Lesions associated with the use of bits, nosebands, spurs and whips in Danish competition horses.
Authors: Uldahl M, Clayton H M
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Equipment-Related Injuries in Competition Horses Danish researchers evaluated 3,143 horses competing across dressage, showjumping, eventing and endurance to establish associations between commonly used equipment and visible injuries, with trained assessors documenting spur type and use, noseband tightness, bit configuration and whip application alongside evidence of trauma including hair loss, lesions and bleeding. Longer spurs and lower competition levels significantly increased the risk of hair loss and visible damage on the ribcage (3.2% showed spur-related hair, 0.4% visible blood), whilst oral lesions at the commissures occurred in 9.2% of horses regardless of bit type, though lesions increased with competition level—importantly, a looser upper noseband reduced oral injury risk by approximately one-third compared to tighter application, whilst horses without a cavesson altogether faced 2.4 times greater risk of commissure damage. These findings suggest that equipment tightness, particularly across the noseband, represents a modifiable risk factor for mucosal injury, and spur length warrants attention especially in lower-level competition where biomechanical control may be less refined. For practitioners advising riders and federation administrators developing equipment guidelines, the evidence supports recommending looser noseband application (>3 cm clearance) and shorter spur designs as practical measures to reduce preventable soft tissue trauma without necessarily restricting equipment use entirely.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Limit spur length in competition horses, particularly at lower levels, to reduce ribcage lesions and hair loss from spur contact
- •Fit nosebands more loosely (>3 cm clearance) and ensure cavesson use to significantly decrease oral commissure lesions in competition horses
- •Monitor for commissure lesions as an indicator of equipment fit problems, as lesion prevalence increases with competition intensity regardless of bit type chosen
Key Findings
- •Hair on spurs was present in 3.2% of horse/rider combinations and blood in 0.4%, with longer spurs and lower competition levels significantly associated with these findings
- •Oral lesions or blood at the commissures of the lips occurred in 9.2% of horses and increased with competition level regardless of bit type
- •Looser upper noseband category (>3 cm) reduced risk of oral lesions by 34% compared to tighter categories (OR 0.66, P=0.002)
- •Absence of a cavesson noseband increased risk of commissure lesions 2.39-fold compared to the loosest noseband fitting (P=0.002)