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Disqualified For Trimming Whiskers? New Rule For International Competition

The international governing body for equestrian sport has banned horse owners from trimming the whiskers of horses that compete in international competition in 2021.

The rule was passed at the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) general assembly in the veterinary regulations session. Beginning in July 2021, any horse that has had his whiskers removed will be disqualified from FEI-sanctioned events unless a vet deems the whisker removal necessary.

The exact wording of the rule reads: “if the horse's sensory hairs have been clipped and/or shaven or in any other way removed unless individual sensory hairs have been removed by a veterinarian to prevent pain or discomfort for the horse.” The measure was passed unanimously.

The FEI veterinary committee believes a horse that has had his whiskers trimmed has a reduction in sensory ability. This ruling aligns the organization's rules with legislation in multiple other national federations, including Germany, France and Switzerland.

The US Equestrian Federation is concerned about the subjectivity of the clipping of sensory hairs, which they feel may lead to irregular enforcement at competitions. One specific concern raised by the Federation is the length of the sensory hair around the eyes, which could possibly become trapped in the blinkers on the bridle of driving horses. The Federation asked that the changes be removed and addressed when a complete review of the veterinary rules are conducted.

Read more at Horse & Hound.

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Study Shows Unique Equine Shoes Mimic Barefoot Benefits

A study out of Belgium sought to determine how medial-lateral heel movement in horses was affected by shoe configuration when compared to barefoot hooves. Drs. Brunsting, Dumoulin, Oosterlinck, Haspeslagh, Lefère and Pille worked eight Warmbloods on a treadmill at the walk, trot and canter for the study.

Barefoot hooves are flexible; they move with each step and have an elastic rebound as the horse moves off each hoof. This motion absorbs concussion and improves blood flow in limbs. Wearing shoes, however, restricts heel movement, limiting concussion absorption and blood flow.

All 16 forelimbs were tested. The hooves were either left barefoot, fitted with a conventional shoe or fitted with a split-toe shoe. The conventional shoe was a standard steel shoe with a toe clip. The split-toe shoe is a new shoe designed to enable heel expansion. The shoe has a toe clip and side clips between the second and third nail hole on each side. Once in place, the shoe is sawn through at the toe so the two halves of the shoe move independently of each other.

Typically, barefoot hooves expand during impact and midstance; heels contract during breakover. Heel expansion is greater at the trot and canter than at the walk, but heel contraction is consistent in all gaits.

The researchers found that conventional shoes restrict heel expansion by 36 percent compared to barefoot hooves. The team found no significant difference in heel expansion between hooves wearing split-toe shoes and barefoot hooves. They also noted that though shoes protect the hoof from excessive wear and can increase traction, that they can increase shock impact and weight on the distal limb. They conclude that the split-toe shoe provides advantages of both barefoot and shod hooves.

Read more at EquiManagement.

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