Flymasks indoors in winter why?

[jen1]

Err I may be missing something here but why were most of the horses jumping at Olympia wearing fly masks with ears? They are indoors and not many flies about at the moment, someone has said it has something to do with putting cotton wool in their ears so they can't hear the crowds? Would like to know though just out of interest!!

 

[FigJam]

I only noticed them wearing the ear parts- none actually had fly fringes as such?

I think you're right and they are used to muffled the noise (with addition of cotton wool or similar ear plugs) and try to get the horses concentrating/not spooking at the crowds.

 

[alicep]

yup they sometimes put cotton wool in the ears with the fly fringes on top to reduce the noise and hence the stress.

 

[ISHmad]

[ QUOTE ]
yup they sometimes put cotton wool in the ears with the fly fringes on top to reduce the noise and hence the stress.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly!

 

[lucemoose]

I jump my horse indoors with one, it muffles the clatters and echos.

 

[RunToEarth]

Mine headshakes with noise, indoor arenas magnify the noise, so a pole clattering at Olympia will perhaps equate to tens of poles clattering in an outdoor, plus the added noise of the crowd, and the commentator make for a scary experience for even the best of horses, I always find my horse jumps better with cottoned ears indoor.

 

[christine48]

I think they use them with ear plugs to deaden the noise of the crowd etc ( or else it's just the fashion with SJs at the moment).