07/10/2021
Excellent observation by my friend Ashley in Nebraska. Even though we don’t know the exact cause of the cold area and what impact (long or short term) it has on the horse’s welfare, it makes you wonder if a noseband cranked shut so that not even a finger can be put underneath it might lead to a similar thermal image of nerve and/or circulatory dysfunction.
So far I haven’t seen anything like this in the horses that I have assessed.
Edit: for those not familiar with the western riding/barrel racing terminology
Tie down- a noseband similar to a cavesson that is like a loose loop with a ring into which a strap running from the girth is clipped. It’s a bit like a standing martingale but clipped into the noseband instead of the bit rings. The material for the tie down can be leather, rope, rawhide or as in this case wire.
Futurity - a whole year of barrel racing events for horses 5 years or younger (usually 4 year olds) which have not raced before.
Do you ride your horse in a tie down?
The next time you choose your equipment, remember this picture.
The next time you have to choose a "harsher" noseband because your horse is "running through" your current choice, remember this picture.
Consider the fact that you may be causing nerve damage.
Consider the fact that maybe your horse can't even feel their face anymore.
These are the images of a quarter horse ridden in a tie down with a wire noseband in their futurity year of barrel racing.
This horse is now 15.
Correct infrared imaging of the horse tells us more than just a story of anatomy, more than just a story of physiology.
