How does a drop noseband work?

Question

I know that the purpose is to help a horse to get on the bit but how does it work?

Answer 1

I belive it makes the horse feel the bit more which kinda trains him. I'm not exactly sure.

maybe look it up on google :)

Answer 2

i am pretty sure it pulls there nose in or something i heard it some where

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Answer 3

Learn to have soft hands and you will not need a dropped nose band, or any other "gimmick"

Answer 4

A drop noseband is similar to a flash in that it is desgined to hold the horses mouth shut. The drop noseband is harsher and is often incorrectly adjusted which can harm the horse. They are also out of style at the time. Flashes are in. (O the whims of horsepeople)

The actual noseband does not put a horse on the bit. It just keeps the horses mouth shut so he cannot open his mouth and resist. Basically the same action as a flash.  

EDIT: Here is a drop and flash noseband side by side. The picture sucks but you can see how they would achieve basicly the same thing.

http://www.cyberhorse.net.au/tve/photos/...

EDIT 2: I started dressage not wanting to use anything but what I had been using: full cheek snaffle and simple noseband. That lasted like a whole 2 days.

Jazz (12 yr old OTTB) liked to open his mouth and hang on the bit. He wasnt in pain or anything. He just figured out it was much harder for me to make him work when he did that. I had a the best dressage trainer in the state suggest a flash and I immedietly was like 'no way!'. Well I ended up getting curious about how it could help us so I picked up a flash bridle (fgured if I didnt like it I could take the flash off and still have a nice new bridle, which I needed). I took Jazz and the flash back to the dressage trainer and she helped me introduce it to him. He began working better right away. Still offered resistence but for the first time it got better as the ride when on instead of worse. At the end of the lesson she suggested a thick loose ring snaffle. I immedietly bought one and began riding in it. Jazz has nevr worked better. He figured out in a couple rides that opening his mouth to resist wasnt an option. Now I ride in it a hole or two looser than the trainer had it on. He probably doesnt need it anymore but I keep it on to remind him.

Anyway, dont be afraid to try new things sometimes (as long as you have ruled out pain). A correctly adjusted flash will not impair your riding or your horse and you might just find he goes better with one. Quiet hands sometimes arnt enough.

Answer 5

A drop noseband is used to keep a horses mouth shut, and is incredibly helpful if you are leading a horse which has a tendency to nip. Obviously they can be used incorrectly or cruelly (done up too tight, or done up so the horse's skin/hair is caught in it and pinching) but if used appropriately they are great for stopping the horse from biting a person leading them. Where I work, we had a horse on one for a while, and it made a huge difference.

They don't affect how a horse holds the bit though.

Answer 6

If a dropped noseband is fitted correctly, they are actually more gentle than a flash. They are a very traditional bride piece in dressage training. Remember, all aids can be abusive or cruel, whether artificial or natural. Just be careful and before you try anything, make sure you have careful, gentle, sensitive hands.