Jumping in lycra hoods - London International Horse Show

Fjord

Fjord

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I'm watching the Puissance and a lot of the horses are wearing full lycra hoods and wondered why. Is it just a different version of an ear bonnet that's less likely to make the bridle fall off?
 
I think some are compression hoods, meant to be calming/help with anxiety (like thundershirts for dogs, but for horse heads!)
 
PinkvSantaBoots said:
Yes they are although I know a few people that have used them and claim they made no difference and they are not cheap.
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They're probably free to all the people using them last night. It's a great marketing ploy.

I'd be interested in seeing some proper research but I won't hold my breath waiting for it.
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Trakky14 said:
Yep was about to say the same, made no difference on the horse that I know who tried one!
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My friend tried it on both her horses both jump affiliated but can get stressed for different reasons and she said they were both the same.

She originally bought it for the gelding who can get a bit overwhelmed in the ring as his young, but she also tried it on her mare who can loose the plot in a warm up especially if stallions are around.

She said it made no difference on either and I think she used it several times.
 
ycbm said:
I'd be interested in seeing some proper research but I won't hold my breath waiting for it.
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why? why is proper research needed? every horse is different, every rider different, every combination of horse and rider, every horse has had different training. Many horses will have different eyesight and hearing perceptions. How on earth can you research so many variables.

It's beyond me why people want "research". If one has a problem that they think a veil may help then try one. It may help the horse, it may give the rider more confidence or it may not. You will only know when you have tried it. The horse probably won't have read the "research" anyway.
 
I think Dr David Marlin has done some investigation into their efficacy.
I suspect scientifically speaking, there's no action but if they work for the horse, then they work.
 
My relative who is a showjumping groom said they have tried them on a couple of their horses who are nervous or stressed but haven't found they make a difference. They do use acoustic ears at big indoor shows though.
 
paddy555 said:
How on earth can you research so many variables.

It's beyond me why people want "research".
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Any scientific study includes huge amounts of variables - you try to minimize them but ultimately you usually end up having to adjust for them, i.e. assess the impact of factors (such as differences in eyesight) other than the intervention you're interested in (in this case, the hood) on the outcome (calmness of the horse). If everyone said "there are just too many variables" no kind of scientific research into anything would ever be done.

And people want research because we want to know how likely it is that hoods do have a beneficial impact, or whether it's just a very expensive and well marketed placebo. If the latter then we can save our money without feeling guilty.
 
paddy555 said:
why? why is proper research needed? every horse is different, every rider different, every combination of horse and rider, every horse has had different training. Many horses will have different eyesight and hearing perceptions. How on earth can you research so many variables.

It's beyond me why people want "research". If one has a problem that they think a veil may help then try one. It may help the horse, it may give the rider more confidence or it may not. You will only know when you have tried it. The horse probably won't have read the "research" anyway.
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Because there's an enormous amount of stuff being very cleverly marketed to people who are more gullible than you and me at eye watering prices in the horse world these days.

The research wouldn't need to test all the horse variables, I'd bet David Marlin, Centaur Biomechanics or the like could design a test.

"Just try one"? It's £90.
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ycbm said:
Because there's an enormous amount of stuff being very cleverly marketed to people who are more gullible than you and me at eye watering prices in the horse world these days.

The research wouldn't need to test all the horse variables, I'd bet David Marlin, Centaur Biomechanics or the like could design a test.

"Just try one"? It's £90.
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but research won't tell anyone it will work for them, their horse and in the conditions where they are having a problem.
It will really only tell them that it works for some and not others. That, to me, is surely commonsense.

As for clever marketing then that is everywhere often without any research to back it up, horses or elsewhere. No doubt people will buy these as their idols are using them on their horses. That's just fashion. Much of the stuff people buy for horses is not necessary. I remember the days of a snaffle and not even a noseband. Cheap and cheerful. Don't see too may of those now. Everyone has to have all the gear they see others using. The vast majority of horse stuff is so cleverly marketed. Write the word horse in front of something and the price has suddenly gone through the roof. A large number of people are gullible.

I know the cost, I have one. Did it work, no. Would it ever have worked, no but I didn't understand the problem at the time. Would I get another on that basis (if I didn't already have one) then yes possibly because there would be a chance it may work on whatever problem I had or alternatively it may not.. I don't see any way with this sort of thing you can know.

If my answer had gone into a research project it would have been a negative response. It most likely wouldn't have taken into account the reason as to why it didn't work nor would it ever have worked unless every horse and rider in the project had it's entire history etc included.

All horses are different. There are too many variables.
 
paddy555 said:
but research won't tell anyone it will work for them, their horse and in the conditions where they are having a problem
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No, but it might give you the information that it actually produces no independently verifiable result at all. Or that it works in only a small proportion of cases and allow people to judge whether to spend that £90 on a bit of lycra on a 1 in 20 chance or not. Or that an ordinary lycra hood at a quarter of the price will do the same job.
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I’ve got a Fenwicks titanium mask with ears. It is very well made, and all 3 horses are very happy wearing it.

I do not use it for ‘calming’, but when I was advised to use something under wonky mare’s bridle to keep her poll and TMJ area warm, I thought this would fit the bill. It does that job very well. It is also useful with nesh horses who don’t like it when it is raining or when there are flies.

I have now swapped to the Fenwicks titanium ears, which again are very well made and comfortable. They are easier to fit than the mask. If the horse rubs its nose while wearing the mask, the mask can get dislodged and move over the eyes.

I do not know why it has become fashionable with show jumpers, but if you have a horse who would benefit from it, it is a decent piece of kit.
 
I have a titanium mask for mine. Does it work…I bought it as he’s hugely anxious especially when travelling and at shows. I trialled a friends one first. And yes, for him it does work. He only wears it when travelling and at shows. And I notice a difference when I’ve been in a rush and forgotten to put it on. I didn’t buy the fenwick one though. I bought a cheaper version.

However, it does not work for every horse.

I personally think it’s the compression rather than the apparent infra-red it has. (It’s infra red not titanium so no idea why they call it titanium).
 
spacefaer said:
I think Dr David Marlin has done some investigation into their efficacy.
I suspect scientifically speaking, there's no action but if they work for the horse, then they work.
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Well they say that if a placebo works, it works; and there is extensive research to support that placebo's work (although the only example I can remember is about the male manhood, so I won't write it on the forum for fear of a slap on the wrist!)
It could affect the tension being transmitted from the rider to horse if they believe it will work.
 
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