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An investigation into noseband tightness levels on competition horses

Authors:
Orla Doherty at University of Limerick
Orla Doherty
Vincent Casey at University of Limerick
Vincent Casey
Paul McGreevy at The University of Sydney
Paul McGreevy
S Arkins
S Arkins
S Arkins
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Abstract

Nosebands are used by riders to prevent the horse from opening its mouth, increase control and, in some cases, to comply with the rules of competition. Compared with standard cavesson nosebands, the crank noseband provides a mechanical advantage of 2, i.e. it doubles the tension for a given force used to tighten it. Possible negative consequences such as discomfort, pain or tissue damage are of concern to equine scientists and the public. The current study sought to identify the level of noseband tightness applied to competition horses. Using the ISES taper gauge, noseband tightness data were collected from 750 horses competing in national and international competitions in eventing (n=354), dressage (n=334) and performance hunter (n=62) competitions in Ireland, England and Belgium. Data were collected immediately before or after the performance. Using the taper gauge as a guide, results were classified according to the number of 'fingers' that could fit under the noseband at the nasal planum, and assigned to five groups: 2 fingers; 1.5 fingers; 1 finger; 0.5 fingers or zero fingers. Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests revealed the data were not normally distributed, so Kruskall-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were applied to compare noseband tightness levels between disciplines and horse age. Seven per cent of nosebands were fitted to the recommended 2-finger noseband tightness level while the remainder had nosebands fastened tighter, with 44% fastening it too tight for even the tip of the taper gauge to be inserted beneath the noseband (zero fingers). Twenty-three per cent of nosebands were at 1 finger tightness and 19% at 1.5 fingers. Significant differences emerged between disciplines (H 2 =31.62, p<0.001), with the highest levels of noseband tightness being among eventers (Median=0.00, p<0.01/Mean=0.56, SE=0.35), followed by dressage competitors (Median=1.00, p<0.001 / Mean=0.75, SE=0.04) with performance hunter classes (Median=1.00, p<0.05/ Mean=1.04, SE=0.10) being lowest. Horse ages ranged from 4 to 19 years. Noseband tightness did not differ significantly with age (U=9.35, p>0.05). Comparison of noseband tightness levels between four year old horses (n=80) and five year old horses (n=59) found slightly higher levels of noseband tightness in the five year old horses, but the difference was not significant (U=2064, p>0.05). The prevalence of such tight nosebands aligns with the ISES position statement calling for the resumption of noseband checking and should trigger further research into the behavioural and physiological implications of tight noseband usage for horses. The current lack of guidelines and regulations regarding permitted noseband tightness levels permit the use of noseband tightness levels that may be detrimental to horse welfare. Lay person message: Noseband tightness was measured in 750 horses competing in dressage, eventing and performance hunter classes internationally. Forty four per cent of nosebands were extremely tight. Only 7% were fitted to the recommended tightness level of the equivalent of two fingers. Tight nosebands may cause uncomfortable levels of pressure and pain in horses and are difficult to justify on welfare grounds.
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53
© International Society for Equitation Science 2016
Oral presentation 20
An investigation into noseband tightness levels on competition horses
O. Doherty1, V. Casey1, P. McGreevy2 and S. Arkins1
1University of Limerick, Drumcrowie, Malin, Co. Donegal, Limerick, Ireland
2 Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Sydney,
New South Wales, Australia.
