The best grackle bridles (also known as figure-of-eight or cross-over bridles) are designed to help prevent the horse from crossing its jaw or opening its mouth. This type of noseband is a variation of the flash. The grackle applies pressure more evenly over a larger area than a flash when the horse evades and allows […]

CW6JPT A portrait of a horse standing outside in the English countrysideNew tack rules in British Showjumping (BS) have caused debate among riders. On 6 March the governing body announced that following a recent national sports committee meeting, amendments had been made to the tack and equipment rules. Cheltenham gags with roundings and Stephens continental hackamores are no longer permitted…

New research has shown promise around noseband tightness in dressage – but that stress behaviour increases with competition level and judges are not penalising it. In a study, published in Animals, Czech researchers aimed to assess whether noseband tightness at national competitions would influence how horses “express stress”. But when nearly all of the more […]