight, they are pretty safe for experimenting to see which one works for your horse.
Happy riding!