flash, drop and grakle

[fleabitten]

Am looking at tack at the moment for BHS and it seems there are 2 types of grakle nosebands - just an ordinary one and a mexican one, although a lot of sources seem to lump them together and just call all grakles 'mexican' so it seems that there is no difference - so am kinda confused!

What i understand at the moment is that the ordinary grakle seems to really be the same thing as a flash noseband because the top strap sits below the cheekbone (therefore the same as the cavesson part of a flash) and then the bottom strap goes below the bit. However it says in the book that its action is the same as the drop only its more effective at stopping the horse from crossing his jaw.
Pic: www.horseandrider.co.uk/shop/images/thumbs/t_grackle.jpg

Am i right in thinking that the mexican grakle is always the one with the ring at the cheekpiece - they seem to sit higher up, actually on the cheek rather than below it. www.barnstormers.co.uk/acatalog/29010sm.jpg

Also i remember reading somewhere that on some grakles the straps slide through the centre piece so you can adjust it and then one some the straps are fixed?

Is there even a difference between grakles?? Or are they all pretty much the same thing but with variations in style

Any help appreciated!

[haffyfan]

Hey Flea, only just seen this.

As far as I know the old fashioned style grackle is not like a flash at all but I suspect a 'trendy' mexican one possibly is more so in it's action? The old style ones work on a figure of eight basis...basically if the horse evades and opens it's gob the figure eight style makes it tighten higher up round the upper jaw. They of course slide so it adjusts accordingly.
The mexican ones seems to have the upper straps coming through the centre as per old fashioned but then attached to fixed rings and a seperate behind the upper jaw strap so although opening the jaw will tighten it this will not be spreading the pressure all around the face like the old fashioned style would?

Well thats how I see it, having never used a trendy mexican one I don't really know how it works or differs.

[fleabitten]

Its kinda confusing isnt it, i wonder why they made a second grakle (the mexican) - i would imagine that the mexican one would be more effective in stopping them crossing the jaw, than the old fashioned style - it kinda looks better too which is probs why its more popular! lol!

Thanks for the opinion, interesting to read