[DoubleDown]

So long story short, I've started riding my draft cross mare in a thin LR snaffle in her jumping bridle which has a fig. 8 noseband on it. She is amazing in it! So over her back, soft, round, and carrying herself better. Just gobs different than her dressage bridle which was a baucher snaffle with a crank & flash on it. I switched back for a ride to make sure I wasn't crazy and she was just blah, heavy & stiff-ish again.

Any thought as to why there is such a huge difference in her way of going? Her nosebands are never super tight, I can always easily slip a finger between her and the leather. The only thing I can think of is that her being a bit drafty she has thicker lips and maybe the crank was squeezing her cheeks into her teeth? It seems like too big of a difference in her way of going for it to be that though.
Thanks!

[Auburn]

My mare was always behind the aides, until I switched her to a Micklem bridle. Now, I ride all three phases in the same bit/bridle.

If the bit is legal for dressage, then I would ride in the bridle/bit that works best for your horse.

[kkindley]

Dunno, my mare hates a figure 8, but loves her flash. So we jump in a flash. If it works, go with it. I've seen plenty of people ride dressage in a figure 8.

[Big_Grey_hunter]

Are you sure it's the noseband that's making the difference and not the bit?

[GoForAGallop]

Are you sure it's the noseband that's making the difference and not the bit?

That's what I was going to say. A baucher and a loose ring are two very different bits.

[Beam Me Up]

The loose ring has more movement in the mouth, so can be good for creating softness, esp for the heavy/stiff types. The baucher creates more stablity, so is good for the tense or reactive ones.

[DoubleDown]

Are you sure it's the noseband that's making the difference and not the bit?

Sorry I should have added, but I've tried the baucher in both bridles and she's just blah in it. LR is a bit better in the crank but nothing like the fig. 8.

I guess I just didn't think that a noseband switch would make such a big change in a horse, especially her who is typically not very reactive or sensitive the rest of the time. Or maybe as a rider I just got complacent or wasn't paying as close attention to what she was "telling" me. It's made me feel a bit bad!

[yellowbritches]

I rode a pony who was absolutely god awful in a flash, much better in a figure eight, and the best in a plain cavesson (well, happiest...he kinda needed his mouth strapped shut!).

I rode a very nice Irish foxhunter who HATED figure eights (couldn't deal with the very slight poll pressure they can apply). I always rode him in a plain cavesson (flashes made his head look clunky, and the figure eight we experimented with was just to help his appearance...).

So, in other words, yes, nosebands can make a huge difference!

[Ibex]

My is GREAT in a Drop or a figure-8... pissy and reactive in a crank/flash combo. You can get away with just the crank, but add the flash and her tension levels go up immediately. Yet the drop or Fig-8 make her happy. Same bit, so it's definitely the noseband!

Who knows!

[MtyMax]

I rode a pony who was absolutely god awful in a flash, much better in a figure eight, and the best in a plain cavesson (well, happiest...he kinda needed his mouth strapped shut!).

I rode a very nice Irish foxhunter who HATED figure eights (couldn't deal with the very slight poll pressure they can apply). I always rode him in a plain cavesson (flashes made his head look clunky, and the figure eight we experimented with was just to help his appearance...).

So, in other words, yes, nosebands can make a huge difference!

Can you elaborate on the poll pressure? What are the mechanics behind teh figure 8 causing slight poll pressure? And if that were the case, why would it be dressage legal?

I've been thinking about trying a figure 8, but the one I ordered (Nunn-finer) has the buckle right in between my horses lips so it is going back. Booooo.