, ▁and ▁many ▁brid les , ▁such ▁as ▁those ▁used ▁in ▁Western ▁r iding , ▁flat ▁racing , ▁or ▁end urance ▁r iding , ▁do ▁not ▁have ▁one . ▁Some ▁horses ▁shown ▁in - hand ▁do ▁not ▁use ▁a ▁nose band ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁better ▁show ▁off ▁the ▁animal ' s ▁head . ▁Many ▁old ▁paint ings ▁also ▁dep ict ▁a ▁hunting ▁horse ▁without ▁a ▁nose band , ▁since ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁always ▁de emed ▁useful ▁by ▁certain ▁rid ers . ▁ ▁However , ▁even ▁in ▁discipl ines ▁such ▁as ▁western ▁r iding , ▁where ▁it ▁is ▁considered ▁a ▁sign ▁of ▁a ▁pol ished ▁horse ▁to ▁not ▁require ▁a ▁nose band ▁or ▁cav ess on , ▁one ▁is ▁often ▁used ▁on ▁horses ▁in ▁training ▁as ▁a ▁pre ca ution ▁to ▁help ▁prevent ▁the ▁horse ▁from ▁learning ▁bad ▁hab its ▁such ▁as ▁opening ▁the ▁mouth ▁and ▁ev ading ▁the ▁bit . ▁ ▁Types ▁of ▁English ▁r iding ▁nose b ands ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁English ▁r iding ▁discipl ines , ▁the ▁most ▁common ▁design ▁of ▁cav ess on ▁nose band ▁is ▁the ▁P lain ▁or ▁French ▁cav ess on , ▁a ▁nose band ▁that ▁enc ir cles ▁the ▁nose ▁ 1 – 2   in ches ▁below ▁the ▁che ek bone . ▁This ▁type ▁of ▁nose band ▁is ▁seen ▁in ▁most ▁English ▁discipl ines , ▁especially ▁in ▁dress age , ▁show ▁hun ters , ▁s addle ▁seat , ▁equ itation ▁and ▁field ▁hun ters , ▁but ▁is ▁the ▁basic ▁nose band ▁for ▁all ▁discipl ines