Tight nosebands may cause bone damage

Does your horse have concavity or a bony lump on their nasal bone or lower jaw? If so, it could be the result of how you fasten your bridle. A new study has found that bony changes may be caused by the use of tight nosebands.

The researchers have been very careful to say that because the changes seen (both externally and via X-ray) are at the site of a noseband it doesn't mean that the noseband itself is necessarily causing the damage. However, I have witnessed these changes in a number of horses who have been ridden in tight nosebands over several years and I certainly believe that their use does damage bone and tissue. It is just scary to think that the use of a tight noseband for perhaps an hour of exercise five or six times a week can cause such disfigurement.

This study is another brilliant and very necessary examination into the worrying trend for extreme noseband tightness. Previous research by vet Orla Doherty found that competition horses of all disciplines often have their nosebands fastened tighter than is recommended for a human tourniquet.

A horse with a specific oral training issue, such as opening his mouth or putting his tongue over the bit, has a problem with what is being asked of him or is trying to avoid pain. If the horse is performing the behaviour to avoid pain or discomfort from the bit, then using a noseband that tightens around the mouth will prevent him from opening his mouth and mask the symptom, rather than address the cause. The pressure can also cause the teeth to cut into the inside of the cheek. Of course, trying to open their mouth against a tight band will also be painful for the horse.

At the absolute minimum, you should be able to fit two fingers easily underneath the noseband at the front of the horse's face – on the nasal bone – not at the side where the tissue is soft.

Once again this study raises questions about the Fédération Equestre Internationale's reluctance to address and monitor noseband use effectively. There should be evidence-based protocols in place at all competitions to check noseband tightness and ensure the horse's welfare is not compromised. Using the International Society for Equitation Science noseband taper gauge as standard would be a great start. Why this is not happening is beyond me.

The study: Distribution of Lesions in the Nasal Bones and Mandibles of a Sample of 144 Riding Horses. Animals 2020, 10, 1661 can be read here: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/9/1661/htm