Grackle/figure of 8/mexican nosebands/bridles?

The grackle is actually not as harsh. A crank is very harsh, as it cranks the horse's mouth shut tightly. The drop tends to sit a little lower than a grackle would and can cause a small amount of obstruction in their breathing if it goes too low. The grackle/figure 8 is designed to put even pressure throughout and its placement is much more comfortable for the horse. So a grackle is much nicer than a crank/flash.