LouCabassoun
Ottokar Baumann
Alter Kreuzweg 85
D-46325 Borken/Westf.
Tel.: (+49)(0)2861-5622
E-Mail: LouCabassoun@web.de



English version: Cavessons
Cavessons are a traditional instrument for the training of horses.
The advantage of cavessons for the schooling of horses from the ground - be it groundwork, work-in-hand or loungeing - as well as for starting novice horses lies mainly in the fact the sensitivity of the horse`s mouth is preserved as much as possible.
Our cavessons are based on models from the South of France. Since the early 1990s we have developed our own models, which suit different sizes and needs.
However, each cavesson is handcrafted individually.
If you have any further questions or would like to know more about our cavessons, please send us an e-mail or call us .

Use:
Cavessons can be used to train horses of all breeds and age-groups. They are used for work in hand, lounging and especially for the training of  young horses, as they do not hurt the mouth of the youngster so that it remains subtle and sensitive from the beginning. Therefore, the cavesson possesses a number of advantages in comparison to the more common alternatives of halter or snaffle:
The horse learns to respect its rider and his actions but at the same time negative side-effects (like lifting the tongue over the bit or pulling the whole bit through the mouth of the horse) are avoided. In order to keep the horse sensitive, the signals given by the cavesson should have the form of short impulses while the constant contact should be as light as possible.

Design:
For our cavessons, we only use very robust materials, most of the metal parts are made of steel. The nose band consists of a flexible chain, which ensures a tight fit as well as spreading the pressure over the broader part of the nose as e.g. the Spanish "serreta" does. On the other hand the nose band is narrower than those of the cavessons commenly found on the market, which allows a better fit (especially for horses with a rather small head) as well as a more precise use by the rider. The chain is covered by textile adhesive tape and then sown into robust leather. The cavessons have three rings worked into their nose band so that lounge, reins or leads can be fastened according to the needs of the rider. In correspondence to our models from the South of Europe, we left all those straps of leather which are not absolutely necessary so that the cavesson can be used in combination with a bridle (e.g. for lounging with side reins or while getting the horse accustomed to the bit). Additional straps can be added according to your wishes.

Fitting the cavesson:
The cavesson should be fitted tightly in order to ensure that it remains in its correct position even when the horse moves abruptly and strongly. You can find the right position for the nose band be dividing the distance between the corner of the mouth and the cheekbone (crista facilis). You can also position the nose band highter on the head (which makes its impact softer) or lower (which the impact increasis).
When the cavesson is comptetely new, the leather (especially that of the nose band) may feel rather stiff. Therefore, the nose band should be moulded into the right formby hand a couple of times before you try to fit it on your horse for the first time.

Outside / To non-EU countries our cavessons may be sold without VAT.