# Suggestions for a super ear sensitive show horse?



## DejaVu

So, where I show to practice for the bigger shows(different arenas), the PA system is terrible and there's nothing I can do about it. The whole structure of the arena is off. The speaker is right in the middle, and the roof is too low. So the sound just bears down on you, and there's a constant static/feedback noise.

This drives my horse past insanity.

In other more well built arena's the reaction is smaller, but he still reacts because he's learned he doesn't like it when the announcer speaks.

I can control him fine, but I shouldn't have such a serious (and embarassing) issue. I just leave the line-up, and get him moving. He settles down. 

I started using the cotton ear balls on him. It helped slightly, but he can still hear a lot of frequencies from the PA echoing off the roof.

What I'm going to try, once show season starts back up in September, is:
T-Foam Ear Plugs in Accessories at Schneider Saddlery
and some lavender oil spread on me, and therefore smelled by him, to help calm his brain a little bit. And perhaps, me as well. xD

Now, the dangers to ear plugs that create an almost sound proof barrier- He won't hear hardly at all. The whole aspect is dangerous. Should someone walk up from behind, or in another blind spot, and touch him, he could very well spook or kick out just from pure instinct. It will, though, eliminate the sound of the PA.

I'm not using this as a quick fix. The PA system hurts my ears at times, and he hears tons better than I do. Who knows how he hears it. It simply hurts his ears. I need to take away that factor.

Has anyone else had this issue? If so, how have you handled it?
We've also taken him to shows, and just had him stand under the roof, and he was fine. It's when he's directly in the arena, under the speaker.

Sorry for the novel. :wink:


----------



## countercanter

I know a lot of people that use the t foam ear plugs for their horses at shows and they usually dont run into problems. While it muffles a lot of sound for them, they can still hear a little bit. These are also good ear plugs

POMMS Premier Equine Ear Plugs


----------



## equiniphile

They do make PomPom ear plugs, but they might actually be illegal in some disciplines/shows, so make sure to call/email and ask first.


----------



## DejaVu

countercanter said:


> I know a lot of people that use the t foam ear plugs for their horses at shows and they usually dont run into problems. While it muffles a lot of sound for them, they can still hear a little bit. These are also good ear plugs
> 
> POMMS Premier Equine Ear Plugs


Yes, I thought about trying those as well.



equiniphile said:


> They do make PomPom ear plugs, but they might actually be illegal in some disciplines/shows, so make sure to call/email and ask first.


Where I show, they don't even think to check your equipment in the slightest. And in a bigger recognized show where they check, I'm pretty certain they are legal most everywhere.


----------



## Speed Racer

Pomms are the ones I use on my Arabian gelding. They've made a world of difference in the way he reacts. I was _very_ skeptical but decided to give them a try, and I'm glad I did.

I'm not aware of any discipline that doesn't allow ear puffs. After all, they were originally designed for high strung show horses.


----------



## upnover

I've never heard of a discipline that doesn't allow earplugs... i've been to shows where it's most likely horses ARE wearing them. I've used the TFoam ones you listed but I don't really like them. They're super soft foam, which makes them easy to get in/out but they fall out pretty easily. My favorites are the Pomms that Countercanter listed. They stay in the best and are hidden pretty well. HOWEVEr... all they are are fancy black rubber cat toys! And 10x more expensive. I school spooky horses in cat toys (unfortunately they're usually florescent yellow, orange, pink, etc) and show in the black ones. You do have to be careful when puling them out that you don't pull your horse's ear hairs though.

And FYI, they do not block out all sound. I know a lot of people who use ear nets to block out even more sound then just the Pomms.


----------



## faye

I used Sponge, cut down and wrapped in the leg of a pair of black tights. Shoved as far into the ear as it will go.

Horsey doesnt hear a thing!!


----------



## Alwaysbehind

I use pom-pom style ear plugs. They work great.


----------



## blue eyed pony

Ear bonnets/plugs are not allowed in dressage where I am. The idea is that the dressage horse is obedient and desensitised enough not to need them. Or at least it should be. Not always the case, of course. My horse is at his hottest when we're flatting!

