ISES notes that, in the last few decades, there has been a steady increase in the design of nosebands that effectively mask evidence of a horse’s discomfort.
The incentives for athletes to over-tighten nosebands arise from the rules of dressage that penalize displays of discomfort such as open mouths and lolling tongues. These rules were written by the sport’s governing bodies to promote excellent training and the demonstration of qualities such as freedom, harmony, lightness and acceptance of the bit without tension. Restrictive tight nosebands can prevent the horse from displaying unwanted behaviours such as opening, gaping or crossing the jaw, and are enabling competitors to mask signs of tension which judges should penalise as evidence of inferior training. Thus nosebands may hinder effective judging.
Recent research*, by Professor Paul McGreevy and others, suggests that horses wearing tight nosebands undergo a physiological stress response, are sensitized to bit pressure and may have reduced blood flow with potential to cause injuries and tissue damage including nasal bone deformities, even when padding accompanies the noseband such as in the case of so-called crank nosebands.
ISES recommends:
- a return to the established practice of placing “two fingers” under the noseband to demonstrate that it has not been over-tightened. This amount of space under the noseband allows horses to express tension or seek relief from the pressure of the bit and so aligns with the principles of ethical equitation.
- that, for fairness and objectivity, a standard taper gauge should be used by stewards at competition. The taper gauge should be placed without force at the nasal midline and be clearly marked to show the desired stop, which, in alignment with established industry guidance, should be the dimensions of two average adult fingers.
Read more at equinescienceupdate.com
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