# Olympic equestrian events under fire



## Fenris (11 May 2016)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-...ipment-causing-stress-in-horses-study/7386074

Olympic equestrian events under fire as research links riding equipment to stress response in horses


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## Rollin (12 May 2016)

I am really interested in this study.  I am a hack happy geriatric and I don't jump!! I do exercise and have lessons on my two Shagya.   I have been having some spirited debates with the very good rider who competes my two Shagya Arabs, 8 year old stallion and 6 year old sister.

The filly is strong, bold and throws her head.  Trainer has tried all sorts of regimes different bits etc.  we almost came to blows when he jumped her in draw reins, a tight flash nose band and spurs.

Last weekend she jumped her 3rd and 4th clear rounds at Lion D'Angers 1.05M.  No flash, sheepskin noseband, hollow mouth snaffle, no spurs, running martingale.  She jumped the best ever.  She is hot to the leg and has a soft mouth.  

She is not a novice ride but he had admitted that she needed to be given her head 3 strides out, she is very clever so he decided to let her make her own mistakes and she is  now jumping clear again and again.


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## hackneylass2 (13 May 2016)

Rollin, that is the ideal explanation of how  'machinery and gadgets'  should not be used in place of a rider who does not understand his or her horse.  Generalisation maybe, but there are too many quick fixes about nowadays. I would and have not ever used anything but a cavesson, and I have ridden a good many 'difficult' horses. I feel that the less restricted they are, the more you can work with them. Patience is a virtue! I do think that a lot of restrictive gear is used for the sake of the rider's confidence and not the benefit of the horse.


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## popsdosh (13 May 2016)

hackneylass2 said:



			Rollin, that is the ideal explanation of how  'machinery and gadgets'  should not be used in place of a rider who does not understand his or her horse.  Generalisation maybe, but there are too many quick fixes about nowadays. I would and have not ever used anything but a cavesson, and I have ridden a good many 'difficult' horses. I feel that the less restricted they are, the more you can work with them. Patience is a virtue! I do think that a lot of restrictive gear is used for the sake of the rider's confidence and not the benefit of the horse.
		
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here here to easy to blame the horse! for lack of understanding and experience on the riders part.


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## HashRouge (13 May 2016)

I saw this a week or so back as it was in the Guardian. I have never been a fan of crank nosebands and I can well imagine that they would have a negative impact on the horse. I found the quote from the vet in the article, who said there was no evidence that the nosebands caused "serious injury" a bit ridiculous. I don't think anyone was suggesting that they do - just that they cause unnecessary distress!


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## HeresHoping (13 May 2016)

I'd be very happy to see flash nosebands and crank nosebands binned, personally. I'm on the fence about a double bridle, but the crank is unnecessary.

However, that study is a bit tenuous - it doesn't point out sample size, types of horse, types of competition, other environmental factors, rider level, etc.

But the RSPCA can butt out. WHEN they start responding to equine cruelty cases appropriately in all instances, then they can start dictating what we can and can't do with our competition horses. Besides, they shouldn't just single out the dressage - they may not have done but by showing the double bridle they have drawn attention to it - showjumpers can be just as bad. I happened to glance over someone's hedge not so long ago and not only was the horse being jumped in draw reins, they were rapping.


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## JFTDWS (13 May 2016)

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0154179

It would be just super if journos could actually link to the published data, and actually present it sensibly.

The data show that _over-tightened_ crank nosebands cause distress, as measured by infra red temperature scanning of the eye (a fairly novel and not very established method), heart rate and some behaviour analysis, in a small, short term study of 12 horses.  Their experimental design does not allow them to comment meaningfully on the "distress" caused by a double bridle in isolation, nor does it support banning any type of noseband.  

It does suggest that FEI/BD etc should empower and encourage their stewards to enforce the rules regarding noseband tightness.  As usual, it's not the equipment which is the problem - it's the inappropriate application of cranks by some who use them.


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## HeresHoping (13 May 2016)

JFTD said:



http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0154179

It would be just super if journos could actually link to the published data, and actually present it sensibly.

The data show that _over-tightened_ crank nosebands cause distress, as measured by infra red temperature scanning of the eye (a fairly novel and not very established method), heart rate and some behaviour analysis, in a small, short term study of 12 horses.  Their experimental design does not allow them to comment meaningfully on the "distress" caused by a double bridle in isolation, nor does it support banning any type of noseband.  

It does suggest that FEI/BD etc should empower and encourage their stewards to enforce the rules regarding noseband tightness.  As usual, it's not the equipment which is the problem - it's the inappropriate application of cranks by some who use them.
		
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Ah. Thank you.


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## Rollin (13 May 2016)

I just wanted to say, that the man who rides our young horse is an excellent rider.  He had never ridden a Shagya Arab before and did not realise how much she would 'fight' him, if he got tough with her,  I could see this from the sidelines.  Things are going very well now and he is delighted with the results.


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## Orangehorse (20 May 2016)

There is, apparently, a nerve in the horse's face that lies underneath where a cavession noseband goes.  So in my Pony Club days we were told to allow 3 fingers' width around the noseband.  So if I know this, why is over tightening any noseband allowed?


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## ester (20 May 2016)

Fenris said:



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-...ipment-causing-stress-in-horses-study/7386074

Olympic equestrian events under fire as *shoddy, dubious* research links riding equipment to stress response in horses
		
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sorted that


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## JFTDWS (20 May 2016)

Orangehorse said:



			There is, apparently, a nerve in the horse's face that lies underneath where a cavession noseband goes.  So in my Pony Club days we were told to allow 3 fingers' width around the noseband.  So if I know this, why is over tightening any noseband allowed?
		
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Because nobody stops it.  Bizarre, I know.



ester said:



			sorted that 

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Good work!


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