Horses can show conflict behaviours in both double bridles and snaffles during dressage tests – as new research backs up the need to give riders choice.
In a study published in Animals, researchers from Aberystwyth University and the University of Portsmouth, looked at the effects of bridle type – double versus snaffle – on equine behaviour at competitions. The researchers assessed 135 tests, filmed at two British Dressage (BD) competitions, from elementary to intermediate I level. Of the 135 tests, 70 were ridden in doubles and 65 in snaffles.
An ethogram was used to assess the horses’ behaviour throughout the tests; on average horses spent 27.4% of the test showing conflict state behaviours – and there was mouth opening in all tests. Tail swishing was seen in 86.7% of horses, on average every eight seconds, 69.6% tossed their heads and 50.4% were seen lip smacking.
The study highlighted different behaviours between bridle type: head tilting and tossing, tripping and low levels of tail swishing were similar across competition levels for the double bridle – but increased with competition level in snaffles. Mouth opening and tongue and jaw exposure were higher at lower competition levels for double bridles, but increased at higher competition levels for the snaffle and double. The researchers said the results showed ”multi-faceted interaction between bridle type, inferred rider skill level and riding style”.
The researchers added that the “high prevalence of conflict behaviours at dressage competitions reported here and in other studies raises potential welfare concerns”.
“It particularly raises the question of why, when this has previously been well documented by the scientific community and relayed to the governing body of the sport, these high levels of stress-related behaviours are still being observed across all levels of dressage competition,” they said.
Lead author Rifka Faithfull told H&H this work provides information on what is happening in the test environment – and at home.
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“It gives us an idea of what’s happening in the training of the horse, because the test is a snapshot of that moment in time, but also a reflection of the horse’s experience outside the test,” she said.
Ms Faithfull added that the way the conflict behaviours were recorded in the study, by recording behaviour “transient events” and “continuous states” – or both, meant higher volumes of behaviours were recorded than some methods used by other researchers.
“But we feel it’s more representative of the actual amount of behaviours occurring. It’s not just whether or not a behaviour is happening, it’s a measure of how much it is occurring,” she said.
“The key takeaway is the complex interaction between the different components – there’s no clear-cut ‘one bridle type is more or less related to negative welfare than the other’.”
This backs up a study by Russell MacKechnie-Guire and Rachel Murray that found double bridles are not an issue in themselves – but education on their use was key to continuing to improve equine welfare (news, 1 May)
Co-author Sebastian McBride added: “There are good and bad ways to ride with a double bridle. A lot of that seems to come down to rider ability, in riding and knowledge about the tack they are using and its impact on the horse.
“Giving people the option to ride with the bridle they are most educated with will hopefully lead to people using the right tack for them. That might be horse dependent; some get on better with a snaffle and some with a double, and again that maybe reflects a lot of their training experience.”
Double bridles are optional in national competitions and BD chief executive Jason Brautigam told H&H: “We welcome all scientific research that aims to advance our collective understanding on these vitally important topics, but as this study notes these are complex issues, and the results can be open to interpretation. There are many factors that contribute to how a horse reacts in a competition environment, so it’s important that we do not equate all of these different observed actions as ‘conflict behaviours’ when their responses may vary in each case.
“We are working closely with experts from across the equestrian community to build a better consensus on all horse welfare matters, from equine ethnography to tack and equipment, and we remain fully committed to upholding the highest standards of horse care and well-being in our sport.”
The FEI told H&H it has not had the opportunity to review the paper, but it will be discussed with the veterinary committee in September and “brought to the attention of the groups involved in the FEI equine welfare action plan”.
“The FEI welcomes all new research that can contribute to the continuous improvement of horse welfare standards, which remains a top priority for our organisation,” he said.
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
