Random thought, are there any studies about how healthy it is to put earplugs in our horse’s ears? I guess it would just make me nervous, but I’ve always had horses with pretty sensitive ears that don’t want me messing with them but I wonder if there are any accidents or infections etc caused by them. Sorry a bit off topic from where this went, I was just curious if anyone had at least anecdotal issues.
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It has been discussed several times, most recently on the eventing board with regard to whatever supplement Phillip Dutton is advertising.
I have never seen it, that is why I was interested, but then I don’t read much in eventing
For those of you who want the rules changed to allow ear plugs, would you also support changing the rules to allow the limited use of voice to reassure a spooky horse? The voice is a natural aid after all. When a spooky horse responds to its rider’s voice over external stimuli, isn’t that a demonstration of the horse’s trust in the rider and submission to the rider’s authority?
If one horse should be allowed to compete with less noise, what about a horse that is happier with more noise?
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That one I am ahead of the game, WSDAC rules allow the use of the voice.
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:encouragement: I’ve always found it hard to understand why spurs must be worn for some straight dressage tests but voice was forbidden. The US dressage show dress code and rules are byzantine, contradictory, and restrictive. No wonder people flock to western dressage.
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WSD 11.03 Voice and Touch
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Quiet use of the voice and limited clicking of the tongue is permitted.
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Touching the horse in front of the saddle as a reward is permitted
AHA, light bulb moment the judge DID see, but didn’t penalize me touching Fergie last year…she got totally wound up in her lope work, so I brought her back to a walk, gave her a pat, and set off again…
Yup, I have no problem with this. Voice is an aid, just like any other.
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I was really happy to see the rule change last year that allowed us to PAT our horses (aka take reins in one hand to pat the horse), and I commented on that rule change proposal in support. I don’t have a problem with quiet clucking or quiet reassuring comments, and would not have an issue with such a rule change.
I think the “fear” is that people will start using voice commands (Walk, Trot, Canter, Whoa), with the thought that it then allows a whole new set of “aids”!
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Even when spurs are required, “dummy spurs” can be worn - which is basically no spur… I do have to say, I don’t understand why a whip is not allowed, but spurs are allowed in championship rides?
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You are supposed to have mastered the use of your legs (which is what the whip is used for) and later, the refinement of the spur aids.
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That’s probably because a lot of western riders do stop using « whoa ».
That’s permitted too in dressage.
The clucking and voice is not allowed because the rider should be able to give proper aids. It’s just part of the test where you are judged on the efficiency of your aids.
I teach my horses a lot of voice commands. It’s helpful but I need to be carefull that they learn to move from body cues and not just voice… I’ve has that happened… Hahaha not so funny when no one else but me can have the darn thing canter because I’m not there to say « the word »…It was easily fixed in a few sessions, but that showed me how tricky it can be!
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Ear plugs and sound-muffling bonnets do just that: they SLIGHTLY muffle noise. My horse is 14. I have exposed him to anything and everything and he STILL will react to a sudden noise, especially if he cannot see what is causing it, but plugs and a bonnet do not cancel out sound and I can’t imagine they would cause a horse to be a menace in warm-up arenas. Believe me, my horse would be more of a problem if he went careening sideways into another horse because a sudden noise startled him! I also will disagree with “if your horse is properly on the bit, he won’t…” spook, shy, come above the but. …whatever. Horses have a 280 sweep of vision. My horse can be working well,steady in the bridle and still notice/react to a dog running up the driveway 40 feet away from where I’m riding. That’s just him - hyper-alert and very noise sensitive. I cope the best I can. I fully intend to show him in an bonnet that muffles sound, even tho I must forego the plugs. When he’s calm, he has scored up to 70%; when he’s not…Well, I do love one comment a European judge made: “a big, talented horse who is not focused today.” That was after a test in which I entered, halted, saluted, proceeded forward and turned to do a medium trot diagonal, and ended up draped on my horse’s neck when someone in the grandstand dropped a bucket and it made a huge clang against the steel railing. Sigh. We finished the test - at a championship - but he was super tense throughout after that start. Needlesstosay, we did not get a high placing (but we did place). YMMV, but I’m using a bonnet.;0)
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The voice commands aren’t allowed because it is entirely possible to train a horse to them who doesn’t obey the Hand/body/leg aid and therefore avoid the question of demonstrating acceptance of all the aids.
i might have a horse who will brace against the hand in the halt transition but stop on a dime at the word “whoa.” If I’m permitted to use it, I have not demonstrated acceptance of the aids - I’ve demonstrated obedience to voice commands.
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But is not the voice just another aid?
But I guess I’m wasting my time talking to my mare in training, because she is deaf with her puffs in!
However, while WSDAC allows voice my coach does not approve…so I can use it as a reward, but not so much as an aid…
This. I agree that training fixes a lot, but sometimes horses just have quirks. That doesn’t mean they should be written off.
The argument that noise cancelling is an unfair advantage, as well as the linked argument that horses that are too sound sensitive are just ill equipped to show and therefore shouldn’t are just ridiculous.
Are specialized shoes an unfair advantage? I’d guess most of you would say no. Why would ear plugs be any different? In both cases literally anyone could use them if they wanted to (neither are particularly cost prohibitive). They would help some and not others but both would likely only help or improve if the horse had a deficit of some sort. Why is that bad?
Similarly, the idea that you should just hang up the notion of showing because your horse has some quirk is a bit absurd. Clearly if he hates the job, is in pain, or is a danger to himself or others then he should find a new career, but if he’s perfectly lovely but has a weird hole to address (and let’s be honest, every horse has something) then it seems pretty unrealistic to think he should just be rejected from showing. Legolas is a super example. I think most of us work with the horse we have, warts and all.
Pretty much evert sort of showing or event we do with our horses is unnatural and requires that they learn to cope with relatively weird environments. If noise cancelling makes them more comfortable, why is that bad? It doesn’t give them super powers over other, less sound reactive horses.
*Apologies in advance for weird typos, I’m on my phone which dislikes COTH.
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Except the TPB feel differently. The rule as it stands prohibits ear plugs during tests. Questions regarding the “fairness” of the rule need to be put to the PTB in the form of a request for a rule change.
If anyone hopes to succeed in getting the rule changed, I doubt very much that comparing ear plugs to shoes or grooming products will further the cause. Give it a shot if you really believe they’ll see those comparisons as relevant.
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Not sure about the grooming product argument, but shoes I see as a good comparison…
My mare is barefoot, she is lucky she has great feet. She shows against shod horses, if someone has a horse with thin or sensitive soles they can I presume be padded as well.
My mare has sensitive hearing why can’t her ears be padded?
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Again, you will have to take that up with the PTB that make and keep the rules regarding what gear is allowed in competition. I would guess that they would consider your mare’s sensitive ears a temperament issue while the hooves be considered as one of the soundness issues that is allowed to be addressed within the rules.
