Horse show question

[PamNY]

Any horse people? I went to my first horse show today. We were fascinated by the ear covers. Since someone on TE seems to know the answer to most any question, I thought I'd ask here.

From Googling I gather these are to keep insects out of ears and muffle noise.

Can any horse experts shed more light? Or is that the whole story?

[Biciclista]

I've only seen ear covers to keep bugs out. Bugs in your ears can make a horse pretty jumpy...

[rubysoho]

Yup, they keep bugs out. Also, some people will put ear plugs (huge cotton-ball-type things) in the horse's ears to minimize distractions and the ear covers help keep the plugs in place. Which explains why you see them at indoor shows (bc there are no bugs indoor!).

[LivetoRide]

Ditto rubysoho. And that's pretty much all there is to ear covers!

[oxysback]

Although they're pretty much a jumper thing. My daughter shows Hunter Under Saddle, Western Pleasure and Showmanship (mostly at local open shows) and there's not an ear cover in sight.

:::gratuitous pictures:::

[PamNY]

What I saw was in fact jumping. Thanks for the information about the ear covers.

Great photos. How old is your daughter? I saw some very young women on horses yesterday and thought about how remarkable their skills seemed for their ages.

[rubysoho]

What I saw was in fact jumping. Thanks for the information about the ear covers.

Great photos. How old is your daughter? I saw some very young women on horses yesterday and thought about how remarkable their skills seemed for their ages.

I'd say they are only found in the jumper ring and on a very few, green, hunter horses at a local show (ie, not recognized, etc...).

[oxysback]

Great photos. How old is your daughter? I saw some very young women on horses yesterday and thought about how remarkable their skills seemed for their ages.

She's a graduating senior this year and she'll be 18 at the end of August. The horses in the pictures aren't ours, but Jess gets paid to put some saddle time on them them and to introduce them to shows for their owners. I would have loved to have that kind of job when I was that age, but Jess is a way better rider than I ever was.

[ehirsch83]

In the jumper ring, ear covers are mostly a "fashion" statement- they help the horse look more the part.

They do keep insects out! But they definitely add to the look of the high end jumper.

They are not used to keep ear plugs in place. Once you put the ear plugs in and make sure the horse can't shake them out- they are set.

[rubysoho]

In the jumper ring, ear covers are mostly a "fashion" statement- they help the horse look more the part.

They do keep insects out! But they definitely add to the look of the high end jumper.

They are not used to keep ear plugs in place. Once you put the ear plugs in and make sure the horse can't shake them out- they are set.

Hmm.. Tell that to the riders I know who use the ear covers for that. I work at an equestrian facility and during schooling shows I have overheard trainers also talking about using the covers to hide/keep in the ear plugs in place, specifically on horses that are allowed to scratch their head while in tack. (well,they didn't say that but I saw them letting their horse nearly rub the bridle off!)

Needed or not, it is one reason people use them.

[ehirsch83]

Hmm.. Tell that to the riders I know who use the ear covers for that. I work at an equestrian facility and during schooling shows I have overheard trainers also talking about using the covers to hide/keep in the ear plugs in place, specifically on horses that are allowed to scratch their head while in tack. (well,they didn't say that but I saw them letting their horse nearly rub the bridle off!)

Needed or not, it is one reason people use them.

Except, Ruby- they aren't allowed in the hunter or eq ring- only the jumper ring, hence...There is no reason to hide ear plugs in the jumper ring since they are not judged on appearance.

[tulip]

What I saw was in fact jumping. Thanks for the information about the ear covers.

Great photos. How old is your daughter? I saw some very young women on horses yesterday and thought about how remarkable their skills seemed for their ages.

Some (lots) girls are very horse-crazy. I was one of them. I started riding at six years old, jumping at seven, and rode until I went to college (hunter-jumper, a bit of dressage). I no longer ride horses but I still like them very much. My mother still rides, and she's been riding since she was a little girl.

[rubysoho]

Except, Ruby- they aren't allowed in the hunter or eq ring- only the jumper ring, hence...There is no reason to hide ear plugs in the jumper ring since they are not judged on appearance.

please note that I mentioned schooling shows, not recognized/rated. And I didn't say it was to hide the ear plugs but rather the cover was used to help keep them in place on particular horses - not all.

[LivetoRide]

I ride mainly dressage these days...FEI rules state that ear plugs may not be used in rated competition. They recently (well, over the past few years) opened up to the idea of allowing fly bonnets in dressage and of course, some riders have used that as an opportunity to try to hide ear plugs.