orladoherty@live.ie
Nosebands are used by riders to prevent the horse from opening its mouth, increase control
and, in some cases, to comply with the rules of competition. Compared with standard cavesson
nosebands, the crank noseband provides a mechanical advantage of 2, i.e. it doubles the
tension for a given force used to tighten it. Possible negative consequences such as discomfort,
pain or tissue damage are of concern to equine scientists and the public. The current study
sought to identify the level of noseband tightness applied to competition horses. Using the ISES
taper gauge, noseband tightness data were collected from 750 horses competing in national and
international competitions in eventing (n=354), dressage (n=334) and performance hunter (n=62)
competitions in Ireland, England and Belgium. Data were collected immediately before or after
the performance. Using the taper gauge as a guide, results were classified according to the
number of ‘fingers’ that could fit under the noseband at the nasal planum, and assigned to five
groups: 2 fingers; 1.5 fingers; 1 finger; 0.5 fingers or zero fingers. Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests
revealed the data were not normally distributed, so Kruskall-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were
applied to compare noseband tightness levels between disciplines and horse age. Seven per
cent of nosebands were fitted to the recommended 2-finger noseband tightness level while the
remainder had nosebands fastened tighter, with 44% fastening it too tight for even the tip of the
taper gauge to be inserted beneath the noseband (zero fingers). Twenty-three per cent of
nosebands were at 1 finger tightness and 19% at 1.5 fingers. Significant differences emerged
between disciplines (H2=31.62, p<0.001), with the highest levels of noseband tightness being
among eventers (Median=0.00, p<0.01/Mean=0.56, SE=0.35), followed by dressage competitors
(Median=1.00, p<0.001 / Mean=0.75, SE=0.04) with performance hunter classes (Median=1.00,
p<0.05/ Mean=1.04, SE=0.10) being lowest. Horse ages ranged from 4 to 19 years. Noseband
tightness did not differ significantly with age (U=9.35, p>0.05). Comparison of noseband
tightness levels between four year old horses (n=80) and five year old horses (n=59) found
slightly higher levels of noseband tightness in the five year old horses, but the difference was not
significant (U=2064, p>0.05). The prevalence of such tight nosebands aligns with the ISES
position statement calling for the resumption of noseband checking and should trigger further
research into the behavioural and physiological implications of tight noseband usage for horses.
The current lack of guidelines and regulations regarding permitted noseband tightness levels
permit the use of noseband tightness levels that may be detrimental to horse welfare.
Lay person message: Noseband tightness was measured in 750 horses competing in
dressage, eventing and performance hunter classes internationally. Forty four per cent of
nosebands were extremely tight. Only 7% were fitted to the recommended tightness level of the
equivalent of two fingers. Tight nosebands may cause uncomfortable levels of pressure and pain
in horses and are difficult to justify on welfare grounds.
Keywords: noseband, tightness, competition, horse, gauge, welfare.
54
© International Society for Equitation Science 2016
Oral presentation 21
The effect of noseband tightening on horses’ behaviour,
eye temperature and cardiac responses
K. Fenner1, S. Yoon2, P. White1, M. Starling1 and P. McGreevy1
1Kandoo Equine, Towrang, New South Wales, Australia.
2Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Sydney,
New South Wales, Australia.
paul.mcgreevy@sydney.edu.au
Nosebands are becoming tighter in equestrian sport, especially in elite dressage, possibly
because they mask unwelcome behaviours that attract penalties. This is concerning, as recent
evidence suggests that very tight nosebands can cause a physiological stress response, and
may compromise welfare. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship that
noseband tightness has with oral behaviour and with physiological changes that may indicate
distress such as increases in eye temperature (measured with infrared thermography) and heart
rate and decreases in heart rate variability (HRV). Horses (n=12) naïve to a double bridle and
crank noseband were randomly assigned to four ten-minute treatments: unfastened noseband
(UN), conventional area under noseband (CAUN) with two fingers of space available under the
noseband, half conventional area under noseband (HCAUN) with one finger of space under the
noseband, and no area under the noseband (NAUN). They were not ridden but were observed
while standing in a test bay. During the tightest treatment (NAUN), horse heart rate increased
(s.e.d.=3.92; df=88, p<0.01), HRV decreased (s.e.d.=70.90; df=88, p<0.001) and eye
temperature increased (s.e.d.=70.90; df=88, p<0.05) compared with baseline readings,
indicating a physiological stress response. The behaviour data were all counts and were
analysed using a generalised linear mixed model with a Poisson distribution, a logarithm link
function and a split-plot ANOVA. The behavioural results suggest some effects from bits alone
but the chief findings are the physiological readings that reflect responses to the nosebands at
their tightest. Chewing decreased from baseline during the HCAUN (F2,92=11.99, back-
transformed means 21.41 versus 7.88, p<0.001) and NAUN (19.47 versus 3.61, p<0.001)
treatments. Yawning rates were negligible in all treatments. Similarly, licking was eliminated by
the NAUN treatment. Following the removal of the noseband and double bridle during the
recovery session, yawning (F2,93=83.04, back-transformed means 3.25 versus 1.08, p<0.05),
swallowing (F2,121=21.83, back transformed means 3.46 versus 1.42, p<0.01) and licking
(F2,96=111.81, back transformed means 17.25 versus 1.58, p<0.001) significantly increased
compared with baseline, indicating a post-inhibitory rebound response. This suggests a rise in
motivation to perform these behaviours and implies that their inhibition may place horses in a
state of deprivation. It is evident that a very tight noseband can cause physiological stress
responses and inhibit the expression of oral behaviours. The use of restrictive nosebands for a
perceived advantage in sport may be difficult to defend on ethical grounds.
