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Bit-Related Injuries In Harness Racehorses

Selecting and fitting a bit to an individual horse and then using it skillfully and sympathetically serve as hallmarks of nuanced horsemanship, no matter the discipline. When mouth injuries directly related to bitting occur, even the most conscientious of horsemen are often baffled by their appearance. Researchers attempted to pinpoint the root cause of these injuries in a recent study of harness racehorses.^* Should the blame be assigned to specific bits, other pieces of common equipment, or race performance?

Researchers examined the mouths of 261 trotters, including 151 Standardbreds, 78 Finnhorses (a native lightweight draft), and 32 ponies, for bruises and wounds immediately following a race. They looked at specific bit-contact areas: the inner and outer corners of the lips, bars of the lower jaw, cheek tissue near the second premolar tooth, tongue, and roof of the mouth.

The researchers then collected information about the type of bit used for each horse, making special note of the thickness and composition of the mouthpiece. Details of other equipment were taken, when applicable, including the use of an overcheck, jaw strap, or tongue-tie. Past racing history was mined from a reliable online database.

Injuries were observed in 84 percent of the horses in the study, regardless of the type of bit worn, and half of those were classified as moderate or severe. Five horses (2 percent) had visual blood outside of the mouth from the wounds.

Compared with horses wearing a single-jointed, half-cheek snaffle, trotters that wore a Crescendo bit, Mullen-mouth regulator bit, or a straight plastic bit had a greater likelihood of moderate or severe injury to the mouth. Bar lesions were more common in horses outfitted with unjointed bits. Other tack and race performance did not factor into risk for oral lesions, according to the researchers.

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“While this study serves to highlight the physical injuries caused by bits among specific high-performance horses, it is important to note that lesions may be severe enough to hinder comfortable chewing of forages, especially if hay or chaff is stemmy,” said Catherine Whitehouse, a nutritionist with Kentucky Equine Research. This in turn could affect forage consumption, leading to diminished body condition, onset of gastric ulcers, and loss of performance.

Further, mouth pain can be a source of worry or stress for horses, even while resting. “Racehorses have a high incidence of gastric ulceration, the effects of which can be assuaged by conscientious management, which may include the use of research-proven digestive supplements,” Whitehouse said.

^*Tuomola, K., N. Mäki-Kihniä, A. Valros, and A. Mykkänen. 2021. Risk factors for bit-related lesions in Finnish trotting horses. Equine Veterinary Journal 53:1132-1140.

Study Indicates Bitless Bridles Not Necessarily Better Than Snaffles When It Comes To Equine Welfare

Some riders believe that riding a horse without a bit is kinder than traditional bitted options, but new research suggests this may not be the case. Results of a new study show bitless bridles can cause as much pain and pressure on the horse's face as a traditional noseband might, according to The Horse.

Tracy Bye with the University Centre Bishop Burton in Yorkshire, and student Nina Robinson used five university-owned horses in a study using three types of bridles: a bridle with a snaffle bit and regular noseband, a cross-under bitless bridle, and a sidepull bitless bridle. The nosebands on the bitless bridles were fitted to manufacturer instructions and the bridle with the snaffle was tightened to the “two finger” rule.

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Each bridle was fitted with pressure sensors under the crown piece and the noseband. The horses were worked for 30 minutes per day, three days in a row with the same rider, with each type of bridle.

The scientists found that the average amount of pressure on the nose was 65 percent higher with a sidepull bitless bridle than a snaffle-bit bridle. The cross-under bitless bridle had pressure that was 11 percent higher than a snaffle bridle. Compared to the snaffle, peak pressure on the nasal bones were 147 percent higher with the sidepull and 109 percent higher with the cross-under bridle compared with the snaffle.

Though peak pressures were high, they were not sustained, so it's unclear if they would cause damage. The team found that each noseband created pressure as high as that recommended for a tourniquet in human medicine. The scientists also noted that horses ridden in a cross-under bridle tended to hold their heads higher with their necks extended, which could contribute to back pain and poor performance.

The team concluded that the different styles merely transfer the pressure to other areas of the face. The ideal welfare solution may be teaching riders to use their hands differently rather than switch to any one particular type of equipment.

Study: More Than Half Of Eventers Coming Back From Cross Country With Mouth Sores

Concern over oral injuries from bit use has equine advocates questioning horse welfare in many disciplines, including harness racing and eventing. A Finnish study has shown that horses competing in eventing are at greater risk of developing mouth sores after the cross-country phase of competition.

Drs. Kati Tuomola, Nina Mäki-Kihniä, Anna Valros, Anna Mykkänen and Minna Kujala-Wirth looked into the mouths of 208 event horses at the conclusion of the cross-country phase at eight competitions. They found that 52 percent of the horses had acute oral lesions; of these, 22 percent were mild, 26 percent were moderate and 4 percent of the horses had severe lesions. The team found that oral bruising was more common than open wounds.

Researchers also found that horses competing in particularly thin or thick bits were at greater risk of oral lesions, likely due to mechanics and fit. Additionally, Warmbloods and cold-blooded horses were at higher risk of having oral lesions than ponies, and mares were more likely to have serious lesions than geldings.

The researchers advise that bit monitoring be implemented by horse owners and by competition management to ensure equine welfare. There was no association between lesions and competition placement during the study; high-performing horses are still at risk of oral lesions.

Read the article here.

Study: Tongue Lesions Common In Finnish Trotting Horses

A Finnish study has found that 83 percent of Standardbred racehorses and 90 percent of Finnhorse racehorses have tongue lesions caused by bits, reports The Horse.

The study used 261 racehorses on four Finnish tracks and found that 84 percent of the horses had moderate to severe mouth lesions. However, only 2 percent of the horses had blood that could be seen without opening the horse's mouth.

All horses at the track were required to have an exam when the horse finished racing. The research team classified the horses into four categories based on the number, extent and severity of bruising and open wounds in the horse's mouth,

Researcher Dr. Kati Tuomola concluded that all bits could cause mouth lesions, including unjointed bits and Happy Mouth (bits with a rubber-wrapped mouthpiece) bits, whether or not blood was apparent on the horse. Bit type is the most significant factor affecting mouth lesions, with the worst lesions associated with the single-joint Crescendo bit, which places pressure on small surface areas. Horses that were raced in mild, unjointed bits had lesions on the bars of their mouth.

The study team found no relation between the severity of lesions and the horse's race placings or if the horse broke stride. The team concluded that horses that race well aren't exempt from welfare concerns. The scientists also note that 16 percent of the study horses had no oral lesions, so it is possible to race without harming the horse's mouth.