Horse racing headgear
In this guide I’ll explain the different types of headgear used in horse racing. I’ll cover what each type of headgear is and why it might be used. I’ve aimed the content here at beginners, but more experienced punters and fans of the sport may just learn something new as well.
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Headgear - What is it, why it's applied and how it helps
Headgear is used by trainers to maximise a horse’s ability. This comes from either improving the horse’s performance i.e. getting out that extra amount that they may otherwise have kept back for themselves and/or correcting issues they may have. The trainers have various types of headgear at their disposal and each has a different purpose and benefit.
To aid concentration - Blinkers, Visors & Cheekpieces
We’ll start with blinkers, visors and cheekpieces, as they are all similar ways to tackle the same issue. Blinkers are a piece of headgear with eye holes and ear holes. The eye holes have cups on them which restrict the horse’s peripheral vision, thus encouraging them to look forward.
Visors are very similar to blinkers but they have a slit in them, allowing the horse a limited amount of peripheral vision. This can stop a nervous horse from being panicked by not being able to see anything at all at its side and rear. Cheekpieces are pieces of soft sheepskin that are attached to both sides of the horse’s bridle and run down the side of the horse’s head. Again, these are designed to reduce the horse’s range of vision.
All three of these are used for horses that have had a tendency to get distracted by what’s going on around them, and need some assistance in keeping their focus on the job. Ultimately which one is used will boil down to a couple of factors: the horse itself, and the trainer’s preference. As a general rule, these types of headgear are most effective when worn for the first time. If they are used constantly, the horse becomes more used to them and they become less effective.
Keeping them calm - Hoods & Earplugs
Up next, we have hoods and earplugs, which I’m covering together as they are both used to combat the same issue. A hood look is similar to a visor, except that the horse’s ears are covered but its eyes are not. Hoods are not intended to aid concentration, they are used to reduce noise, including crowd noise. For this reason the ear covers are sometimes padded too.
A hood is typically used for highly-strung horses in an attempt to keep them calm and stop them from getting too worked up. You will also see hoods being used on juveniles and inexperienced horses, as their initial trips to the racecourse can be a lot for them to take in, even more so if it’s a big festival meeting with a significant crowd and noise level. Most hoods remain in place for the entire race, but you will also see red hoods being used. The red signifies that the hood is only to be used during the preliminaries of the race and it must be removed before the start.
Again, at bigger meetings with increased crowd noise, trainers may opt for a red hood to get a horse through the preliminaries, knowing that it will be fine once it’s out on the track away from the crowd. Earplugs are another alternative for noise reduction. These are quite self-explanatory as humans use them in certain situations. They are simply put into the horse’s ears before the race and removed afterwards. As with an athlete, any kind of nervousness or getting worked up wastes energy and lessens performance. The more calm a horse is, the more energy it will retain and the better it will perform.
Helping the horse to breathe - Tongue Straps or Ties
Tongue straps or ties are used quite frequently. They are simply a piece of material that’s used to tie a horse’s tongue down and keep it in place when they are racing. When a horse races without a tongue tie in place, there is a possibility they will get their tongue over the bit.
This means the jockey will have less control, and the horse could also block its airway with its tongue. The latter outcome can hamper a horse’s ability to breathe, which can negatively impact its performance. If a horse is struggling with its breathing, trainers may opt to apply a tongue tie before considering more intrusive veterinary procedures.
Protecting their eyes - Eye Covers & Eye Shields
Finally, we have eye covers and eye shields. Eye covers look similar to blinkers but rather than having cups to restrict the vision partially, the eye is fully covered. However, it is pretty rare to see a full eye cover because its only use is to protect a horse with a damaged eye, or one that is blind in one eye.
Eye shields look similar, but have a transparent cover or mesh over both eyes. Eye shields are often used as eye protection when racing on all-weather surfaces, where the surface can easily get kicked up by the horses. As the horse’s view is also slightly restricted, it can also act as an aid to concentration.
Now you know all about headgear
Headgear is quite an interesting topic, as the results obtained by using it can be very varied. For that reason it’s worth considering the reason it is being used. Some trainers will apply headgear to get that little extra from a horse, because ultimately the sport can come down to fine margins at times. Where a horse can win or lose by a nose, the right headgear can make all the difference.
In that respect, it can be a positive to see a horse wearing headgear. But on the flip side, it can also be a negative. It can highlight that a trainer is worried about a horse not concentrating, or perhaps that their horse may not settle in a different environment. Whilst some may use it to get that little extra out, some are doing it out of desperation in an attempt to get a horse to perform at all.
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