>>>> I don't see how just holding or steadying the bit in the horse's mouth is more cruel than using a bit at all.
You know, one thing I have to hand the competitive dressage crowd. I've heard many well-known dressage trainers put it this way: the only purpose of a dropped noseband is to keep the horse's mouth shut. I think that sounds somewhat harsh, but I have to respect people who are at least direct and honest. I believe that the Icelanders picked up the use of dropped nosebands from the Germans probably in the early 1970's, and thus you might even say that there is a common source for its use in Iceland, and in dressage. So...why is it that I only hear it said within Icelandic circles that the dropped noseband is only for "steadying the bit in the horse's mouth?" Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED] No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.16.15/1173 - Release Date: 12/5/2007 9:29 PM
