Federation takes action on nosebands
A national federation is taking action after research into the tack’s effects
A MEASURABLE gap of 1.5cm between a horse’s nose and his noseband will be enforced for competitors in all disciplines in Denmark from 2018.
The Danish equestrian federation, led by FEI national head vet Dr Mette Uldahl, researched the effect of riding equipment and tack on the horse.
It involved more than
3,000 dressage, endurance, showjumping and event horses and the full results are due to be published by the end of the year.
Researchers found a “clear correlation” between tight nosebands and mouth lesions, which has led to the new rule.
Technical delegates will trial noseband checks and measurement methods at events this year, but no sanctions will be imposed before 1 January 2018.
From next year, officials will check noseband tightness if they suspect it is too tight. If it is, the rider will be asked to loosen it before they compete.
“If the rider refuses to loosen the noseband, or if there are repeated violations of the noseband tightness rules, sanctions will be imposed,” adds a statement from the federation.
Grand prix dressage rider and H&H columnist Anna Ross has spoken of the need for a quantifiable way of measuring noseband tightness.
“Anything that promotes comfort of the horse has to be a good thing,” Anna told H&H.
“We need to have some sensible conversations on what the actual use of the noseband is and what purpose it serves.
“The point of ‘two fingers to two fingers’ (comment, 24 August) is that fingers are a silly way [to measure] as it is not quantifiable.”
She said the gap size and device used need to be discussed and tested by relevant experts.
Professor Paul McGreevy, International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) founder and animal behaviour specialist, was the lead author of a study on the effect of noseband tightening on horses (news, 12 May 2016).
“Dr Uldahl deserves praise for speaking up for horses,” Professor McGreevy told H&H.
He added it is “good to see” the proposal demands tightness is checked in the nasal midline, rather than the side of the face, but that ISES would like to see the gap increase further.
“The Danes are offering to give horses space of only 1.5cm, less than the minimum space ISES has been recommending for the past five years [the dimensions of two average adult fingers at the second joint].
An FEI spokesman told H&H it has received the statement from the Danish national federation.
“We have not yet received the full study,” she added.
“It is too early to comment before we have had the opportunity to evaluate it.”