Name of an accessory put on horses that helps them avoid distraction [duplicate]

Solution 1:

In British English they are called blinkers (also used figuratively). I believe I have read that in American they are blinders.

Edit: The OED has:

• blinkers 2b) "Leather screens attached to a horse's bridle on each side, to prevent his seeing in any direction except straight ahead."

• blinder 2) "A blinker for a horse. ... Usu. pl. (Chiefly in U.S.)"

Solution 2:

Shadow roll is commonly used in horse racing which means:

a piece of equipment usually made of sheepskin or a synthetic material, that is attached to the noseband of a horse's bridle. Like blinkers, it partially restricts the horse's vision, and helps him to concentrate on what is in front of him, rather than objects on the ground (such as shadows).

[Wikipedia]

Solution 3:

blinker hood is the term you're after. Google Pictures

Wikipedia

Per comment on Horse&Hound, blinkers let you see, but only with a very narrow focus, so you can't see the "Big Picture." In racing, it's for horses not to be able to see horses coming up behind them. Horse&Hound

And so, the mask worn by race horses so they can't see sideways or backward is a blinker hood (commonly referred to as blinkers)

blinker: a cloth hood with shades projecting at the sides of the eye openings used on skittish racehorses —usually used in plural M-W

blinder (esp. AmEng); blinker (esp. BrEng): either of two flaps on a horse's bridle to keep it from seeing objects at its sides M-W

Solution 4:

Those are usually called Blinders in the US, and Blinkers in the UK, they are sometimes known as Winkers, if you want to be sure on what you're talking about when referring to it, use Blinders in the US and Blinkers in the rest of the speaking English world.