An Honest Analysis of Nosebands and Why Your Horse Doesn't Need Them
When dealing with horses, there are no fixed rules or a single correct way to do things, but many shades of grey. Among these is the discussion related to bridles and nosebands. Nosebands come in different shapes, materials and sizes, according to the action they have and their use. The argument in regards to this piece of equipment comes from both a ethical and practical point of view. Everyone is biased to a larger or lesser extent, so to try and avoid it, it is better to try and see things factually to get as close to the truth as possible while maintaining an emotional detachment.The nosband was the recent evolution of the cavesson noseband, which however has a completely different purpose. With a few exceptions the history of horseriding does not involve nosebands, as it can be seen from paintings and artwork.
The most common types of nosebands are (click to see an image) :
There are a few reasons why riders and trainers use nosebands including:
Keeping the horse’s mouth soft and quiet which encourages contact with the bit
Discourage movements that enable the horse to evade the bit and its action
To attach a fixed martingale
Prevent the horse from crossing his jaw
Persuade a horse to carry its head lower
It came with the bridle
It divides the horse’s head visually in a pleasant manner
Keep the bit high enough in the mouth so the horse cannot pass his tongue over it (Mostly seen in racehorses)
Transfer rein pressure to the nose
Limits backward movement of the bit when rein tension is applied
Make the horse chew on the bit
Holding the bit still in the horse's mouth
Headshaking
Nothing new here right?
Some of you might have been told these things for most of your life, but have you ever wondered if this is a hard-fact truth? Let's analyse it.
The use of terms like “soft”, “quiet”, “accepting”, “submissive”, “educated” are all applied when it comes to horse training and most often with bits and mouths. There's the “soft mouth” the “heavy mouth” and even “soft bits”, but these terms are only referring to our sensations when dealing with different types of horses and not to what is actually going on in there.
It can't be quiet because it doesn't actually make a sound. A mouth can't be either soft or heavy because it does not change in consistency and the same is for the bit. Soft bits don't exist, hands make them whatever they are. These terms however are used to communicate and understand how the horse is behaving and the problems that we have.
So why not base our observation on facts rather than words?
The real key to solve this mystery is asking yourself ‘why’. The horse opens his mouth when the reins are activated, or it crosses his jaw or it places his tongue over it. We know what is happening but generally the reasons behind it are ignored. Horses open their mouth for a simple reason: Pain.
Opening their mouth and generally raising their head decreases the pressure on the tongue and bars giving relief. This is simple to verify, If you lighten your reins, does the horse open his mouth? While all the points above could be evaluated one by one, they actually all can be grouped in the same issue, acceptance of the bit. The horse doesn't plan to make your day difficult or to be disobedient, they do what they think they're supposed to do or what they feel like doing. If they feel pain and don't understand they will react. A horse that has been correctly introduced to a bit will keep his mouth closed, his lips relaxed and soft, chewing and licking, will yield easily when asking flexions and will not oppose himself to the requests of the hand.
This has one key goal : confidence.
It is when the horse is afraid or not understanding that it will react by opening his mouth or passing over the bit with his tongue. It is also clear that using a noseband or flash band will not increase the horse’s confidence magically and will not even teach the horse that he isn't supposed to.
What teaches is the rider’s hands and his ability to communicate with the horse in a way he understands and doesn't feel the need to react and oppose himself.
To judge the situation more effectively we can ask ourselves a s few simple questions:
Does the horse understand what he is being asked?
Does he easily bend his neck and relax when asked?
Are his lips relaxed or tense?
Does he raise his head or snatch the reins away?
Is he overall confident with being ridden?
Is the rider sensitive enough to ride with a specific bit or any bit at all?
What most don't realise is how delicate a horse’s mouth is. Usually the force applied to their gums is excessive and can alone be the cause of all the behaviours listed above. A study presented at the Equitation Science Conference in October 2011 by Hayley Randle, PhD gives a quite obvious point of view which however may be easily interpreted in the wrong way. “Noseband tightness definitely seems to increase sensitivity to the bit, as it has an effect on rein tension applied to achieve medium contact. This suggests that noseband tightening makes the horse more sensitive to the bit.”. “Essentially, tightening the noseband ;just one hole appears to reduce the amount of rein tension needed to maintain bit contact.” Why is that? Because a horse who can open his mouth less, cannot avoid the pressure of the bit as much as before. A confident horse ridden by a careful rider does not need nosebands or flash bands at all. So the answer to the question, 'which noseband is best for my horse' is: none.
_______________________________________
Cover Photo: Crushcrush | Citizen Horse