JMO... but ear bonnets/plugs are just a band-aid solution. My horses are whipcrack quiet - much worse than a too-loud, badly placed speaker!


----------



## faye

blue eyed pony.

Plugs are allowed at international competition, so i'm not sure you facts are right. Ear bonnets are not allowed for dressage but plugs are! TBH, If your horse is good enough to be at a certain level then it will have to have something about it. My youngster will be having his ears plugged as he is going to be explosive to ride at the best of times, but he is aaimed at the higher levels of competition and he needs that fire and presence to show himself in the ring properly.


----------



## blue eyed pony

As I said where I am, at the level I compete, plugs or bonnets are not allowed. LOCAL competition at a LOCAL level. And Monty is a really hot horse so trust me, if there was some way I could settle him, I'd use it!


----------



## my2geldings

DejaVu said:


> So, where I show to practice for the bigger shows(different arenas), the PA system is terrible and there's nothing I can do about it. The whole structure of the arena is off. The speaker is right in the middle, and the roof is too low. So the sound just bears down on you, and there's a constant static/feedback noise.
> 
> This drives my horse past insanity.
> 
> In other more well built arena's the reaction is smaller, but he still reacts because he's learned he doesn't like it when the announcer speaks.
> 
> I can control him fine, but I shouldn't have such a serious (and embarassing) issue. I just leave the line-up, and get him moving. He settles down.
> 
> I started using the cotton ear balls on him. It helped slightly, but he can still hear a lot of frequencies from the PA echoing off the roof.
> 
> What I'm going to try, once show season starts back up in September, is:
> T-Foam Ear Plugs in Accessories at Schneider Saddlery
> and some lavender oil spread on me, and therefore smelled by him, to help calm his brain a little bit. And perhaps, me as well. xD
> 
> Now, the dangers to ear plugs that create an almost sound proof barrier- He won't hear hardly at all. The whole aspect is dangerous. Should someone walk up from behind, or in another blind spot, and touch him, he could very well spook or kick out just from pure instinct. It will, though, eliminate the sound of the PA.
> 
> I'm not using this as a quick fix. The PA system hurts my ears at times, and he hears tons better than I do. Who knows how he hears it. It simply hurts his ears. I need to take away that factor.
> 
> Has anyone else had this issue? If so, how have you handled it?
> We've also taken him to shows, and just had him stand under the roof, and he was fine. It's when he's directly in the arena, under the speaker.
> 
> Sorry for the novel. :wink:


What a tough situation. I have to admit, that I don't know what advice to give :shock: I have never dealt with this issue. It seems like the ear plugs could be a good solution, but have you had your horse vetted yet? you sure it's nothing medical that's causing the issue? have their been any accidents with that horse, in similar settings?

My first thought would be to spend more time in the arena to try to get your horse used to it, but because you think that its a sensitivity issue, I don't know if that would help.


----------



## VelvetsAB

_I prefer the pom style ones over the foam type. I worry that the foam will eventually start to break down, and bits would fall in their ears._

_(But I'm paranoid, so....)_


----------



## faye

blue eyed pony said:


> As I said where I am, at the level I compete, plugs or bonnets are not allowed. LOCAL competition at a LOCAL level. And Monty is a really hot horse so trust me, if there was some way I could settle him, I'd use it!


I don't think you realise what a hot horse is. I have a hot horse. He takes nearly an hour of lunging BEFORE I get on him in order to get any sense out of him at all. He has take 8 months to get him broken.
He is incredibly sharp off the leg to the point where every single movement means something to him. 
He has been trained over tarpaulins, worn plastic bags and generaly been despooked but unexpected loud noises send him nutty.
It is a permanant case of attempting to keep a lid on an extremely explosive horse who feels like he could go at any moment. You can't take your concentration Off him for even a second as it will be in that second that you lose him.
I wouldnt dare put anyone him who even slightly nervous or who is not at least as good as me.

I've got lots of friends with top competiton horses and TBH the vast majority of them are extremely hot and need quite a bit of lunging before a competiton, Heck I've ridden a Para Dressage horse who was HOT. She is Hot but not spooky, there is a difference but when you are on her you can deffinatly feel that you have to be careful and not hassle her.

Those are Hot horses. 

