This study examined visible signs of stress in dressage horses competing at national levels from Elementary through to Grand Prix. The research used the FEI Noseband Tightness Measuring Device to assess how tightly nosebands were fitted.
More than 200 horse–rider combinations were evaluated. The researchers measured noseband tightness, recorded the type of bridle used, and observed easily visible behavioural signs that may indicate stress or discomfort in the horse.
The behaviours recorded included:
- mouth opening
- tail swishing
- changes in head and neck position
These behaviours are commonly recognised as possible indicators that a horse may be experiencing tension, discomfort, or conflict during ridden work.
What Did the Study Reveal?
The researchers also compared horses across different national competition levels. The results suggested that both equipment use and stress responses varied depending on the level of competition.
At lower competition levels, horses tended to display a wider range of behaviours, but each behaviour occurred less frequently. In contrast, horses competing at higher levels displayed fewer types of behaviours, but these behaviours occurred more often.
Did Double or Snaffle Bridles Make a Difference?
The study also looked at the type of bridle used. Horses ridden in a double bridle generally showed a higher proportion of conflict behaviours compared with horses ridden in a snaffle bridle.
This suggests that equipment choice may influence how horses respond during competition and may play a role in their overall stress levels.
Overall Findings
The study found that conflict behaviours, which are signs that a horse may be experiencing stress or discomfort, were strongly linked to lower performance scores at the lowest competition levels (A and L). However, from Medium level upwards, judging scores were no longer closely related to the amount of stress behaviour shown by the horse. This suggests that at higher levels of competition, horses may still receive high scores even when displaying signs of stress.
The results also showed that as the difficulty of dressage tests increased, the number of stress-related behaviours also increased, while the range of behaviours shown by the horses became more limited.
Overall, the findings suggest that higher competition demands may place greater pressure on horses. The study highlights the importance of considering factors such as equipment use and competition difficulty when evaluating stress and welfare in dressage horses.
