Reble
Well-Known Member
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Thanks Minimor, great explanation.The noseband? Properly adjusted it is not bad. If it is done up very tight in an attempt to keep the horse's mouth shut....as many people tend to do...then it becomes a bad thing. Cavessons (whether it is a riding bridle or a driving bridle) are not meant to be used to keep the mouth shut. The cavesson is positioned around the jaw in such a place that it is around the molar area of the mouth. So, when you adjust that very tight, it is pushing the inner cheeks against the molars. If you are using a joined snaffle, the action of the bit is such that when you use the reins the bit pulls up in the horse's mouth--more specifically, it pulls up into the molars. Now you've got the bit right up there with the molars, with the cavesson squeezing the cheeks into the molars, as well and the bit and that tight cavesson grinding the inner cheeks between them--this causes extreme pain to the horse, plus is likely to create open sores on the horse's inner cheeks--all of which is even worse if the horse hasn't had regular dental checks/care and has sharp edges or hooks on his molars.
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