Does bridle type influence frequency of occurrence of conflict behaviours in high‐level dressage horses?

Results: There were no differences between mean nasal (walk: 1.1 0.7; trot: 1.8 1.7; canter: 1.9 1.9 kPa) and mean mandibular (walk: 1.7 2.2; trot: 2.5 3.2; canter: 2.5 3.6 kPa) pressures at 2.0 finger-equivalents tightness.Mean pressures did not differ at any gait or site when the noseband was tightened to 1.5 finger-equivalents (all p 0.17).When noseband tightness was 1.0 finger-equivalents, mean nasal (walk: 2.2 0.4; trot: 3.3 1.2; canter: 3.8 2.7 kPa) and mandibular (walk: 4.6 2.8; trot: 6.3 4.1 canter: 7.2 7.1 kPa) pressures were significantly greater than for 2.0 finger-equivalents (all p < 0.001) or 1.5 finger-equivalents (all p 0.01).Main limitations: Bridles were not identical.Conclusions: Nasal and mandibular pressures were similar to those reported in elite horses and riders, which suggests that a similar minimum level of noseband tension is acceptable at different levels of performance.Sub-noseband pressures did not differ significantly when the noseband was adjusted from 2.0 to 1.5-finger equivalent tightness.