nasal strips...this is clearly something to be concerned about.
strips support the nasal passages of the horse during exercise, improving the horse’s airflow when it needs oxygen most. By reducing airway resistance resulting from physical exertion, the strips help promote peak performance and prevents injury to the lungs.
Unlike humans, horses cannot breathe through their mouths. As a result, all horses experience some level of nasal tissue collapse during physical exercise. This partial “collapse” reduces the size of the airway, forcing the horse to work harder to breathe. Clinical studies, conducted in both private and university settings, found that strips mechanically stabilize the size of the nasal passage opening, allowing oxygen to flow freely.
Strips support nasal passages and maintain the airway during training or strenuous workouts.
Healthy horses perform better. Most horses bleed when working hard, the irritating effect of blood in the airways will be reduced by strips and the horse’s lungs will stay healthier. In addition, strips reduce the energy required to take in oxygen. By reducing the amount of energy a horse spends just to get enough oxygen, strips enable horses to expend more energy on the task at hand. Strips can also increase a horse’s stamina, allowing him to perform at full strength for longer periods of time, without becoming fatigued. Horses wearing FLAIR Strips use five to eight percent less energy at high speed and during recovery. Riders and trainers notice their horses are more relaxed, look fresher and catch their breath faster when wearing a strip.
