Why do you use a flash?

[SportingSun]

Ok, I swear I’m not trying to start any drama or a trainwreck thread here. I am genuinely curious and I would like to know everyone’s reasoning behind this.

I noticed that nearly every dressage bridle out there has a crank and/or a flash noseband, but why? Isn’t dressage supposed to be about flawless training an communication? I’ve always been taught that a flash is to keep a horse from opening their mouth to resist the bit, but if the training and communication is there, that shouldn’t be a problem, right? Is their reasoning behind this that I am missing?

What about a crank? Same purpose right? To keep the horse’s mouth shut, I mean, that’s why it’s called a crank noseband right? To “crank” the jaw shut? So why would you need one if your horse is well trained?

Am I off the mark and completely missing something here? Is a flash just “in style”? Or do people really have that much trouble with their horses opening their mouths?

Thanks everyone!

[quietann]

For mine, a fairly loose flash is a reminder to not put her tongue over the bit. She is also much less likely to flail her head around in up transitions, one of her favorite evasions. I do ride her without it sometimes, and I don’t tighten it very much.

Crank nosebands do not have to be “cranked” tight and for many horses they are more comfortable than having a buckle right in the sensitive area under the jaw.

[mjhco]

I use a flash to help stabilize the bit (keep it from moving around so much) on my very sensitive horse. He likes a loose ring except for the amount of movement it supports. Flash stabilizes it.

I use a crank because it is so well padded. Again for my very sensitive horse. In fact I use a piece of fleece under it to protect his sensitive skin even more. Much more comfortable than a narrow unpadded strap against sensitive skin that barely covers the jaw bone.

You must be ‘taught’ by interesting people if they think the only use of these pieces of equipment is to apply FORCE.

[CHT]

A flash also helps support the lower jaw. Some horses get worried about the pressure from the bit, and instead of carrying their jaw nice and relaxed, they clamp their jaw and have a dry mouth. With the flash, this type of horse can relax their jaw.

This is not an indication of rider ability, but rather of the horse’s preference.

Recent changes to the rules means that nosebands are checked for tightness.

[Wayside]

My mare loves her flash. She’s incredibly sensitive, and I suspect that it helps minimize any extraneous bit movement that goes along with moving her head with a relaxed jaw. Which is what the purpose of the flash should be - to stabilize the bit.

The analogy I like to use is to think of going for a run, holding a bit in your hand. Even if it’s tied on one side to keep it from falling out, like a bridle, if you relax your grip it’s still going to move around a little. You could stop the motion by clenching your fist, or you could wrap something around your hand so that it can stay closed AND relaxed.

Now, these movements are quite small, and most horses don’t seem to be bothered or confused by them. None of my other horses have ever used/needed a flash, but my current incredibly sensitive and anal-retentive mare seems much more willing to relax her jaw in one, so I’ll use it. Plus if I do use the bit, she is certain that it’s me and not just some teeny irrelevant bit flop, so I can use my reins more delicately. And I don’t have to make it very tight at all for her to receive the benefit from it.

[ponysize]

I use a flash because we are retraining my mare and she will on occasion open her mouth and/or try to get her tongue over it. It’s on loosely, and once it is not needed it will come back off.

[sorrelfilly721]

I was told by a german instructor that the flash and noseband combined are to keep the horse’s mouth closed so that the bit lies properly across the tongue and works most effectively.

[CatPS]

I use a flash primarily to stabilize the bit, secondarily to discourage my guy from poking his tongue out (he’s an OTTB, it’s just something he does occasionally). I also prefer crank nosebands because they are better at distributing pressure and they are usually very nicely padded.

[ideayoda]

There is nothing the OP is missing, it is well thought out and quite accurate.

Ok, lets start with why a caveson is on a bridle. Military riders used them to tie. Dressage riders initially rode in a lunge caveson, and it was used for lateral flexibility (no snaffle), and curb came for later nuance.

Fast forward (1700s), when progressive training came in a snaffle (fulmer). And a dropped was added only to prevent possible crossing of the jaw with horses being progressively trained ifv. And thus it continued until the late 60s when (german) auction horses were sold out of the country. Viewers didn’t understand drops, so the ‘cross between’ was the flash. And they became ‘in style’. Just as copying square saddle pad (sheer use was to keep tailcoat dry…now EVERYONE uses them even hunter riders LOL) or unbraided forelocks (one winning stallion who did not allow handling there).

From riding in both, there is simply no reason for one. If the horse is ridden progressively (up/open/ifv/with a mobile jaw) there is little reason for the horse to open the mouth. And if the horse starts to have mouth issues it is INFORMATION. If the horse has mouth or tongue issues it is often because the horse is steadily at (or more) vertical and the bars are exposed to the effects of the hand, rather ifv with pressures on the corners of the mouth. Horses ‘evade’ pain, and riders should ask different with their aids rather than strap the mouths shut.

What should stabilize the bit? That it is high enough (a wrinkle or two in the corner of the lips) and steady riding ‘in position’.

