What's with the ear thingies?

[Donkeymad]

Managed to see part of a class at Olympia on TV today, and every single horse was wearing those ear covers with a triangle over the forhead. Why? I'm surprised to see all of them wearing them.

 

[MrsMozart]

We use one in summer to defeat flies

They use they in the arenas to help deaden the noise.

 

[3Beasties]

Some riders put cotton wool in their horses ears and then use the ear covers to drown out the sound of the crowd. I also think that they are the 'IN' thing for Showjumpers to wear, so they all wear them!

 

[Donkeymad]

I always understood they were to deaden the noise, so can't understand them ALL needing them. Probably is just the 'latest' thing then!
Cheers

 

[Cop-Pop]

My niece asked the same question before deciding that they were ear muffs so the horse's ears kept warm in winter

 

[longtalltilly]

I sure its not just a 'look' thing! There is alot of noise in that arena so they are liable for that! If it was you in there and there was ALOT of prize money at stake im sure your horse would wear a pair too......Every little helps!

 

[piebaldsparkle]

It's to deaden the noise, ears are probably stuffed with cotton wool too.

 

[LynneB]

did you hear the artillery going off when Robin Hood was doing his round? I hope he had cotton wool in his ears, it didn't seem to affect him though....

 

[HLB]

They have been out for years, they are not just fashion and seeing a lot of the horses are quite young this year i think they just want to make sure that they have every box ticked and every corner covered - if you know what i mean

 

[SJFAN]

John Whitaker used them on Grannusch indoors because he was so sensitive to the noise.

 

[moogrrr]

I think that the artilery was live and coming from arena, whereas Robin Hoods round was recorded - does that make any sense?! i watched it the night before and the same thing happened and the horse didn't even look! My OH started to mutter about micky mouse TV recordings (i think he was possibly slightly annoyed that Olympia was on everynight for nearly a week!!)

 

[Scribbles]

I think fashion plays a huge role - I went to a show a couple weeks back where there were 5 people watching, 2 horses in the class, in the blumin middle of nowhere countryside, and one lad had a fly cover on (needless to say, he also had all the john whitaker merch).

 

[LynneB]

well that would certainly make more sense! I had no idea why they would be doing their thing out of the arena (surely the practice enough at home), however, very poor tv to let it "bleed" over like that if that is indeed what happened. I thought Robin Hood looked very calm under the circumstances, perhaps that explains why