Choosing the Right Noseband for Your Horse's Bridle

One of the important parts of many bridles, especially English bridles, is the noseband. The noseband is the part of the bridle that goes around the horse’s nose, and the plain versions on English bridles are called cavessons.

The cavesson doesn't attach to the main part of an English bridle, but rather hangs on its narrow cheek pieces that sit beneath the cheek pieces of the headstall of the bridle. On western and other types of bridles, the noseband may be attached directly to the cheek pieces of the bridle. 

The purpose of the noseband, or cavesson, is simply to help keep the bridle on the horse. Most horses don’t need anything other than a plain cavesson or noseband. However, slight alterations to the simple noseband can increase its usefulness for controlling the horse.

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Crank Noseband

Also known as a Swedish, cinch, or adjustable noseband, the crank noseband uses a leveraged closed mechanism under the horse's chin. A leather strap is threaded through rings or roller bars on either side to achieve leverage before it's secured, allowing for a more precise fit that distributes pressure on the horse evenly.

Crank nosebands are most common in high-level dressage in which double bridles are used, as these don't accommodate flash nosebands. In hunter and equitation divisions, crank nosebands are considered conventional.

Drop Nosebands

A drop noseband, also known as a Hanoverian, hangs lower on the horse’s face, hanging down below the level of the bit rings and helps prevent the horse from opening its mouth and evading the bit.

Drop nosebands aren't as popular as crank, flash, or combination nosebands these days. However, they're useful tools for training young horses that need to learn how to accept a bit.

Flash Nosebands

A flash noseband, also known as an Aachen, is a small strap attached to the top of the cavesson that buckles underneath the horse’s chin. This noseband aids in the horse’s mouth shut, so it can’t evade the bit.

Some flashes attach to the noseband with permanent loops, but convertible and removable flashes use a detachable strap or by threading a strap through a slot in the noseband.