Canada takes closer look at noseband tightness in horse sport

Equestrian Canada is looking at how to make alignments across its disciplines in regard to noseband tightness.

A recent pilot project had 20 volunteer stewards taking more than 550 measurements across the country in all disciplines and all levels, using the International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) Taper Gauge. The data gathered is being processed by students at the University of Guelph, and feedback is being sought from EC stewards and those who undertook the measurements for the pilot programme.

Further feedback will inform how Equestrian Canada moves ahead, with education, training and potential amendments to its rules.

Those involved in the project have taken part in a panel discussion on the issue:

The current scientifically recognized measurement for tightness is the placement of two adult fingers between the noseband and the frontal nasal plane. Because the size of two fingers can vary between the person who applied the noseband to the equine and the official assessing compliance with the rule, the ISES Taper Gauge was used for the pilot measuring phase.