No but you’re the one here talking about it so we are gunna discuss.
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No, but being really vocal about it over and over lacks some tact.
There’s lots of things that someone or another might find ugly or distasteful. I, for example, don’t tend to like super bright colors. But if someone is rocking a hot pink, and they and their horse looks happy and healthy - get it, hot-pink-pony-brigade! I don’t need to tell them “so, when will you grow up and throw that trash out??” because that’s rude and entirely unecessary.
You’ve had this discussion on here before, and I refuse to believe you aren’t trying to get a rise out of people by posting this.
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you like them, you don’t like me not liking them. no big deal.
Oh my gosh how can you think that!
People who aren’t horsey always tell me they love all my horses “knitted hats”
I also find them helpful in the wind and with my noisy neighbour.
Some trends do actually have a use.
Now those fenwick masks…. That I can discuss as a trend haha
And no I don’t care if you don’t like them. Just seems like a weird flex.
I mean…look how cute
.]()
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The noise cancelling bonnets are useful in rain and hail and don’t lead to colder wetter ears.
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You are a genius. I wish I’d thought of this about 10 years ago. My dear departed TB always used to get so grumpy when we’d ride in the rain… ears flat back. That probably would’ve made him happy.
I don’t think ear bonnets are going away, OP, and you and I have had discussion over their function (not fashion) before. 
In spite of logical reasoning, you continued to insist that we all only use them for accessorizing.
Where we moved to (sub-tropical climate), there do not seem to be the same kind or amount of gnats thus far as in the PNW, so I have not used a bonnet since being here. I have not ventured out into the show world yet so can’t count the number of bonnets in the show ring.
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In pulling up those links, I noticed this one- I haven’t tried it but am intrigued, I assume the ear fabric wouldn’t fade the way the other smartpak one does.
https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/coolmesh-ear-nets-11738
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I was recently scribing for a judge candidate during an apprentice session. We were on the long side. It was bright and sunny. There were lots of ear bonnets. Some had more than one row of rhinestones - and they drew attention to any unsteadiness in the head… so once again, it reinforced my decision to not use anything that could draw attention to something you’d rather not focus on… goes for patent leather boots or bright spurs on unsteady legs, bling on gloves, bling on helmets as well as fly hoods
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Because I am a handicapped rider.
Because I am riding rather elderly lesson horses who have been there and done that for many years.
Because I ride pretty early in the morning–summer at 8:30 AM, winter at 9:00 AM.
I have noticed that the horses I ride seem to end up liking my ear bonnet. Some years the gnats are a veritable plague in the early hours of the morning, and since I am the only rider in the ring the ones that come into the ring (which is next to a pond) they ALL zero in on my poor lesson horse. I can either use an ear bonnet on the horse or we both have an absolutely miserable ride. Contact? “Dear lady, you can just forget about contact with the bit while I shake my head madly because of those darn gnats”. I just get a better ride, a much better ride in the spring, summer, and fall if I use an ear bonnet on the horse.
Not only do I have ear bonnets on the horses I ride, I also buy them a Fenwick Face Mask with Ears. The horses REALLY like these! Ear shy horses calm down and end up slanting their heads so I can get the ear part over their ears. I have successfully cured ear-shyness in a few of the lesson horses I ride because of this Fenwick Face Mask (along with letting the horse realize that it can feel really, really good when I brush out their ears.)
In the winter, with the early morning COLD winds the horses appreciate that their delicate ears are warm.
For the first 15 years of riding in the land of deer flies whenever I entered the widely spread woods I would dream of having something like an ear bonnet on the horse as my horse went crazy with the biting flies in spite of the mostly useless fly spray and my wonderful fly whisk.
I FINALLY found one in Little Joe’s Saddlery catalogue (Richmond, Va. for all you old timers.) I ordered it, it was made of scrim and it was white. When I finally got it I excitedly tore open the package to find this ear bonnet that was obviously made for HUGE draft horses. The top three inches of the ears flopped over and my horse was not pleased about that. He appreciated that it was much easier for me to whisk the flies off his beautiful ears.
I stopped using that one, my horse would not cooperate with me putting it on though I never had any difficulties with his head and gear before. Hey, I had my fly whisk and I could slap those evil buzz bombers pretty easily.
When I found out about the riding fly sheets I bought one for each horse I ride. The horses look rather odd but the feeling I get from the horse, a feeling from the horse that it feel like it is being treated like royalty, keeps me dragging my riding fly sheet out for every ride.
Yes, my horses look like dorks. They really don’t care. They feel respected, they feel that I am listening to their complaints about discomfort, and they no longer freak out with head slinging and mad rushes to the fence to rub their heads. They calmly keep good contact, they “talk” to me with their calm tongues, with only occasional irritation from a flying and biting insect.
Hey, I look like a dork too!
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Meh, to each his/her own.
I do show in the fly-heavy areas of AZ & Southern CA only. And I now have a horse who’s the biggest diva of any I’ve ever owned as far as flies buzzing his ears, legs, face, anything.
But in addition to that, I just really want to match. It’s his bonnet, my jacket, my helmet, necktie, the trim on the pad, all in the same grey. And judges comment positively on my turnout often. No apologies here.
We coordinate, and I like it. And based on the comments on my sheets, so do the judges.
