| > | | | | the horses eyes it will have the opposite outcome. |
| Have you ever watched the Grand National horse | | | | Instead of calming the horse down and steadying it to |
| race and wondered why some of the runners wear | | | | the track in front of it, it will only make it fearful of what |
| blinkers, if you have stop wondering! The main reason | | | | it can't see and claustrophobic, this has the effect of |
| for wearing them is to keep the horse focused on the | | | | making the horse run faster in the early stages of a |
| race and limit his peripheral vision to avoid distractions. | | | | race. This method can be used by trainers on horses |
| Most people can appreciate that horses without | | | | who aren't reaching there maximum potential. |
| blinkers are more likely to be distracted and this is very | | | | This serves a valuable purpose for the trainer who |
| dangerous at the fast speeds horses run during a race | | | | needs to know his horses limits and abilities, a horse |
| like the Grand National. | | | | who starts quickly can will lack energy to finish strongly |
| Blinkers go back a lot further than most people might | | | | in the final parts of a race, especially if the race is a |
| think. They were invented by a priest who had made | | | | long one like the Grand National which is over four |
| a bet with a pal that he could get his horse to go up | | | | miles. |
| the stairs of his home and although the horse did this | | | | Analysis has been carried out in the horseracing world |
| no problem the problems started when he tried to get | | | | regarding the effects of blinkers. In particular, Nick |
| to come back down! The priest realised that if he | | | | Mordin of the Racing Post has discovered that while |
| covered the horses eyes he would be less afraid and | | | | blinkers have more impact the first time they are |
| would be able to be led back down - and it worked | | | | applied to a horse, there is in fact a residual effect, |
| and blinkers became a useful tool for everyone | | | | which persists as long as a horse continues to wear |
| working with horses. | | | | the blinkers. |
| The percentage of vision restriction for horses fitted | | | | When you see a horse fitted with blinkers it does not |
| with blinkers is between 180 degrees to as little as 30 | | | | mean that the horse has reliability problems, the |
| degrees. The blinkers themselves can either be worn | | | | reasons can be more complicated than we first think, |
| as part of the bridle, specifically on the cheek pieces or | | | | but blinkers do seem to make a big improvement in |
| indeed be integrated in to a bigger framework, such as | | | | form for some horses. Ultimately only the horses |
| a facemask which is then put on over the horses | | | | trainer and jockey can decide if the blinkers are |
| head somewhat like a balaclava. | | | | needed and what type should be fitted, but at least |
| If blinkers are so useful then why don't all race horses | | | | you now know the reasons why some horses do |
| wear them? If cups instead of flaps are placed around | | | | wear them and some don't. |