«Nasal and mandibular pressures increased with noseband tightness, with 1.0 finger laxity or less associated with significantly and incrementally higher pressures than 1.5 or 2.0 finger tightness.»

!The article reports a meta-analysis of 58 peer-reviewed studies investigating on dorsoventral hyperflexion of the neck in horses, a practice under substantial public and scientific scrutiny for the past two decades.[…] (1) The consensus is that there are negative welfare consequences for horses required to perform with a hyperflexed HNP.»

«Findings indicate that while enthusiasts are aware of and acknowledge the need for good welfare practices, several factors hinder application: financial constraints, lack of physical space, insufficient skilled labor, time limitations, inadequate resources or materials, and a lack of technical knowledge. Most strikingly, despite acknowledging the need for improvement and professing love for their horses, participants did not recognize that the conditions under which they keep or use horses often fall short of their own standards. They attributed the inability to make changes not to themselves but to external circumstances beyond their control. These results pave the way for further research to determine whether equestrian activities are based on a respectful relationship with horses or if belonging to the equestrian world takes precedence, even at the expense of equine welfare.»

«This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of conflict behaviour in Icelandic horses competing at elite level in breed-specific gait competitions. We used online video recordings from a competition in Iceland […]We conclude that mouth movements (mouth opening and an elongated upper lip) are common behavioural expressions in Icelandic horses competing at elite level. Further studies are required to reveal the significance of these behaviours in terms of horse welfare.»

«Horses tended to have their nasal plane (noseline) behind the vertical more often during warm-up than during competition. Poll angle was larger during competition than during warm-up, while there was no significant difference in shoulder angle between the two situations. Horses displayed more conflict behavior and unusual oral behavior during warm-up than during competition. Judges’ scores correlated with HNPs during competition. Horses with noselines held further behind the vertical tended to receive higher scores.[…]The result implies that there might be concerns related to animal welfare and rule compliance. The observed HNPs used by world-class riders in this study appear to contradict the established rules, yet these deviations are not penalised by the judges during competitions.»