What does the lower jaw need supporting? A half halt should not work against it, but on the corners of the mouth. The jaw should be mobile/allow for chewing and swallowing. It should be neither clamped shut nor hanging flaccidly, errors in either are information to the rider about the texture of their aids, and the horse’s balance. Horses only clamp their jaws to evade pain. The rider should be holding both sides of the bit evenly, so it will not slide to one side or another, and in a fulmer or full check it cannot do so.

The way the rules were changed is somewhat of a joke, since the fingers now go in the side (where the bones are) which can allow the fingers even if fairly tight. The fingers should go under the jaw. But interestingly enough even with those things many horses in curbs now show open mouths or bitten/bloody tongues because now they are attempting to chew in their closed postures.

[rothmpp]

I never used a flash in my snaffle with current horse - he never seemed to need the bit stabilized and never developed a habit of getting his tongue over the bit or opening his mouth to evade the bit.

In the double I use a padded crown and a crank, but the noseband is buckled so loosely as to be laughable to call it a crank. I like it for the padding it provides, and spreading the weight of the bits out a bit on his poll. Plus - good luck finding a double without a crank noseband!

[alto]

@ideayoda;6279173

there is simply no reason for one. If the horse is ridden progressively (up/open/ifv/with a mobile jaw) there is little reason for the horse to open the mouth. And if the horse starts to have mouth issues it is INFORMATION. If the horse has mouth or tongue issues it is often because the horse is steadily at (or more) vertical and the bars are exposed to the effects of the hand, rather ifv with pressures on the corners of the mouth. Horses ‘evade’ pain, and riders should ask different with their aids rather than strap the mouths shut.

What should stabilize the bit? That it is high enough (a wrinkle or two in the corner of the lips) and steady riding ‘in position’.

:yes:

[esdressage]

I don’t use a flash.

[Salar]

Wow, if the flash is as important as some here think (support the jaw etc.), someone better run over to the Hunter ring and tell these guys what they are doing wrong!!!

I too hard a difficult time finding a dressage bridle without one so had to have the flash removed and noseband restitched.

Me thinks this is an “in vogue” trend…

[Bravestrom]

I have a young mare that comes from a line that all of them put their tongue over the bit - they are smart cookies - I hate raising the bit so the flash solves the problem of her being able to open her mouth and put the tongue over.

I did my first gallop set with my gelding a few weeks ago and thought I would leave the flash part off - because he is so good in the arena (he is a dressage horse) I thought it would be easier to let him breathe the first time he does some galloping under saddle - big mistake - he totally grabbed the bit and it was tough to stop him as he was having so much fun.

A flash helps the horse understand subtle aids with the bit and I think it makes them pay more attention.

I’ll keep the flash than you very much as i know the difference especially since riding a young 17.3hh gelding that used to be a stallion.

[emirae1091]

[QUOTE=Bravestrom;6279867]

I’ll keep the flash than you very much as i know the difference especially since riding a young 17.3hh gelding that used to be a stallion.[/QUOTE]

…didn’t all geldings USED to be stallions?

[quietann]

[QUOTE=emirae1091;6279882]
…didn’t all geldings USED to be stallions? ;)[/QUOTE]

I think they meant a male horse gelded as an adult/recently. They can retain their stallion behavior for quite a while!

[EqTrainer]

I use them for retraining sometimes.

If a horse prefers a more stabilized bit (and many, many do) I use a bit with a cheek piece and/or a mullen mouth.

I think a lot of people are misled into thinking their horse needs a flash because KK brainwashed the masses into thinking their horse would prefer a fat loose ring regardless of the individuals mouth conformation and way of going. The flash then stops the horse from trying to spit it out :lol:

[Superminion]

I use a crank noseband with my mare simply because her head is freakishly large and a regular warmblood sized noseband won’t buckly comfortably. The crank gives me a little more wiggle room, and I don’t buckle it any tighter than I would normal noseband.

[ideayoda]

From galloping race horses, the noseband does NOTHING to prevent the horse (no matter the size of the horse) grabbing the bit and in fact can make it worse. Don’t participate in the tug of war. This agressive connection has become more a problem in eventing than ever before, often because they are bitted up more and more with more and more nosebands. And then the ‘nose breathers sticky things’ are added, but the lack of oxygenation is throat latch flexion not nostril ‘need’. All the rider has to do is raise the level of one rein slightly and control returns (through lateral flexilbity).

[cnm161]

Seems like these threads come up every couple months or so. The decision to ride with a noseband is not proof that you can’t ride/train or that you’re a cruel inhuman beast. You cannot show without a noseband. It makes sense to train in one.

[QUOTE=SportingSun;6278714]
What about a crank? Same purpose right? To keep the horse’s mouth shut, I mean, that’s why it’s called a crank noseband right? To “crank” the jaw shut? So why would you need one if your horse is well trained?[/QUOTE]

It’s called a crank because of the mechanics of the buckling. The homonym implying excessive force is not why it’s named. I prefer cranks over plain nosebands because the buckle does not lie right on the bones. As with other posters, I don’t strap my horses’ mouths down before I get on. I leave them fairly loose.

As for square saddle pads… they fit a variety of saddles. End of story. The shaped pads won’t fit the sheer range of panels and flaps choices that are on the market. Much easier to buy a square pad and be done with it. There is always the option to not put a pad on at all, and clean tack all the time.