03/09/2023
𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗡𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.
𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘩, 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘏𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴
Checking a horse's bridle fit is as important as checking his or her bit fit and saddle and girth fit. It is something diligent riders and especially horse pros should be quite fanatical about as it acutely affects a horse's health.
It is important to do your due diligence and check and adjust nosebands, flashes and browbands carefully, making sure that no strap is uncomfortably tight, buckles do not push into joints (TMJ) or nerves - or are too close to the eyes - and that the poll strap does not push against the horse's ears (and of course check bit fit).
Bridle leather should be cleaned, conditioned ans checked for cracks or unraveled stitching that can irritate the skin, routinely.
No tack should be adjusted so tightly that it prevents the horse from moving its jaw and tongue comfortably, presses on its gullet or the base of his/her ears. Some horses require custom sized bridles or browbands and nosebands.
Regarding nosebands, you must be able to slide two stacked fingers between the leather and the nasal bone easily. The ISES recommends a gap of 1.5 to 2cm and you can purchase a "noseband taper gauge" online to help you if need be. Do not go by tools alone however, do what is comfortable for your individual horse based on conformation, history, preferences.
A quick look at what cranial nerves control reveals how important their health is and why properly fitted tack is paramount.
There are twelve pairs of cranial nerves. They have a role in:
▶️ Balance
▶️ Sensory and motor control of viscera including heart, lungs, and bowel
▶️ Heart rate
▶️ Gastro-Intestinal peristalsis
▶️ Hearing
▶️ Smell
▶️ Vision
▶️ Eye movement
▶️ Neck muscles that move the head
▶️ Sensation from the face
▶️ Motor to the muscles for biting, chewing
▶️ Facial expression
▶️ Taste from the anterior 2/3rds of the tonque
▶️ Taste from the posterior 1/3rd of the tonque
▶️ Tearing (lacrimal gland)
▶️ Salivation from the parotid gland as well as not from the parotid gland (different nerves)
▶️ Sensation and some motor to the pharynx
▶️ Swallowing (motor to the muscles of the soft palate, pharynx and larynx)
▶️ Vocalization (motor to the muscles of the soft palate, pharynx and larynx)
▶️ Tongue movement
Artist Diane Schell created this useful illustration showing the 12 pairs of cranial nerves and where they are in relationship to bridles potential pressure point. Thank you Diane.
Source: HorseAdvice.com and the Merck Veterinary Manual and an in-depth online article from Tuft university which is unfortunately no longer available (http://www.tufts.edu/vet/sports/neuro2.html)
PS: There is an important nerve Diane did not highlight in red. It comes out on the side of the lower jaw. If you look at the skulls we posted earlier this week, you can see it quite clearly on both side. It is a general sensory nerve for the skin of chin, and lower lip.
Image © Diane Schell
3/12/2013 - VETERINARIAN Massimo Da Re Follows up with More Insights on CRANIAL Nerves, the Brain and Limbic System
The head of all vertebrates is one of the most important parts for the life of the individual: It is home to the brain that has the delicate task to process the information that comes from the body and from the outside world and return to the various parts of the body with essential indications for life.
The brain encodes what the sense organs perceive and organize the existence of the individual. The brain also reads the feelings of the heart which is the true center of life.
In the head are located vital organs: hearing, smell, sight, taste, touch. ( and breath)
Think for a moment about your horse, observe how important its highly mobile ears, his large nostrils, his very expressive eyes are for its essence.
Finally the mouth. The horse lives with his mouth: eats, vocalizes, works, relates to the outside world. It contains more than 4 billion nerve endings and is closely associated with a portion of the brain called Limbic System, responsible for the control of emotions and learning: think about this before acting with your hands on your horse's mouth.
There are no horses "deaf" or "hard" in the mouth, pain receptors can not be deleted nor go out: horses fight oral pain in different forms: some rear, others pull on the reins, while others seem to be resigned and have a heavy mouth.
Study well this beautiful and useful image and use the equipment on your horse with awareness and respect : avoid too tight nose-bands, make sure briddle and bit fit well.
Be careful with the halter, especially if it is made in rope or fabric that are too thin: they can lead to excessive pressure on the nerves of the face; always remove the halter when the horse is free, in stall or outside in the field. Be gentle with your hands, both when you lead the horse and when you ride.
The subject is vast and deserves full days of discussions!
Thank you Massimo! and Tellington TTouch Cavalli Italia.
𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗦
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/inhandlessonswithmanolo
FOR EQUINE WELLNESS PROS
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/improvedhorseperformance
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/equinewellnesscourse2013
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