Lay person message: Horses naïve to nosebands and double bridles show significant shifts in
heart rate, heart rate variability and eye temperature when nosebands are tight enough to
compromise comfort behaviours such as chewing, licking, yawning and swallowing. On ethical
grounds, using sustained pressure to eliminate behaviours because they may attract penalties in
some competitions seems difficult to justify.
Keywords: horse, nosebands, post-inhibitory rebound, behaviour, welfare, thermography.
... However, in a study, controlling noseband tightness, only 7% of riders had applied this rule correctly. In 44% of the horses the nosebands were fixed extremely tight (Doherty et al. 2016). ...
... The hypothesis that rein tension is higher in combinations of bits with bridles prohibiting jaw opening (Kapitzke 2001) seems to be verified to some extent. The deplorable fact that riders prevent their horse from chewing the bit and masking problems in horse-rider communication with tightened nosebands have been reported before (Kienapfel & Preuschoft 2010, Doherty et al. 2016. ...
... Rein tension was higher in combinations of bits with bridles prohibiting jaw opening. Especially with tightened nosebands, bridles that restrict jaw opening and thus prevent the horse from chewing the bit, might negatively affect horse welfare and mask problems in horse-rider communication (Kienapfel & Preuschoft 2010, Doherty et al. 2016. ...
Horse's laterality: methods of determination, genetic aspects, interaction with human handedness and the influence on horse-rider communication, horse's muscle status, sport success and risk of injury
Thesis
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  • May 2020
The aim of the present study was to investigate whether laterality test results obtained on the ground relate to laterality during riding and to examine the influence of human handedness and horse’s laterality on rein tension. The present study contained an online-survey with 686 riders and 1286 horses as well as the comparison of twelve different methods to investigate horse’s laterality on the ground and during riding between five groups of horses (6.553 horses in total) and rein tension measurements with a group of 88 warmbloods, Quarter Horses and mixed breeds (41 right-lateral, 35 left-lateral and 12 without reported laterality) with 65 riders (49 right-handed, 14 left-handed and 2 ambidextrous) in 110 rides (51 in conventional European riding and 59 in Western riding). Rein tension was analysed using Excel and linear mixed models in SPSS. The relation of different laterality test methods among each other was investigated using cross-tabulations, chi²-tests, phi and Cramer’s V, as well as Pearson-correlations. Heritability was determined using uni- and bivariate linear animal models in DMU6. Laterality test results obtained on the ground did not agree with laterality during riding. Only the rider’s assessment of their horse’s laterality and the lateral displacement of the horse’ hindquarters allowed conclusions on laterality during riding. In most populations the majority of horses had their hindquarters displaced to the right. Based on the rider’s assessment of their horse side preference for dressage tasks, no overall direction of laterality could be documented in any population. Right-lateral and ambidextrous horses were more successful overall. Heritability of the lateral displacement of the hindquarters was high in warmbloods and low to moderate level in Thoroughbreds. In dressage and show jumping there seems to be an advantage for both left-lateral and ambidextrous riders as well as left-lateral horses. A direct relation of the lateral displacement of the hindquarters to sensitive muscle trigger points could not be documented. In addition to the stability of rein tension, two aspects of symmetry (quantitative symmetry between left and right rein tension and temporal symmetry of left and right rein tension peaks) were identified that are influenced mainly by human handedness. Horse’s laterality mainly influenced the magnitude of rein tension as well as the symmetry of the inside versus the outside rein. Right-handed riders depended upon their dominant hand while trying to compensate their horse’s laterality and produced more symmetric rein tension with right-lateral horses. In contrast, left-handed riders reacted to their horse’s non-dominant side, regardless of the horse’s direction of laterality. Less rein tension was applied with a more stable and symmetric contact in Western riding compared to conventional European riding.
