Nosebands explained: cavesson, flash, figure 8 and crank

A noseband is the strap that goes around a horse's nose and jaw, and each style is designed to do a slightly different job. When it is attached to its own headstall, separate from the bit, it is called a cavesson. Depending on the style, riders use one to steady the bridle, to discourage a horse from opening his mouth or crossing his jaw, or to give a standing martingale something to attach to.

Nosebands are also debated. The International Society for Equitation Science says tight nosebands may lead to physiological stress and mask unwanted behavior, and it encourages competition rules that have stewards check tightness with a standard gauge. That is why fit gets so much attention below, and why the last section covers what federations check.

Here is the short version of the four in the title.

A cavesson is the basic noseband, and a cavesson bridle is a bridle fitted with one. Horse & Hound calls it the simplest noseband, one that gives a finished look. Reference sources describe it as steadying the bridle. In US dressage rules it is also the noseband for a double bridle.

Fit it just below the cheekbone, with room for one or two fingers. Horse & Hound says just below the facial bones so you can slip one or two fingers under the nose strap. Wikipedia describes it as 1 to 2 inches below the cheekbone, with one or two fingers fitting between the noseband and the top of the nose. One rider-writer notes the US now commonly fits it right under the cheekbones while England still uses the two-finger method (Equine Ink).

Over-tightening is the common mistake, and the rule books treat it seriously. USEF dressage rules say a noseband must not be adjusted so tightly that it causes skin irritation, and the FEI's eventing guidance says stewards must not allow a noseband to sit so low and tight that it interferes with breathing. Fitted too loose, a cavesson mostly dresses up the head or holds a standing martingale (Equine Ink).

A flash adds a second strap that runs under the chin groove to help keep the horse's mouth closed. The main noseband is fitted like a cavesson, and the lower strap fastens below the bit. Horse & Hound says a flash has a less direct action than a drop noseband and that some dressage trainers use one to help keep the bit central in a loose-ring snaffle. Wikipedia notes that a common belief that a flash stabilizes the bit is a misconception.

Fit starts with the cavesson part. A flash that slides down the nose can restrict breathing (Equine Ink), and Horse & Hound says the front part must be substantial, because thin straps slide down. The sources differ a little on how snug the cavesson part should be: Wikipedia says somewhat tighter than a plain cavesson so the lower strap doesn't drag it down, while the two-finger room in the rule books applies to nosebands generally. A flash pulled tight can also pull the main noseband down onto the nose.

Competition rules set a floor on looseness. Current USEF dressage rules measure flash tightness to the side of the nasal bones, and the FEI uses a measuring device for all disciplines. Both are covered in the last section.

A figure 8, also called a grackle, crossed or Mexican noseband, has two straps that cross on the front of the nose and fasten under the chin. Horse & Hound explains the idea: opening the mouth creates pressure on the chin groove and the bridge of the nose, which is why it is associated with discouraging a horse from crossing the jaw. Wikipedia adds that the crossed design allows more nostril expansion, which suits galloping work.

The sources say more about where it sits than how tight it is. Horse & Hound says the standard version fits below the cheekbones but tends to slip down, and a high-ring version stays in place better. Equine Ink says it was traditionally fitted so the top straps sit below the cheekbones, though the author has seen them fitted higher. None of the sources we read gives a finger-width rule for the figure 8 alone. The FEI's eventing guidance, though, applies the two-finger room to nosebands whatever their position, so a sensible default is to leave room and have a trainer or saddler look at it on your horse.

A crank is a cavesson-style noseband with a leveraged buckle, so it can be fastened a bit snugger without the buckle digging into the jaw. Wikipedia lists it as the Swedish cavesson, mostly used on dressage horses in double bridles. Equine Ink describes it as made to be fastened slightly tighter than a cavesson, without a buckle digging into the back of the horse's jaw. Horse & Hound's older guide describes a similar double back (clinchback) cavesson that doubles back on itself so it can be fastened tighter than a plain one without the buckle digging in, and says not to overtighten it.

'Cranked' is the cautionary word. The Equine Ink author warns that a tighter fit doesn't mean it should be cranked to the maximum, and Wikipedia notes that overtightening can be painful. Federation checks apply to nosebands in general, so a crank that is tight enough to fail the two-finger room is a problem under the rules too.

Check your rule book before you show in one. The USEF dressage rules we read say a cavesson is the only noseband permitted with a double bridle, and allow a cavesson with an adjustable back piece or chin strap.

A double bridle carries two bits, a bradoon (a thin snaffle) and a curb (a Weymouth), on two sets of reins. It also has a curb chain and a cavesson noseband. The FEI's eventing guidance describes it as a cavesson noseband, a bridoon, a curb and a curb chain. Horse Illustrated explains that the bradoon helps the rider keep a consistent, elastic contact, while the curb adds leverage, and that together they help raise the neck and stabilize the connection.

It is used at the upper levels of dressage, usually Third Level and above, and in saddle seat, according to Horse Illustrated. Wikipedia lists it as required in FEI tests from Prix St. Georges up and optional at USDF Third and Fourth Levels. Rules vary by breed and discipline, so check the book for your class.

It is a finishing tool, not a fix. Horse Illustrated stresses that a double bridle is for increasing the subtlety and finesse of the connection. It takes a certain level of training in horse and rider before it is introduced, because the curb multiplies the strength of the rider's hand. Curb chain fit matters: too loose and it can flop and interfere with the bradoon, too tight and small rider errors become painful. The cavesson shouldn't sit too low, since skin and lip can pinch between it and the bradoon (Wikipedia). Have a trainer who knows doubles help with the first fitting.

Yes. Major rule books now set a minimum amount of room, and stewards check it. Here is what the three we read say. Your own rule book is the authority for your class, and rules change, so check the current text.

• USEF Dressage (2026 rules): nosebands shall not be adjusted so tightly that they cause skin irritation, and it must be possible to insert two fingers under the noseband on the side of the face below the cheekbone. In a tack check, tightness is measured at the location shown in the rule book, not on the bony area of the cheekbone or bridge of the nose, and flash tightness is measured to the side of the nasal bones.
• FEI Eventing guidelines on tack (April 2023): it must be possible to place two fingers, side by side and flat against the cheek, between the horse's cheek and the noseband, and stewards must not allow any noseband to sit so low and tight that it interferes with breathing. If it happens again, the rider can get a yellow card.
• FEI Veterinary Regulations (Art. 1044.8), all FEI disciplines: a measuring device slid under the noseband over the nasal bone replaces finger checks. As reported by The Chronicle of the Horse (Nov 2024), the device is 1.7 cm thick and the rule took effect May 1, 2025. If the tool won't fit before competition, the noseband must be loosened first. If it is too tight in a post-competition tack check, the horse is eliminated and the rider gets a yellow card. Eurodressage (Oct 2024) listed a January 1, 2025 start, so check the FEI's current wording.