# Riding with headphones in?



## justxride97 (Jan 12, 2012)

Do you think it would be ok to ride with headphones in? Sometimes my speakers bother my horse when I ride.with music so I was wondering if it would be fine to ride with headphones so only I could hear it. ?
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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

If they bother your horse, figure out why. Is it scary for your horse? Maybe it would be a good idea to desensitize your horse to the speakers. Go in there to groom, to ride, to roll, to tack up and just leave the music on.

I wouldn't ride with headphones personally.. because when I have something in my ears it makes it harder for me to tell my balance and feel things which may be weird.. but if you can do it, good for you!


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## EvilHorseOfDoom (Jun 17, 2012)

My eyesight is rubbish - my peripheral vision in particular. Because of this I rely quite heavily on sound when I'm riding to develop a mental image of what's going on around me. But even when I ride with contacts it's amazing how much I still rely on sound. Also I tend to find headphones cut out all awareness of things that aren't directly in front of you - you might as well have blinkers on.
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## PintoTess (Aug 18, 2010)

I find that riding with music helps me with my rythm and calms me down, then making my horse calm. I think it is perfectly ok to ride with headphones in (even if it is just one) when your not on the road (that could be a distaster as you wouldn't be able to hear traffic as well) and just schooling in an arena or riding around a paddock. But I also agree with what the others have said about the seakers, desensitizing the horse to them is very helpful!!


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## QHloverx3 (Jun 26, 2012)

I think this all depends on you and your horse... I can ride with headphones in no problem, but usually I only ride with one headphone in and the other tucked away where ever I can stash it. This is because with my one mare I have to keep an eye, (and an ear!) out for scary monsters that might try and bite her... If the speakers bother your horse and you can ride with headphones in I don't think it's a big deal as long as you can still pay attention to your surroundings.


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## HarleyWood (Oct 14, 2011)

well my Paint and moms both have spooked at radios. and we rode by them a few times and moms horse figured out they wont eat him and my gelding i turned him around and worked close to them but not next to them and now hes fine. i usually have my phone on with music so they are use to it as its on when they are getting foor, grooming, saddling, riding, playing.


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## MidsummerFable (Jun 18, 2012)

In the winter I will usually ride with them in. Actually more like fall/winter/spring. As long as I have a jacket on. Riding with my phone in my back pocket is distracting as at the canter it tries to jump out.


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## MidsummerFable (Jun 18, 2012)

Also I only ever use 1 headphone while in the barn, so I can still hear my music and everything going on around me. It's never very loud at all, just loud enough so I can understand it.


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## Saranda (Apr 14, 2011)

I don't like riding with headphones. First, I don't hear the environment then, and, as my eyesight is bad, I mostly rely on my hearing, and second - I want to hear my horses' breathing, it can tell a lot about how he feels during the ride or training.


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## Equbook (Jul 13, 2012)

Hm, well, it's a bit like with anything you ride (bicicle, car, etc.), with earphones on you endager yourself, because you might not hear something you wuold have needed to hear. Besides, as far as I am concerned, if I don't ride very slowly, music would deconcentrate me I think.

But anyway it's better with earphones than with speakers if your horse isn't used to them. But don't you just like the sound of nature around?


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## Horsnaround64 (Dec 31, 2011)

I say if you ride in a arena use a radio But if riding anywhere else no. You need to know what's going on around you. For your safety and your horses


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## reideespana (Jul 29, 2012)

I've never rode with headphones on. But I'd hate to personally, just because I hate the idea of not being able to hear >.< Especially if the horse went wild while I was riding XD


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## soileddove (Jul 27, 2010)

When I'm working my horse in the arena, I will sometimes ride with my headphones in. But when I'm riding the ditches or road, I never do.. I have speakers I keep in my saddle bags that hook up to my phone, which I keep in my pocket. I don't use them on busy areas, but there's some dead gravel roads near me, where they're nice. 

Its flat and boring where I live, with no access to "natural" areas without trailering.. So its all ditches and roads. When I haul away to trail ride, having music on never even crosses my mind because its so interesting.

If you're going to use them, I would only use one and make sure you can hear outside noises. Otherwise, I'd just get my horses used to the speakers.. No reason not to.


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## justxride97 (Jan 12, 2012)

I ride with one ear bud, in the arena and the music on low. Only when were doing light stuff. And it's usually only when warming up since I use my voice a lot when we ride. I would never have earbuds in when I'm near a rode or on a trail.


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## justxride97 (Jan 12, 2012)

Oh and it's not that she's scared of them she's just not fully concentrated more like. Her ears always flick back when something in the music sticks out. I ust thought it would be easier with the head phones. Thanks


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## soileddove (Jul 27, 2010)

I typically listen to the same music when I'm riding, so I suppose its just routine to my ponies. Boring, I know, but Sublime just puts me in a happy relaxed mode and it seems to work on my horses too.. ha ha 

In your case though, I'd say using your headphones would be fine then. Sounds like you're using common sense and know your horse.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

No, because I can't stand anything in my ears, hate, hate earbuds, so annoying. I will play the ipod with the ispeakers though.


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## JumpingJiminy (May 2, 2012)

I tried this once, but with just one ear bud in, the other tucked away. Never again. I can't stand not being able to hear! I feel blind when I can't hear when I'm riding I guess. But for me it's just safer and smarter to use a speaker or something as quiet background noise. In my opinion I think that along with feeling your horse, hearing their breathing and their feet hitting the ground, their strides.. is very important in staying with them. Plus.. It's beautiful, why wouldn't you want to listen to something so gorgeous?


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