FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
SIDELINES AUGUST 2014 19
statement opened the door to having a very public, very worldwide
conversation in a relatively short period of time about the benefits
of the product and we’re grateful for that.”
Prior to New York overturning the rule against nasal strips, the
horse community stepped up to support FLAIR, including Laine
Ashker and Frankie Thieriot from the United States Eventing
Association. “We got a lot of calls and emails from a lot of people
asking, ‘What can we do? How can we help?’ We feel very blessed
and very fortunate to have all of that moral support and it was a
good feeling knowing that so many people are behind us,” Dr.
Chiapetta said.
Dr. Blach added, “We’re grateful. It’s been a very large,
grassroots outpouring of support from many people around the
world that are knowledgeable about the product and others who
now are very curious and want to learn about the product. It’s
tremendous that people have a voice in that respect to come
together and really show their support.”
There haven’t been any studies to date that suggest that FLAIR
Nasal Strips give competitors an unfair advantage. In fact, New
York State Gaming Commission Equine Medical Director Scott
E. Palmer has now made the determination that the nasal strips
do not enhance performance. When asked how performance
enhancers are defined, Dr. Chiapetta pointed out that there’s a
difference between steroids and drugs, which cause a definite
change in the animal, and mechanical support devices.
Applied externally with a medical-grade adhesive, FLAIR
Strips work by supporting the nasal passages to improve airflow
and reduce resistance to breathing. “Essentially, by reducing
resistance to breathing, it has been proven that the energy a horse
consumes while wearing a
strip versus while they’re
not wearing a strip is
reduced. That reduces the
amount of fatigue that a
horse experiences, which
obviously would have an
impact on reducing injuries
because most injuries
occur in a fatigued state,”
Dr. Blach said.
Dr. Jim Chiapetta and his wife, Michelle, sporting FLAIR shirts on
their farm.
Photo Courtesy of Michelle Chiapetta
Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM wearing FLAIR nasal
strips at the 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. The duo
placed third.
Photo by Beth Grant Photography
