Have you ever wondered about nosebands?

Have you ever wondered about nosebands : 🧐

* What does a noseband do? 
* Do riders know WHY they use them? 
* More importantly, is the desired outcome truly being achieved by the action of using them?

 

I have seen all types of cases in horses: nashing, opening the mouth, being inconsistent or heavy in the contact, head tilting, hollowing of back, tongue over bit, etc, etc
It is not only about having the correct bit that the horse finds comfortable. 
It is also about good fitting tack : bridle, saddle, girth… 
It is also about the riders hands & the way they use them to communicate via the horses mouth. 
It is also about the connections in the body and problems there may be in other areas causing that reaction in the contact.

These are only a few of many things that need correction/attention & NOT just adding more pressure to a noseband.
 

So to correct a horses ‘mouth’ or contact, you shouldn't try to ‘stop’ an undesirable trait with just adding more restriction 
(i.e.: tighten the noseband, or flashstrap) - this would cause further discomfort & resistance. 
Not just because of discomfort, but because it biomechanically will hinder the horse too. And a quiet mouth is NOT a ‘shut mouth’. 
No living mammal on earth goes around with it’s jaw closed & teeth together - it must remain relaxed & untensed. 
Optimum performance cannot happen any other way. And that is NO exaggeration.

Therefore the conclusion is simple - the noseband is not a way of solving the problem. But the right noseband for your horse or wrong one… can make a difference.
A noseband that is too tight or that is restricting relaxation simply makes peak performance impossible. Just think how horses ‘winning’ with this gear…. and imagine how amazing they would truly be WITH A WELL FITTED NOSEBAND! 
 

Here is why it is of importance! 

Did you know:

👆– On an equine dissection (yes, like an autopsy) any pressure applied in the horses mouth or to the jaw (which causes the hyoid bone at the base of the tongue to move up and/or back in the jaw) renders the hind legs restricted (difficult to move by a human) with effects also evident in the hips, yet the leg can be freely moved when the jaw is released (when the hyoid bone is allow to sit lower & forward in the jaw/mouth). This is fact !

👆– The job of the jaw is to act like a pendulum to give the horse correct balance & allows the horse to have awareness of limb placement. This relies on the TMJ (temporomandibular joint) of the jaw to be pain & pressure free.

👆– The jaw of the horse is a reflection of the pelvis. If the jaw is stuck, the horses pelvis will be too. This is seen in the obvious evasion of head tilting to allow the pelvis to move if the jaw cannot.

👆– closing the mouth & closing the gullet (over-bent) when riding causes the hyoid bone of the tongue to become blocked, which is directly connected to & tightens the muscles at the base of the neck through to the chest. This also makes it hard for the horse to swallow - causing excessive saliva/foam to pour from the horses mouth.
 

So in light of these facts - Here are the positive sides of having a well fitted noseband :

+ The horses mouth becomes a reflection of it’s acceptance of the reins aids & how much they understand the communication of their rider
(no hiding your technical/riding issues anymore)

+ The horse has nothing to resist against - as there is no restriction.
(which helps relaxation)

+ A calm yet mobile mouth means they are light on the reins & relaxed through the neck so they can easily swallow
(more elasticity)

+ Freedom to the jaw will allow freedom in the pelvis & hind legs
(bigger movement from behind !)

+ Your horse has 100% chance of giving you it’s best performance!

Bridle & Ride believes it is time to help everyone understand the difference between clever marketing and what is actually working ! 
(Products which have been tested and proven to do what they say they do !)

It’s time we all stopped just using items of gear, because that’s what they sell in the shops ~ or because it is fashionable. 
But really think about how we are trying to train our horses to understand us & give them the best chance of producing what we really want ~ HARMONY

Of course there are more parts to this puzzle... The horse is a complex animal is some ways, and simple in others. But every horse and rider combination is unique. So every situation is different. 😎
Throw in the training methods and also the sport you are using your horse for, and the puzzle gets 3 dimensional and even more complicated ! 
 

Don't settle for OK, go for the BEST.

Foot note : Yes! We are very realistic, and YES we understand you cannot solve all issues with changing tack ! That would be too easy ;-)
The training and health of the horse in body and mind are also the biggest part of this puzzle. And it is up to us to help you find out how to move forward. But believe us : without the right tools, you cannot achieve the best in comfort.