Danish Study Leads to New Rules on Noseband Tightness

The Danish Equestrian Federation is imposing limits on noseband tightness across all equestrian disciplines on the basis of a new major study which involved 3000 horses.

The scientific study was launched by the Danish Equestrian Federation in 2014 to examine and record the various types of equipment used on competition horses, including bits and nosebands, in a bid to tr and clarify some of the impact they have on our horses and ponies.

The federation has released only a summary at this stage, as the complete findings are destined for publication in a scientific journal later this year but the information supplied by the study to the Danish Federation has meant limits are being introduced on noseband tightness.

The federation said in a statement that the study had shown a clear correlation between tight nosebands and the presence of mouth lesions.

“We do not want the use of equipment in the sport to cause lesions in the horse’s mouth,” it said.

The new rule will be place from January 1st 2018 and officials will check noseband tightness in circumstances where they suspect it is too tight. If it is too tight, the rider will be asked to loosen it to meet the requirements, after which the rider will be able to compete.

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