Are nosebands really necessary?

Recent research has found evidence of bone and tissue damage in parade horses wearing nosebands, says Dr Mac.

-  Mac

Parade and cavalry horses are often ridden by new recruits and the tightness of the noseband, except in the British cavalry, is not always well monitored. A recent scientific publication that has highlighted tissue and bony changes resulting from the use of nosebands in cavalry horses shows the importance of fitting nosebands correctly. My question is, should we be using nosebands at all?

To answer this question it is perhaps a good idea to look at the bony and fleshy structures below the skin in a horse’s head. The nostrils of a horse are fleshy and their only support is two thin nasal bones. The upper palate is covered by gums. The tongue, which lies between the teeth, is actually a muscle, topped by a furry membrane. Below, on each side, are salivary glands. The bottom jawbones are relatively slender and narrow in the front part of the face, where the noseband presses. These are the structures that can be compressed and injured when using a tight noseband.