Issues with ears

madhector

madhector

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Do they ever get over them?

I'm am possibly going to see a 4 yr old that is unbroken but been handled, the owner said the only issue is with touching his ears, he has improved in the few months they have had him, but still isn't great, is this something they get over with time and patience or do you think will he always be funny about them?

Thanks
 
depends on why...if it is psycological it can be overcome with persistance, however if he is funny due to a medical condition which will persist for exapmle, like a sarcoid on the ear or something, you might always have trouble.
 
I think they will always be funny but with patience manageable and it would not put me off buying a horse. I could be wrong but I think Headly Britania can't have her bridle on over her ears but has to have the headpiece undone.
 
who knows! it depends whats happened to him as a youngster, he may have been twitched by his ears and so may never forget that but then again he may learn to trust with time and patience and end up fine. don;t think you can really answer that one one way or the other.
 
I guess it depends ont he horse, some get over things, some always remember, as long as it wasnt REALLY bad, to the point where it got dangerous tacking up, then I wouldnt be too deterred by it.
afterall a bit of love and trust can work wonders.
 
Yes they do learn to trust you with them. I find it doesn really cause much of a problem though- we have several with aural plaque and it doesnt take much extra time to take bridle apart to avoid squishing the ears!!
 
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I think they will always be funny but with patience manageable and it would not put me off buying a horse. I could be wrong but I think Headly Britania can't have her bridle on over her ears but has to have the headpiece undone.

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Even to sell on? I am very tempted to go and see him
 
if he has already improved then there is nothing to say he wont get even better!

If the price is right and everything else is nice about him, it may be worth the risk?
 
He is reasonably priced, think she may go down a bit too. Thing is I will have to take the trailer with me when I go and see him, and then it will be really hard to leave him behind if the ears are the only issue
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My horse had an issue with her ears being touched when I first got her nearly 2 years ago now, but with perseverance and patience and dong a little bit every day she has really come round, she loves them being rubbed now.
Good luck.
Keep us updated
Kate x
 
My mare is funny with her ears and won't let you put a bridle on over them, but will have a headcollar and the dentists gag put over them. It hasn't proved a major problem - I just undo the bridle and slip it on that way. I've had her a long time and she's never got over it, despite many "experts" thinking they could do it!
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He is reasonably priced, think she may go down a bit too. Thing is I will have to take the trailer with me when I go and see him, and then it will be really hard to leave him behind if the ears are the only issue
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LOL, so we can expect a meet my new horse post soon!!
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Dont be put off my it- Tara has issues with one of her ears because she bumped her head when she was younger next to her ear, she was awful when we first had her but she learnt to trust us and now she is fine as long as you dont move too quickly towards her!
 
My trainer has a stallion in at the moment to bring on and sell, he was really funny with his ears to begin with but only on the right hand side, however my trainer has just been very quiet but determined around his head and ears and now the horse doesn't worry about it. When he first came into the yard, he was very wary of people in general but now he has settled in and knows that noone is going to get after him, he is fine.
I think it always takes time, patience and a calm attitude towards these issues and they can be overcome.
 
I got my first horse when she was 3 and she wouldnt let you anywhere her ears. Trying to put a bridle on was a nightmare I had to take the bit right off the cheekpieces , spend ages getting it over hear ears then re-attach the bit. She also had an issue with being tied up which i think was related and the min she felt any pressure on her ears she pulled back.

After alot of time and patience she is now totally fine, it took a couple of years before she was totally comfortable with you touching them but she got over it.

A horse pychic told me she had mites in her ears when she was a baby and had to get cream/ drops in them and thats where it stemmed from- who knows!

anyway, back you your question. I wouldnt let it put you off too much but just be prepared for alot of time and patience before it might get better.
 
Radder's has an issue with one of his ears! He has got so much better and with some skull work done on him he is much much better! I can put a bridle in the right way now. We clipped him today and he was funny about having it clipped so we left it.
 
Yep! One of mine had issues with her ears/head to the extent I used to take her bridle apart to put it on when I first had her. I've had her over 2 years now, and last week she let me clip her head out, including ears! Last year she wouldn't have done, and had half her head done instead, although she was generally better with her ears by then. So there is hope! She's not 100% with quick movements around her head still but is much much better.
 
My horse has the same problem as Headley Britannia with the aural plaques and when we got her we had to strip her bridle but 16months on I can put it on without stripping it and even stroke and brush them. She's still a bit funny about other people touching them though so I think it's a trust thing. Also I think you have to decide whether something is hurting or if it's psycological.
 
C was a bit funny to start with and had to keep loosening the bridle right off to get it over his head along with a tit bit to distract him. Kept persevering tho and 2 months on can put it on normal way, I think a loose headcollar with a throat clip helped as was putting it on and off over his ears several times a day.

If you like the horse in every other respect I wouldn't let it put you off. I made the vet have a really good look to see if there was any underlying problem tho.
 
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