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Discussion on Leather cavesson
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Member:
maggienm
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Posted on Wednesday, Jan 9, 2008 - 9:31 pm:
I have been given a leather cavesson to use for lunging.
It is nice leather, it has a throatlash, an adjustment on the noseband, this one also has and extra piece that does up under the jowls half way between the noseband and the throatlash.
Over the noseband it has several metal rings for attaching the lunge line.
What is bothering me is the weight of the noseband. Since the metal is fairly good quality it is also quite heavy, like two or three times heavier than any bridle.
Has anyone had experience with a cavesson like this?
I am concerned that it simply is too heavy.
Thanks for the help.
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Member:
ekaufman
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Posted on Wednesday, Jan 9, 2008 - 9:53 pm:
Hi Lori,
It depends on the horse. My young stallion works better with a bit of weight on his head. Maybe it counteracts the load behind? Dunno. My warmblood mare hates anything on her head and won't get used to it.
The beauty of those cavessons is that, properly adjusted, they stay in place and spread the pressure of the line. With a very large or very rambunctious horse, they help get them to work and keep them focused. So it's a useful thing to own, even if you don't use it much.
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Member:
paardex
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Posted on Thursday, Jan 10, 2008 - 3:43 am:
I've used it for years on each type of horse or pony and imo your hands stay the most important thing, if you jerk on the lungeline it'll hurt if your hand is soft and stable the weight usually doesn't seem to bother them. I did always use it to teach young horses to lunge or in a big open space because it gave me more'power' then just a leather halter without hurting the mouth. I need to say though from time to time you encounter a horse who doesn't like the weight on it's nose then I search something else.
I had a lighter one handmade but the weight on the nose doesn't seem to influence the horse some just do not like the pressure on the nose.
The best thing imo is that you can easily put a bit underneath or over the cavesson to learn the horse accept a bit or work with sidereigns without interfering with the mouth.
Also the first time a saddle for instance you do not need to pull on their mouth if they go wild and still can stop them fairly easy.
Only bad thing: I constantly get bruised if they try to rub their head against me with the thing on
If the cavesson has a ring under the chin you can use it with a single and a line attached for walking with horses who go up in the air. I know risky but from time to time if you have to walk next to one who prefers to walk on his hind legs trying to get a frontfoot on your head a necessary precaution[as soon as you start lungeing you ofcourse unlatch the line.
Sorry I got carried away but I love cavessons
Jos
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Member:
maggienm
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Posted on Thursday, Jan 10, 2008 - 10:41 am:
Ok, good advice, thank you.
I do think it will stay exactly in place, much better than the nylon web version I was using.
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Member:
imogen
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Posted on Monday, Jan 14, 2008 - 6:06 pm:
Make sure you do up all the straps tighter than you think - you do not want a good leather cavesson, which should have a bit of weight in it, pulling around on the horse's head so that their eye is obstructed.
Three straps is normal on English cavesson.
The best book on lungeing is an old one see https://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Lungeing-Sylvia-Stanier/dp/0851315739
You are lucky to have been given a proper cavesson, look after it and make sure it has been properly oiled etc. so that the leather is soft.
I agree with Jos that the odd horse needs a lighter one and my pal Sheila has a beautiful one she picked up many years ago which is cob-sized with delicate brass fittings. I got it mended for her at a traditional brass foundry when a bold pony broke it, because they are hard to come by.
Best wishes
Imogen
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Member:
maggienm
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Posted on Monday, Jan 14, 2008 - 10:57 pm:
Yes, it is new, the leather is very stiff, I have soaped and oiled it.
Good tip about tightening it.
I am going to check out the book. What do you like about the book?
Thanks
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Member:
imogen
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Posted on Tuesday, Jan 15, 2008 - 6:03 am:
Very clearly written by a woman with a lifetime of knowledge but do not expect 21st century bells and whistles - it is a straightforward "how to do it" book which does not assume you know anything and has only a few pictures.
Her book on long-reining is fantastic too. In the 1950s and 1960s Sylvia Stanier gave demonstrations at great horse shows like Olympia in London on the schooling which could be carried out through long-reining such as cavaletti, preparations for collection etc.
I really recommend the book.
Imogen
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