Page 520 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse
P. 520
taking care that the bridle is a comfortable fit. Headpieces cutting into the back of the
• ears and buckles over the temporomandibular joint can cause chronic pain. Nosebands
VetBooks.ir • should not be tight, particularly when they lie on top of the infraorbital nerve.
when possible do not ride when a particular type of weather is known to trigger the
condition.
• a change of environment is sometimes helpful.
NOSE NETS
These fit comfortably onto the noseband of the bridle (Figure 11.13) and most horses will
tolerate them and show a reduction of symptoms with their use. The net may act as a crude
filter and decrease irritation from dust, pollen and midges or it may alter the way the air
flows through the nostrils. The net causes constant stimulation of the sensory nerve endings
in the nose, which can suppress the overactive nerves that are firing pain signals to the brain.
Their use is reported to reduce headshaking in 75% of cases, with 60% of horses improving
by 50% or more and 30% improving by 70% or more.