Trying to upload a pic but I don’t know how. Apparently.
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Yep, I always used a bonnet on the old man, winter and summer–it kept his ears draft-free in winter (he did not like the cold wind blowing in his very large ears) and helped drown out the sound of the snow crashing off the arena roof, and then fly-free in summer–and it meant I didn’t have to attempt to braid that sad whisp of a forelock for the show ring. Of course, this was in the black and white days, so no pretties, sadly.
New boy is not impressed with bonnets, which is a shame. I think he would be a much less exciting ride in the winter in our somewhat rattly indoor with said crashing snow if he would wear a nice sound-deadening number, especially one of those Fenwick dealies with the calming voodoo and soundproof ears.
I also think he’d look cute in it.
I did try regular bonnet, but he shook it off and it landed in my lap. Luckily, he didn’t get the bridle off as well! I’d like to try the Fenwick one, but it’s a pricey experiment if he does hate it.
He’s not bothered about a fly mask with ears in turnout, so I do wonder if it was the feeling of the crownpiece over the crochet. So maybe the smooth fabric of the Fenwick would work?
Your horse looks very lovely, Jealoushe. And I bet your turnout is smashing, Silverbridge! (Nice to “see” you here, btw!)
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You do you.
If you don’t like something somebody else’s horse is wearing, don’t get one for your horse.
I’m pretty sure there aren’t a lot of folks who would want an all grey bridle for their horse due to their personal taste plus how out of place it would look in the show ring, but they would be supportive of you putting it on your own horse rather than critical. 
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I’ve never been one to follow a fashion trend just because it’s popular. Evidenced not just as you say by my gray bridle, but in a lot of other things as well… I glommed-onto bling headbands because i think they’re pretty. Knowing full well it’s a trend and will be gone one day.
What all the other people do, wear or like isn’t a draw. And i guess i don’t care that much if others appreciate my aesthetic or not. I sell a lot of the jewelry i make, and the fancy dog collars too, so not everyone dislikes my taste. Anyway… I do do-me…almost always.
i think an ear bonnet makes a horse look like a comic character…like batman or somesuch.
So you dislike bonnets so much you start an entire thread to complain about them, then get upset that people are responding?
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For someone who professes a desire to learn, you are hilariously anti-learning.
Some people like the way they look. I personally hate the way they look, but I, at least, am smart enough to realize that the look of them is not what matters. What matters is making our horses more comfortable.
It does you no harm if someone loves the way they look. (hypothetical, because I don’t give a rat’s what people wear) I personally don’t like the way you dress to ride your horses. However, THAT makes no difference to the comfort of your horse and is not something that needs to be commented on EVER, let alone endlessly. You may love your (insert whatever - wide-brimmed hat, overly colourful breeches, whatever hypothetical item of clothing that some may love and others may find appalling), but those USEFUL items are useful and helpful in making your ride better which makes your horse more comfortable with someone on their back.
How is it so hard to understand that not liking the look of a very useful item which makes horses more comfortable is just downright silly?
Ear bonnets are like abortions. If you don’t want one (and have an equally effective method of keeping gnats out of your horses ears) don’t have one.
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My pony actually got a hematoma in her ear from head shaking due to gnats 
. Now I feel terrible that I didn’t have one on her all the time… I think she looks kinda cute in it.
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Lucky you. Horses around these parts get bloody ears during gnat season unless they are slathered in goop or covered with a bonnet while riding and an eared fly mask while turned out. It’s a thing. An annoying thing to be sure, but it’s a real, true thing that our horses no longer have to suffer through thanks to someone who was smart enough to realize that simply covering their ears with a ridiculous hat erased the discomfort.
Other people were smart enough to have cashed in on making them more attractive (less unattractive? more hideous, more appealing depending on one’s POV), so be it. That’s the way things go. Useful products start out as simple ideas and get run with all the time. Look at rhinestones on jean pockets for instance - a simple useful item on a piece of clothing is now pretty routinely blinged out to appeal to a certain group of consumers.
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Many of us are the same. The difference with ear bonnets is that they are not just a “fashion trend.” We will likely see different styles of ornamentation come and go, but fly bonnets themselves are not going anywhere. Get used to it. Get over yourself. TRY to understand that they are not simply a fashion trend or statement.
I mean your POV is akin to saying helmets for riders are a fashion trend and you can’t wait for them to go out of fashion. Different level of safety - maybe - but if you had ever been on a horse driven completely nuts while having its ears chewed on by a swarm of insects, you might actually have a clue.
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You backed up my point perfectly, thank you. Why do you need to criticize others for something you aren’t using or interested in using? What business is it of yours, and why do you even care what somebody else chooses to put on their horse?
If you don’t like ear bonnets, don’t get or use one. And keep your opinion of other’s taste where it belongs…in your head. No need for a public announcement.
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I enlarged your avatar & you both look very put together & elegant.
I am the Queen of Anti-Bling, but that’s for me.
Anyone else is free to do what-evs 
& I admit to bring tempted to get a bonnet (with tassels! 
) for my mini.
Even though it would cover his signature white-lined ears & what would I do with this?:
Psssst!
To load a photo, click on the Upload button at the bottom of the reply box.
This:
Pick the photo from your Files & Voila!
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