Maybe on the AHSA website there’s a way to contact the Hunter Council or a Steward?
[This message has been edited by Bertie (edited 04-16-2000).]
And ear plugs arent neccessarily a “quick fix” my horse goes with them and without them. At WEF there was so much going on, between the tralier parked by the ring being walked in and out of, the houses less then 2000 feet aways getting roofs put on, I used them. It depends on how my horse feels. I do it because it makes him FEEL better. He can still hear, its not like we make then deaf or anything!!!
Also… those of you criticizing the people who use earplugs… what exactly do you have against these people? Earplugs don’t give you a jump on the competition or anything. Its fine to have your opinions, but why criticize someone unless you know the specific facts of why the horse has earplugs in?
LoL, I guess I was mean, but I dont understand, if you dont show hunters, why is it such a big deal to you? And besides, its not hurting anyone, let the people who get placed 2nd to a hrose with earplugs post, dotn worry about it.
For some reason, my response (above) didn’t get added: Not to add fuel to the fire, but I would disagree about the comment re gel pads; in my opinion they’re very similar to ear plugs and they DO affect the horse’s sense. Gel pads make a horse with a sensitive back more comfortable by cushioning the impact on his back, just as plugs make a horse more comfortable by “cushioning” him from loud sounds. I don’t see any distinction - both unintrusive aids to make a horse happier.
Keep attacking me folks, it proves mine and Pwynns point…
[This message has been edited by devildog20 (edited 04-17-2000).]
Phew! Sounds good to me, DevilDog!
I forgot to say this earlier, but the thought came to my mind that those who think ear plugs are more for the rider’s peace of mind, then maybe it’s the riders who should be wearing them 
But seriously, I can ride my horse bareback with a halter. In fact, up until I got her she was only ridden in a hackamore. John Lyons has some awesome books and videos, he can ride his blind appy stallion bridleless in a round pen with a FILLY in there! So yes, it can and is done. We have seen those pictures of people jumping bareback and bridleless, it’s all in the training. Well, I see the sharks circling so I better swim back to my boat!
Holy Cow!!! What a kettle of worms this opens!! Going back to last year, how many HOTY hunters (national and zone and local) have or had earplugs in??? Do they redistribute?? Set them all down??? Hold a special hearing??? This one takes the cake as far as the AHSA…This one phone consult just upended the awards for…how many years??..Is the rule retroactive or will it just affect the horses “caught” from today forward??? What a mess this could make if someone were persistant enough to persue it!
This is a bit off topic, but how are gel pads a part of this? Would you put foam pads, quilted fleece pads, air pads, wither pads, banjo pads, etc. in as well?
When I talked to her she said she had looked over the regs! I am glad you are asking for yourself though! Good luck LOL! And thanks for believing me! 
That’s where I am right now e-mailing everyone on the NHJC that has an address LOL!
Devildog, it’s not that important to use them. But if they are allowed, I think many of the posters have explained why they’re used. Here’s an example…
Suppose you have worked very hard to qualify for indoors. You took time off from work/school to be there. Your family scrimped and saved to pay for the showing/traveling/lodging/etc. all year and now they’re still paying. Your horse is a good boy, but he’s young and green. He’s never been to a big indoor show. He just has a couple of classes at this show and this is what you’ve been working for. You want him to have a good experience.
You go into the ring and it’s big, bright and quiet in there. Your horse is being good, and suddenly some kids come flying/clamoring down the stairs at you as you lope up the line along the rail. Or a big ol’ balloon drifts up to the lights and goes POP!!! Or a dog starts yapping and it’s magnified and echoed by the cavernous arena. If you were allowed to stuff your horses ears with something soft and benign, that MIGHT muffle these sounds a little, would you? If not, would you condemn someone who does?
[This message has been edited by Bertie (edited 04-16-2000).]
To use a platform of the use of “Quick Fix Ear Bunny Appliances/Devices” as a testament and example of “short cut” versus “real training” is IMO, absurd.
I have stuffed ears on many of my horses and as a groom stuffed those that I took to the ring.
I have also forgotten to do it. Except for one occation, you would never have know the stuffing was missing.
