I N T E R N AT I O N A L T R E N D S
Breathe first, win next
A delicate balance You probably know that unlike humans, a horse breathes entirely through their nose. But did you know how delicate this breathing mechanism is? When a horse inhales, oxygen is drawn in through the nostrils, along the nasal
Horses require large quantities of oxygen for optimum performance. JESSICA MORTON explores a clever solution to those all too frequent breathing problems.
passage, and down into the lungs. The soft tissue over the nasal passage is also sucked in as they breathe, reducing the diameter of the airway and restricting airflow.
The sticky solution Flair Nasal Strips are designed to help maximise a horse's oxygen intake by helping to keep the upper airway open. The stretchy, sticky, one-use strips are applied to the skin above the horse's nostrils to support the nasal passage, helping to reduce soft tissue collapse, and thereby decreasing the effort needed to move air in and out of the lungs. This results in less stress on the body during exercise and faster recovery after exercise. Essentially, the strip 'tents' the skin on the nose over the nasal valve (the narrowest point in the nasal cavity and a major contributor to nasal resistance), helping to keep the nasal passage dilated and facilitating easier breathing during exercise. The concept is remarkably simple but over the past twenty years has been backed up by university and clinical studies. Popular amongst barrel racers, polo players and eventers, research as well as anecdotal evidence has shown that nasal strips improve airflow into the horse's lungs, resulting in:
S
enhanced performance
tudies have shown up to 80
that has allowed many horses to
per cent of horses suffer from
successfully return to competition.
faster recovery
Eventer and Olympian Andrew Hoy has
reduced incidence of EIPH
been using nasal strips for more than
A closer look at EIPH
respiratory disease, often
significantly impacting their performance and quality of life. Fortunately, a pair
a decade, declaring that they are an
of forward-thinking veterinarians
important part of his multifaceted “horse
it happens deep within the lungs.
studying Exercise Induced Pulmonary
management jigsaw puzzle”, a puzzle in
Studies show that all horses experience
Haemorrhage (EIPH) in racehorses came
which all the parts work together to allow
some degree of EIPH during intensive
up with Flair Equine Nasal Strips – a
his horses to stay mentally and physically
exercise, but only five per cent will have
drugless solution to breathing problems
healthy and perform at their best.
blood in their nostrils. Each incidence
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EIPH can easily go undetected because
