▁the ▁horse ▁by ▁this ▁hal ter , ▁instead ▁of ▁by ▁the ▁bit , ▁which ▁could ▁result ▁in ▁damage ▁to ▁the ▁horse ' s ▁mouth ▁if ▁it ▁pan icked . ▁ ▁However , ▁its ▁ability ▁to ▁hold ▁a ▁horse ' s ▁mouth ▁shut ▁over ▁the ▁bit ▁was ▁also ▁recognized , ▁as ▁was ▁its ▁useful ness ▁for ▁att aching ▁equipment ▁such ▁as ▁a ▁mart ing ale , ▁and ▁so ▁in ▁some ▁trad itions ▁it ▁was ▁sometimes ▁left ▁as ▁a ▁working ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁brid le . ▁ ▁Still ▁other ▁cult ures , ▁such ▁as ▁that ▁of ▁An cient ▁Pers ia , ▁developed ▁the ▁nose band ▁as ▁a ▁tool ▁for ▁training ▁young ▁horses , ▁called ▁a ▁ha k ma , ▁and ▁this ▁training ▁nose band ▁evol ved ▁into ▁modern ▁equipment ▁such ▁as ▁today ' s ▁bos al - style ▁hack am ore ▁and ▁L on ge ing ▁cav ess on . ▁ ▁Today , ▁there ▁are ▁also ▁many ▁styles ▁of ▁bit less ▁brid le ▁that ▁rely ▁on ▁a ▁nose band ▁as ▁the ▁main ▁method ▁of ▁communication ▁and ▁control . ▁ ▁Us es ▁Today , ▁the ▁nose band ▁has ▁several ▁uses : ▁ ▁First , ▁to ▁give ▁a ▁bal anced ▁and ▁tradition ally ▁correct ▁appearance ▁to ▁the ▁horse ' s ▁turn out ▁at ▁shows . ▁When ▁raised ▁high , ▁it ▁can ▁make ▁a ▁long - n osed ▁horse ' s ▁face ▁look ▁shorter ▁and ▁more ▁proportional . ▁Vari ous ▁positions ▁up ▁and ▁down ▁the ▁nose ▁may ▁help ▁the ▁face ▁look ▁more ▁hand some , ▁and ▁a ▁wide