THE LONGEING (lungeing) CAVESSON
(an exerpt from Longeing and Long Lining the English and Western Horse - A Total Program)

A cavesson resembles a heavy, well fitting halter and is the preferred headpiece for longeing (lungeing) English horses. "Breaking" cavessons are generally made of stout leather with heavy metal nosepieces and have straps to fasten them securely and keep them in position because during "breaking" it is often necessary to tug or pull quite hard on the line to control the horse. Lighter, simpler cavessons are also available for the very young horse, the already-trained horse, for use with a bit or bridle, and for use as a dropped noseband.

The traditional cavesson is made from leather but nylon cavessons are also available. A longeing (lungeing) cavesson has a padded noseband with a jointed metal nosepiece that usually has 3 swivel-mounted rings attached to it. Generally the middle ring is used for longeing (lungeing) unless a horse carries his head to the outside of the circle extremely. In that case, the inside cavesson ring can be used to bend the horse inward on the longeing (lungeing) circle. The side rings are also used for side rein attachment or long line attachment.

Most cavessons have buckles for adjustment on both sidepieces. Unless a chin pad is present, the noseband fastens with a single thickness leather strap. The nosepiece is usually either plated steel, nickel plated brass, or solid brass and is designed to control and guide the horse. Most are hinged in three places to allow the metal nosepiece to conform to a variety of nose shapes and sizes. The nosepiece acts on the nasal bone to control and guide the horse.

Besides having a nosepiece, sidepieces and crown, there is nothing "standard" about longeing (lungeing) cavessons. A throatlatch strap, nice but not essential, keeps the cavesson positioned and secure and prevents the horse from pulling it off over his ears.

The essential cheek or jowl strap is like a second, lower throatlatch. Fastened snugly across the horse's cheek, this strap prevents the cavesson from twisting around and causing the side pieces to bump into the horse's eye which could easily occur when the longe line were pulled if there were no cheek strap.

A brow band which I feel is essential, keeps the crown from sliding down the horse's neck.

A face strap, which runs from the crown, brow band, or side pieces to the nosepiece, is designed to prevent the weight of a very heavy noseband from slipping down onto the horse's nostrils and to keep the noseband in position if a horse tries to pull away or bolt.

Bit straps are sometimes included for suspending a bit so the horse can carry a bit without requiring the use of a separate headstall under the cavesson.

How To Think Like A Horse	Making, Not Breaking	101 Longeing and Long Lining Exercises	Longeing and Long Lining English and Western