Also you said in your post that ear plugs are not allowed in Australia. What you should have said is that ear plugs are not allowed at local level in your local area.


----------



## Alwaysbehind

VelvetsAB said:


> _I prefer the pom style ones over the foam type. I worry that the foam will eventually start to break down, and bits would fall in their ears._
> 
> _(But I'm paranoid, so....)_


Oh sure, give me something else to be paranoid about. I had not thought of that. Good thing I already use the pom pom style. 
I find the pom pom style easier to put in and take out.


----------



## blue eyed pony

aha no, I know EXACTLY what a hot horse is. Monty is pretty good most of the time but **** he is sensitive and if I'm not riding EXACTLY right he is explosive. And the moment you try to put a stronger bit in his mouth to control him when he gets loopy, the result is a horse that is out of control no matter what you do. Basically if he isn't happy, you know it.

This is a horse that has bucked me off, for no tangible reason other than that I wasn't riding quite right. He has also bolted with me multiple times. This is a horse that would have killed me, a couple of months ago, had I not been wearing a helmet.

I know EXACTLY what hot horses are all about.


----------



## Alwaysbehind

I am not sure what ear puffies have to do with hot horses though.

My old man is not a hot horse. Not even close. He wears ear puffies at shows not because he reacts to noises. Heck, one year we were in the ring showing while a helicopter was going up, he did not care. 
He wears ear puffies because he has a serious case of ADD and likes to look around and take in the sites. Ear puffies, for reasons I do not know, seem to make him concentrate more on his job and his rider. 
He can still hear just fine.


----------



## faye

I used to put ear sponges (wrapped in tights) in for evening preformances. Stan was explosive, the noise and atmosphere (lights, cheering, clapping, general excitement) of an evening preformance used to send him over the edge. Take away the noise and he could just about cope although he was still a rather explosive ride.
I have a feeling that should I get Reeco into an evening preformance it will be a case of stuffed ears and oxyshot by the bucket load.
At HOYS each year there is a coffee machine at the edge of one ring and it causes a lot of issues with horses. Most of the pro's will stuff their horses ears to stop the coffee machine from upsetting the horses.


----------



## ~*~anebel~*~

Ear plugs are illegal in national level Dressage competitions in the US and Canada, as well as in all FEI (international) Dressage competitions. Ear bonnets may be allowed if there are excessive insects.

To anyone who wishes to argue, please site the rule number from the current 2011 rule book. I would have, however I am on my phone.
Most breed shows allow them, however I would check. If you are showing rated hunters or jumpers, check with the association as I know some allow them and some don't. If you show up to a tack check after your test at a Dressage show with plugs having been in during the test, or if you are spotted using them while mounted, you will get at least a warning, but more likely you will be eliminated.

I have to plug my horses ears for clipping. I just cut up a sponge and it works well but I know many tack stores swear by the t foam plugs. Good luck!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## DejaVu

My2Geldings said:


> What a tough situation. I have to admit, that I don't know what advice to give :shock: I have never dealt with this issue. It seems like the ear plugs could be a good solution, but have you had your horse vetted yet? you sure it's nothing medical that's causing the issue? have their been any accidents with that horse, in similar settings?
> 
> My first thought would be to spend more time in the arena to try to get your horse used to it, but because you think that its a sensitivity issue, I don't know if that would help.


We have discussed it over with the vet when she came out last to do the horses shots. It's truly sensitivity with an over reactive horse in arenas. It's not the loud noise, it's the echo under the roof. He's fine with loud noises otherwise when not under a roof.

He's *solid* on a trail, and in most horses cases, a spooky situation. It honestly shocks me that he reacts so badly to this, since he rarely spooks at things. No accidents that I'm aware of. His old owner really never gave me proper info that I've asked for. 
It's times like this, I wish I had him as a yearling or younger, so I could start him off in arenas so little things like this would't be an issue.

It's frustrating when he's so perfect and highly competitive in an outdoor arena, but the crazy horse of the show in a covered arena.

Show season kicks off this weekend, so I'm going to put the T- foam to the true test. I also purchased an all natural, show legal calming paste as well that I've heard positive things about, to help him with his stressful opinions to PA systems.


----------

