A proper lunge cavesson?

[HorseBuff]

I’m starting to do more lunge work with my 6yo mare. I’d like to get a proper cavesson and am stuck between 2 types. One has a chain wrapped in leather (left image) and one has a padded nose band with D rings (right image). I’m a novice and am competent at lunging, but by no means advanced. My instructor and I are setting up a training program with lunging once a week to help build my mare muscles and help her balance and rhythm. She’ll be doing most of the lunging to start. Eventually it will just be me.

My mare is 6yo, a 3/4 Friesian paint cross (bottom photo in bridle). She’s very sensitive about her nose and face. She hates Micklem type bridles (anatomical along the face), I’ve tried several of this type and she didn’t like any of them. She also doesn’t like bite-less bridles, I’m thinking because of the nose pressure.

She has never needed a chain for leading. She is not a fan of lunging (I’m guessing she doesn’t see the point!). She’s smart and prefers to use her brain. However, she can get fresh on the lunge, more in a “I don’t want to” manner than having too much energy. She’s very much a “whoa” horse. She is typically very lazy on the lunge. We will be using poles, etc. to help with training and to help keep her brain engaged along with some fun groundwork.

My concern for the chain wrapped in leather style is that it might be too sensitive for my horse, me and my instructor (who likes to lunge with a bridle - she’s a h/j with some dressage experience). On the flip side, will the padded ones with D-rings not offer enough refinement? Or, does it really matter which one I use as long as the cues are consistent?

Right now I have a nylon Shires padded cavesson which isn’t ideal but kinder on her pole than a line run through the bridle. She also has issues with her pole being tight as is common with Friesians.

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[aahunterjumper]

After my trainer pointed out that my lunging cavesson didn’t fit my super-refined mare, I went on a quest in search of a “Spanish Riding School” model. The extra throatlatch strap keeps the cheekpieces from accidentally getting into an eye even if the horse is being silly.

The QCV (from Portugal) are lovely, but the chain wrapped one (Photo #1) was way more correction than my “sensitive soul” needed. It was perfect for my boss mare who thought lunging commands were suggestions and that a canter meant she could try to bolt away from her smaller human. She attempted that twice with the QCV chain-wrapped cavesson ( I believe it’s actually an iron band). She started to bolt, human stood her ground, mare encountered the resistance imposed by the noseband and changed her mind.

After lots of Internet and COTH research, I bought a lunging cavesson from Hastilow. I’m very pleased with it, it’s designed like the SRS ones, is beautiful leather and fits a wide range of horses. It was about $250, but sturdy enough for the job, noseband is well padded with cushy leather. “Sensitive souls” and “make my day” horses go well in it.

[NotGrandPrixYet]

The one on the right looks like Manolo Mendez’s serrata-type lunging cavesson. It’s THE BEST I’ve ever used for getting that relaxed, stretchy big trot with proper bend And carriage. I’ve tried many different kinds in my lifetime. Manolo’s is well worth the money for any horse, but especially for my sensitive horses.

[merrygoround]

The QVC cavesson is similar to my favorite. However I prefer a ring arrangement where the chin strap attaches so that it can be curved under a bit, as in a dropped noseband.leaving the nose band to sit higher.this way a gentle ‘arets’ will vibrate the bit on downward transitions.

Longing using a bridle works, but bridles weren’t designed to be used that way, and a naughty horse can wreak havoc,.

[SuzieQNutter]

If you lunge with a bridle you need to put the lunge rein in through the bit, over the head, measure to the bit and come back and knot on this side and go back over and clip to the bit on the other side.

This stops the bit being pulled through the horse’s mouth if you pull on the lunge rein.

This has to be changed each time you change direction. If there is a pull on the lunge rope the knot can be hard to undo.

A lunging cavesson has the lunge rope in the correct place on the front of the face not behind the head. It is easy to change direction. There are no knots to do up and undo. I prefer the lunging cavesson.

[merrygoround]

The QVC cavesson is similar to my favorite. However I prefer a ring arrangement where the chin strap attaches so that it can be curved under a bit, as in a dropped noseband.leaving the nose band to sit higher.this way a gentle ‘arets’ will vibrate the bit on downward transitions.

Longing using a bridle works, but bridles weren’t designed to be used that way, and a naughty horse can wreak havoc,.