By Equestrian Life
The French Equestrian Federation (FFE) has joined Germany and Switzerland in banning the removal of a horse’s whiskers on welfare grounds. The FFE has brought in a rule that would disqualify any horse from competition if the whiskers have been removed.
On their website they state that vibrissae, the correct term for whiskers— which are the long tactile hairs around the eye, nose and mouth of the horse—are sensory organs. These whiskers allow the horse to gather information about the environment. Whiskers around the eyes serve as protection, while around the nose (where there is a ‘blind spot’ for the horse) the whiskers take over from the eyes.
Whiskers are super sensitive, and provide the horse with instant information about its environment. They can help prevent the horse bumping into nearby objects, differentiate between different textures, judge wind direction and also identify food. It is believed that removing whiskers reduces the horse’s spatial awareness.
The new rule appears in the FFE General Competition Regulations.
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