Mills D S, Taylor K
Animal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare Group, University of Lincoln, Riseholme Park, Lincoln LN2 2LG.
Vet Rec. 2003 Jan 11;152(2):41-4. doi: 10.1136/vr.152.2.41.
Thirty-six owners of seasonally headshaking horses took part in a trial to compare the effectiveness of three types of nose net, a traditional cylindrical net (full net) and two forms of larger mesh nets which cover only the nostrils and dorsorostral muzzle (half nets). Baseline data relating to the overall severity of the problem and 18 specific behaviours describing the nature of the problem were recorded on a check sheet by the owners. A within-subjects repeated measures design experiment, with each net used for a week before reassessment, was then used to assess the effect of the nets on the headshaking problem. Approximately 75 per cent of owners reported some overall improvement with each net; around 60 per cent recorded a 50 per cent or greater improvement and 30 per cent a 70 per cent or greater improvement. The nets significantly reduced the overall headshaking score and the following specific behaviours: up-and-down headshaking, nose flipping, acting as if a bee had flown up the nose, shaking at exercise, shaking when excited, shaking in bright sunlight or in windy conditions (P < 0.0001), striking at the face, shaking at night, rubbing the nose when moving, rubbing the nose on objects, sneezing, shaking in the rain and shaking indoors (P < 0.05). There was no evidence of a significant effect on side-to-side headshaking, shaking at rest or rubbing the nose when stationary, but the effect on snorting was uncertain. There were few significant differences between the nets, but the half nets were reported to be significantly better at controlling 'bee up the nose' behaviour. Horses more than 10 years old were reportedly less likely to show a 50 per cent or greater improvement in 'nose flipping' and 'headshaking at exercise.
36位患有季节性晃头症马匹的主人参与了一项试验，以比较三种鼻网的效果，一种是传统的圆柱形网（全网），另外两种是较大网眼的网，只覆盖鼻孔和吻背口部（半网）。主人在检查表上记录了与问题总体严重程度相关的基线数据以及描述问题性质的18种具体行为。然后采用受试者内重复测量设计实验，每种鼻网使用一周后重新评估，以评估鼻网对晃头问题的影响。约75%的主人报告称，使用每种鼻网后总体情况都有一定改善；约60%的主人记录显示改善了50%或更多，30%的主人记录显示改善了70%或更多。这些鼻网显著降低了总体晃头评分以及以下具体行为：上下晃头、甩鼻、表现得好像有蜜蜂飞进鼻子、运动时晃头、兴奋时晃头、在明亮阳光下或有风条件下晃头（P<0.0001）、击打脸部、夜间晃头、移动时擦鼻、在物体上擦鼻、打喷嚏、雨中晃头和室内晃头（P<0.05）。没有证据表明对左右晃头、静止时晃头或静止时擦鼻有显著影响，但对喷气的影响尚不确定。不同鼻网之间几乎没有显著差异，但据报告半网在控制“蜜蜂飞进鼻子”行为方面明显更好。据报道，10岁以上的马匹在“甩鼻”和“运动时晃头”方面改善50%或更多的可能性较小。