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... This range corresponds to dead weight loads in the range 1-9 kg. Noseband settings of less than F0F5 are commonly encountered at competition level [25]. It is not possible to predict what the corresponding values for zero finger tight nosebands are likely to be. ...
... Given the dimensions of the probe, elevating the noseband sufficiently to insert the probe for tightness settings less than F0F5 is not possible. However, since this tightness level is commonly used in competitions [25] there is a significant gap in our knowledge relating to magnitude of the forces and pressures likely to arise for such settings. Lower profile probes specifically tailored to such tightly fitted nosebands could be produced if such tight nosebands are deemed acceptable based on available or emerging evidence. ...
An Objective Measure of Noseband Tightness and Its Measurement Using a Novel Digital Tightness Gauge
Article
Full-text available
Noseband tightness is difficult to assess in horses participating in equestrian sports such as dressage, show jumping and three-day-eventing. There is growing concern that nosebands are commonly tightened to such an extent as to restrict normal equine behaviour and possibly cause injury. In the absence of a clear agreed definition of noseband tightness, a simple model of the equine nose-noseband interface environment was developed in order to guide further studies in this area. The normal force component of the noseband tensile force was identified as the key contributor to sub-noseband tissue compression. The model was used to inform the design of a digital tightness gauge which could reliably measure the normal force component of the noseband tensile force. A digital tightness gauge was developed to measure this parameter under nosebands fitted to bridled horses. Results are presented for field tests using two prototype designs. Prototype version three was used in field trial 1 (n = 15, frontal nasal plane sub-noseband site). Results of this trial were used to develop an ergonomically designed prototype, version 4, which was tested in a second field trial (n = 12, frontal nasal plane and lateral sub-noseband site). Nosebands were set to three tightness settings in each trial as judged by a single rater using an International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) taper gauge. Normal forces in the range 7–95 N were recorded at the frontal nasal plane while a lower range 1–28 N was found at the lateral site for the taper gauge range used in the trials. The digital tightness gauge was found to be simple to use, reliable, and safe and its use did not agitate the animals in any discernable way. A simple six point tightness scale is suggested to aid regulation implementation and the control of noseband tightness using normal force measurement as the objective tightness discriminant.
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... Whilst peer-reviewed science and evidence-based practice is growing in equine science and equestrian topics, such as farriery (e.g., [71][72][73]) and equine training methodology (e.g., [74][75][76][77]), a contemporary evidence base of peer-reviewed science for lorinery, and harnessing more broadly, remains relatively scarce. It is encouraging to see greater focus in recent years on the welfare implications of equid harnessing, aids and related aspects, such as the impact of nose-bands on the welfare of performance horses [78,79] or of whips in racing [80][81][82]. However, there remains a paucity of literature and research on these topics in relation to working equids specifically, perhaps due to their presence being predominantly limited to resource-poor contexts or low-and middleincome countries where there are other research priorities; or the lack of institutional donors prepared to fund such research when it may not have direct implications or benefits for the demographic or geographical location where their focus lies. ...
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Bits used for cart horses in Senegal are typically made of recovered construction iron and often have defects related to design, shape, fit and metal quality. Consequently, there is widespread presence of bit-related oral injury amongst these equids. It was hypothesised that improving bit design would ameliorate bit-related welfare issues for working cart horses. This study aimed to develop locally made alternative bit prototypes and test their efficacy as less harmful to working horses, and their acceptability to their drivers. Eight animal-based welfare indicators (four physical and four behavioural) were designed to measure positive or negative effects of the new bits. Following a testing phase to appraise and mitigate potential animal welfare risk associated with the alternative bit designs, a total of 540 driver/horse combinations were opportunistically selected across five municipalities in Senegal. Welfare indicators were observed when new bits were introduced and again after 21 weeks of daily use. The results indicated statistically significant improvements in all welfare indicators measured (i.e., lesions on lip commissures, tongue, buccal mucosa and bars; and open mouth, tongue loll, head toss/shake, and head tilt/turn behaviours). None of the drivers reported any difficulty with horse control, nor chose to revert back to their original bits. Whilst acknowledging the limitation of inability to control all potential confounding variables, these preliminary findings suggest the bit itself as an important contributor to oral injury, and the possibility to improve this through alternative bit design that is low-cost, locally produced and acceptable to drivers.
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