Has anyone had to use ear plugs for dressage????

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lucyrebel

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Can anybody offer advice about this problem please, i need help!!!
My horse reacts really badly to the noise of car horns, which is really frustrating when im trying to ride a dressage test. I was eventing at little downham yesterday and during my test there were 5 loud 'beeps' from the judges in other arenas. My horse chucks his head up in the air and runs for a couple of strides when he hears this noise! Very very annoying as his dressage is otherwise lovely.
People have suggested that i try ear plugs (i need to check the rule book to see if they are allowed). Has anybody experienced this problem or any other noise related problem? Any advice on ear plugs???
Thanks!!!!
 
Hi, sorry, I can't help you with the dressage part and whether or not you can use ear plugs.

Would a better and more long term solution be to get your horse used to the noise of car horns? Is there somewhere you could ride where someone else could beep a car horn without disturbing the rest of the community? If so this would probably end up being something else you could try.

You might also consider beeping your horn outside of the horses grazing every now and again so they can see it it nothing to be scared of and so would not react to it in a negative way when you were competeing him. Or beeping then giving them a treat? Plenty of ways to try and get them accustomed to the noise :)
 
Hi, thanks for the advice, i am definitely going to try the 'beeping' when he is in the field and rewarding him with a treat is also a good idea.
I have tried (a few times) getting somebody to beep my car horn when im schooling him at home and i just get the same chucking head reaction over and over again. It doesnt seem to get any better. But surely the more he hears the noise he will eventually become used to it. Fingers crossed!!
 
well dnt know about dressage but i use earplugs on my horse when we do any events, although he lives with noise all the time tractors, wagons etc he freaks when hes got rider on after years of trying to desensitize (hes 10 now) i tried earplugs and they make a huge difference, hes pretty much unflappable now.
 
I know people who have used ear plugs in BE dressage, but don't know if it's legal. Rolled up balls of old tights sticked into a sausage shape work best as they are easy to squish and easyt o get out!
 
you could try a fly veil (pretty sure they're allowed but not 100%) won't block out sound as much but will help
 
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