Personally, I think the stuffing if for the rider. They think the horse can’t hear, pleeeaaasse. It sticks cotton in a horses ears will stop them from hearing, why do we still cluck?
Geez folks.
I think that maybe the changing of nosebands as the horses exit the ring should be of bigger concern. I watched at the in gate of our last show & ALL of the nosebands in one particular barn were changed as the saddle & martingale came off. If the steward was around, the horse was walked away by the groom & returned sans chain or tacks. I just don’t get that. BTW, most of these horses had ear bunnies ,too. However, I do not believe that they were as effective as the doctored cavessons.Or maybe it is the non-testable concoction that they get at night. Vitamins -my foot. BTW- These are some of the TOP horses in the country.
I was basically trying to illustrate absurdity by being absurd! We NEED artificial appliances to RIDE HORSES. It is just that simple. Without “artificial appliances” we would look preety funny zoaring around the rings (fields, stadia, backyards) wildly out of control! I also was tongue in cheek pointing out how rediculous the AHSA is in making an off the cuff comment like ‘Earplugs are not permitted’. What next? No bits, reins, srups, stick, crank nosebands, rubber reins, weighted jumper boots, bell boots, etc etc etc…??? If you have a headache, you take an aspirin (or tylenol, whatever)…if your horse is AFRAID, them put in the freakin’ earplugs and GET OVER IT!
Well, I’ve been away for awhile and IMHO we have beaten this horse WAY beyond death!!!
Here’s the bottom line - people will continue to use whatever training device they can justify - from the “benign” ear plug to the down right cruel “nerve line” which started this discussion.
As you know, western pleasure horses are to be “dead quiet” and even tail switching is penalized. I personally know a very popular trainer who sends his horses out of state to have the tendons in the tail severed so the horse can NEVER AGAIN SWITCH HIS TAIL - not even to swat a fly - he is the winning-est trainer in our state. The end justifies the means - and if you ask him he will tell you how it doesn’t hurt the horse and how “benign” the technique is. I’m sure the saddle-bred trainers who keep their horses tied up in dark stalls 24 hrs a day can justify that technique too. I recently read a terrible, gut wrenching story of an incredibly talented dressage stallion that had competed at the PanAm games, started having some training problems, was sent to a new trainer who used a cattle prod to “teach” the horse piaffe. Well as one might expect the stallion went INSANE got more and more dangerous so they started starving him so he wouldn’t be so “hot”, medicated him to “calm him down” etc… etc… The trainer was able to justify all of this because it was “necessary” for the training of the horse.
I’ve always had a tough time believing the argument that one little thing will ALWAYS lead to WORSE infractions but (as discussed earlier) I think it is worth addressing the concerns of the definition of the “ideal hunter”. Is it realistic or even desirable for the “ideal hunter” to be 1/2 step from dead?
For some of us it is about the journey, the training, the enjoyment and the accomplishment. For others it is about winning and money - I think the “line” that was referred to earlier is, has, and will always be a personal choice defined by the individuals goals. If all you want is to win, YOU must decide how far YOU will go to accomplish that, just ask the Wards!!!
I started out in this thread thinking ear plugs were wrong no matter what - I DON’T think they are cruel or harmful to the horse - just wrong - in the show ring - as a matter of principle. I’ve waivered somewhat - and now think they MIGHT have a place as a SCHOOLING aid for a young horse, I put them in the same category as side reins, etc, as a training device. I don’t believe they should be allowed in the show ring IMHO, but that’s my opinion.
I just phoned Mrs. Judith Werner from the AHSA rules committee, she is the chair person, and she said that even though it doesn’t say specifically that earplugs are not allowed, but that they ARE considered an artificial aid (or whatever the term in the rule book uses, can’t think of the EXACT phrase she used but it was the one in the rulebook) Anyway, she said her straight out answer was that they were illegal. So there you have it. If you don’t believe me e-mail or call her and she will tell you the same thing.
How can ear-plugs be illegal? if you look allmost EVERY hunter shows in them…in FL the grooms had my horses ears stuffed every time he came out of his stall…and why is it such a big deal if people use them? i mean how do they do any harm?
