Very important question about what color ear bonnet to buy!

[Frivian]

So, my horse’s and my first BN is coming up at the end of June.

My horse is a headshaker and we’ve discovered that making him wear an ear bonnet helps immensely. So now I’m ear bonnet shopping with my horse trial in mind.

Side note: We are going to ask permission to wear one in dressage.

I’ve decided that our cross country colors are hunter green and gold. My horse is bay and looks smashing in dark green. We have one of these saddle pads which I love and am going to use XC:

I have tried on multiple ear bonnets on him and learned that the Pessoa ones fit him pretty well. So I’m planning on getting this ear bonnet in green/gold for XC:
http://www.adamshorsesupplies.com/Pessoa-Bling-Crochet-Ear-Nets-P1997.aspx

Now, the question is, what should I have him wear in dressage?
I have a navy blue coat, and he’s going to be wearing the white version of the OTTB pad. But he also looks great in black since he’s bay. I should also mention that I have the navy blue version of the OTTB pad, so a navy ear bonnet would match that, if I ever wanted to use them together.

Should I get a black ear bonnet or a navy one for dressage? What color trim?

Thanks!

Kudos to anyone who actually read this whole thing!

Also, here is a picture of him in his navy OTTB pad:

[Action42]

I’d go with black bonnet for dressage. Less obtrusive and distracting.

[Ibex]

Navy. It’s still subtle and a more pleasing picture with a navy coat.

[islgrl]

I’m curious about the ear bonnet helping the headshaking. Is it exercised induced headshaking? Do you use a nose net also?

[Frivian]

[QUOTE=islgrl;7618476]
I’m curious about the ear bonnet helping the headshaking. Is it exercised induced headshaking? Do you use a nose net also?[/QUOTE]

I don’t use a nose net - it doesn’t seem to help him.

His headshaking is not exercise induced. Actually, it gets better when he is more focused on his work. He is very sensitive to stimuli and we have found the following things make it worse:

wind
rain on his face
bugs/flies

Right now I am schooling him in a figure eight noseband with a very heavy fulmer snaffle, which I believe helps as well.

He does not headshake while jumping or ridden on the contact in dressage by someone with steadier hands than I. He DOES headshake on a looser rein (esp. during free walk) and while lunging, in the grooming stall, and in the pasture.

[PaintedHunter]

I’d do navy.

[pacific_jumper]

Navy. If you wanted trim, stick to something neutral like white

[PNWjumper]

I vote for navy or black (or one of each!)

I have a young mare who’s the same way. I’ve never used ear nets on my jumpers, but she is really particular about things touching her ears…things like her forelock and the wind and rain and pretty much anything else that can touch ears while being ridden (the same things do not bother her in the pasture).

I tossed one on her at her first show a couple of weeks ago on a whim, and while I don’t know that it made a huge difference it definitely helped a bit (especially on the windy days). I only have a navy one (with silver trim, I think), but I thought it was subtle enough to look nice and not particularly “odd” to me (that’s me who’s not used to looking at my own horses with ear nets on): http://s1280.photobucket.com/user/PNWjumper/media/Facebook/2014%20Horses/10298401_10152498025293408_3866320868484872793_o.jpg.html?sort=3&o=20

And it’s not a navy coat, but I thought it looked particularly nice with a navy sweater (and by association, would presumably look nice with a navy coat as well): http://s1280.photobucket.com/user/PNWjumper/media/Facebook/2014%20Horses/10369006_10152513260328408_3893631421456970833_o.jpg.html?sort=3&o=15

[billiebob]

Navy with trim that matches your breeches.

Your guy sounds just like my TB, except mine goes in a D-ring. I was never really a believer in fly bonnets except as decoration, and then we moved to South Dakota last year. Which I believe is the second windiest state in the nation, and when it’s not windy (hahahahaha) is probably the breeding ground for all the gnats in the world.

[CatchMeIfUCan]

[QUOTE=PNWjumper;7618601]
I vote for navy or black (or one of each!)

I have a young mare who’s the same way. I’ve never used ear nets on my jumpers, but she is really particular about things touching her ears…things like her forelock and the wind and rain and pretty much anything else that can touch ears while being ridden (the same things do not bother her in the pasture).

I tossed one on her at her first show a couple of weeks ago on a whim, and while I don’t know that it made a huge difference it definitely helped a bit (especially on the windy days). I only have a navy one (with silver trim, I think), but I thought it was subtle enough to look nice and not particularly “odd” to me (that’s me who’s not used to looking at my own horses with ear nets on): http://s1280.photobucket.com/user/PNWjumper/media/Facebook/2014%20Horses/10298401_10152498025293408_3866320868484872793_o.jpg.html?sort=3&o=20

And it’s not a navy coat, but I thought it looked particularly nice with a navy sweater (and by association, would presumably look nice with a navy coat as well): http://s1280.photobucket.com/user/PNWjumper/media/Facebook/2014%20Horses/10369006_10152513260328408_3893631421456970833_o.jpg.html?sort=3&o=15[/QUOTE]

As a side note, what kind of jacket is that? I love it!

I vote for Navy as well. Maybe tan or white trim, matching your breeches as billiebob said. I would use a white saddle pad in dressage on him.

[Winding_Down]

Only time I use a non-white saddle pad is when I have a horse that would look “dirty” with white, such as a grey or yellow dun. Otherwise, white dressage pad seems to look better? Personal taste, I am sure.

Ear Bonnet, otoh, looks great in dark color such as navy or black. I do NOT like white ear bonnets - I actually don’t like any of them but white seems especially distracting.

[PNWjumper]

[QUOTE=CatchMeIfUCan;7618649]
As a side note, what kind of jacket is that? I love it![/QUOTE]

Thanks! It’s an Animo

[Frivian]

Thanks everyone! I think I’ll go with navy and probably beige trim if I can find it.

To clarify, I’m going to use a white pad for my dressage and stadium, but for random times when I’m going to use my navy pad, it’d be nice to already have an ear bonnet that matches!

[Action42]

check out FUN Bonnets (you can find them on Facebook). They make pretty bonnets in all kinds of colors!