NEW research published this month in the Equine Veterinary Journal has found that 95% of 523 horses assessed at three British Dressage championships passed noseband tightness checks using the FEI measuring device. The study offers encouraging findings on fitting practices and examines how horses, riders and stewards responded to the checks.

Noseband checks: the study in numbers

  • 523 horses assessed at three British Dressage championships in 2025.
  • 496 horses (95%) passed the initial FEI noseband tightness check.
  • 27 horses (5%) initially failed. All passed after adjustment.
  • 15 flash, 11 Swedish and one drop noseband accounted for the failures.
  • 96% of horses were classified as compliant during testing.
  • 45 riders and six stewards interviewed, with broadly positive feedback.

    • What the check tells us

    A pass confirms sufficient noseband looseness under the testing protocol.

    The study did not include a detailed behavioural assessment and cannot establish overall comfort or welfare.