aural plaques

T

traceyandtommy

New User
Joined
22 March 2012
Messages
2
Location
WEST YORKSHIRE
Visit site
Hi, my TB has aural ear plaques, i,m finding it nearly impossible to bridle him, just wondered if anyone has had a vet out for ear plaques and if they gave them anything to soothe it, or if anyone can recommend anything to ease it, i,ve heard dermafas cream from america is good but thats not available until april, and i dont want to leave my boy too long if hes in pain, :-(
 
One of my horses has had them for years. The vet said treating them can cause discomfort and can make them headshy. As my horse is already headshy we left them untreated and I just clean her ears with baby wipes. They haven't got worse or caused any problems in the 8 years she's had them.
My other horse, a TB, has just got some for the first time and again I'm just cleaning with baby wipes. This just clears the flakiness off them.
 
I used to work with a horse with very bad aural plaques, used to have to take the bridle apart to get it on, plus a lot of patience.

When she was sedated once for something else, a vet put cold sore cream on them, it did clear it up quite well but she was always ear shy. She did get better with me once she realised I wasn't going to hurt her, but not like a normal horse. Good Luck.
 
My horse has them quite badly and did when I bought her last year. She is very very ear shy to the point that I am having to ride at the moment with her head collar on and the bridle over the top without the noseband or browband as this is the easiest way to get it on!
There is no way the you can get a bridle on the normal wal as it just causes too much distress to her and is not worth it.
I had the vet out to look at them and he said that the best thing to do was to just leave them alone, so that is what I have done!
My only concern is that the flies might drive her mad in the summer.
I have spoken to a saddler who will make up a browband that can be attached to the bridle after it is on with press studs or hook and eye fastenings, if needs be.
Hope this helps.
 
My 17hh boy has them and so no way would you get the bridle on conventionally as the interference with the ear of getting the headpiece/browband on was a no no.

We split the bridle at the cheekpieces and pop the top part on then put the bit in and join up the bottom part to the top. Works fine. This is the way Headley Britannia has to be bridled too as she has really awful ones, didnt stop her winning Badminton etc :-))

Our vet was the head guy from the royal vet college. I did get some Dermafas from the US but he advised me not to put in in his ears, or anything else, just to leave them alone, as otherwise he could become unmanageably ear shy. Dermafas was fab for wound healing elsewhere tho! Basically RVC view was it is a condition you have to manage and live with rather than something to be cured. Also he recommended if the horse will tolerate it, using an ear covered fly fringe in spring-autumn.

Edited to add, horse will only be in pain if you try to mess with the plaques, or dont split the bridle, they arent painful if left alone.
 
Black flies love the dead skin on aural plaques
Plait eg a fly wipe into high part of mane and use that as a reservoir for fly spray--it helps keep flies away from head
I do manage to get eg sudocreme rubbed into my horses plaques--patience needed!
 
The small flies that get in ears are out & about now,rub your thumb in the ear to see the blood they cause. I believe the plaques are scar tissue from previous years. The horse will be head shy when the ears are sore. Easy prevention is a fly mask with ears. Over time the plaques will disappear if you use the masks with ears every year.
 
I am in the process of day 2 of using Dermafas on my extremely ear shy polo mares. I will follow with photos and details shortly but they are already all falling out after on application (sedative needed) and am now trying to apply more cream. Will keep you updated. Can now touch hr ears easily but need to teach her to be bridled normally. Have to say splitting the bridle is. Essential. I have as specially made brownand too!

How bad is your horse? Can you brush the ears? Touch them at all? What happens if you bridle the horse bit by bit?

I am the only person who can bridle my pony!! Nobody else can! I hope to god the Dermafas works but now struggling a bit to get it in deep enough as her fungus/plaques are horrendous.

Best of luck
 
My horse had aural plaques when I got him - I called the vet (who came very quickly as I thought it might be ringworm and her horses live in the neighbouring field!). I felt rather silly, but she told me just to ignore them and they subsequently went away. Was actually just this time of year too. Mine did not seem unduly bothered about them, but then again I never touched them, upon vet's advice.
 
Hi, sorry if I'm being thick :) but if you split the birdle do you take the browband off and just put the head piece and nose band over the head then put the browband on, then buckle up the cheek pieces with the bit on?
Thanks
 
Sorry, me again...... My main problem is that I have to leave the head collar on while putting the bridle on and then take it off afterwards so it all gets a bit complicated. Does anyone use a halter that converts into a bridle easily? I can put a head coller on her without too much trouble so that would make things a bit easier!
 
How tall is your horse and how tall are you? This will come into it as they tend to put their head up the moment they see the bridle.

My pony went out on loan for a year then was turned away for winter and brought back in January so was feral and I had to start re bonding. Firstly make sure you have a headcollar where the noseband undoes at the front as then you can easily slip the headcollar off afterwards by undoing the front buckle.

With regards to taking bridle apart, my bridles are snug/tight and browbands a bit more giving. Make sure your cheekpiece on the off side isn't on top hole. This is my process of tacking up.

1. Put reins on by undoing buckle.
2. Undo cheekpiece on nearside
3. Now the complicate (to explain part) slide the browband down as far as it can go both sides. This leaves a bigger gap for ears.
4. Distract horse by doing something away from head (I often do the girth up a hole
5. Quickly put the bridle over the ears
6. Point 5 is where everyone else fails on my pony, they just are not quick enough. If they catch her ears I have to go away and pretend to do something else.
7. Push browband back to normal height
8. Put bit in and do up cheekpiece.

Done!

I have to say you will need to gain your horses trust. I can now (before the cream as thats changing things) brush her ears easily, touch them occassionally, hog her with use of carrots.

Good luck! Your bloody lucky you don't play polo, I have to put more tack on than imageinable on a horse with aural plaques, in an open space= not fun!

Also get a browband which can be undone one side, my friends mum made me one it unbuckles meaning that won't touch her ears.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top