The racing blinder one absolutely is not. If we can reduce one of their senses, why not another?
What happens to those poor people who have visually reactive horses? Are they just SOL?
How would a running martingale make a horse more comfortable, exactly?
Now this is the straw man…
Yes, we are. But one tends to go with the other in my experience, so at least we can reduce some of the problem.
It would make the rider safer. Which is really the only true reason to put a noise reducing bonnet on a horse is to minimize the spooking, making for a safer/prettier ride.
I think if you asked a horse if they wanted to have their ears wrapped in thick neoprene in summer heat so their owner can ride them, they would take a pass.
We have to be realistic as to who the bonnet is actually for - it’s not actually for the horse.
I can promise you that my horse would pass on all and any work on the hot summer days. Saddle is hot. Bridle is hot. Carrying my sorry self around is hot.
I think we were talking about things to make the horse more emotionally comfortable, so I think the running martingale does not fit well, that is all.
9 Likes
A lot of people (me included) wet then freeze their bonnets in the summer. Works like a charm Trick learned from top showjumping groom 
11 Likes
Sample size of one, or many…
I have owned and ridden many many horses over the years, throw a fly bonnet on a few, because it looked pretty.
Then there was Fergie, happened to be a red head, and a mare, also was very noise sensitive, I rode her most of the time in earplugs. And a bonnet, and it dialled her down a few notches, enough to keep us safe. Was it a crutch, or a shortcut, well maybe, but it allowed us to have a lot calmer mare, that we could work with.
Why can we not accept that some horses, like some people are more sensitive to noise, either all loud noises, or particular frequencies, why do we believe that making them tolerate it, would be better than trying to damp it down some?
Now my horse, the blue eyed boy, has, we believe issues with his sight in bright light, can we make these legal? 
Yes I am joking, and yes it’s different.
5 Likes
I have no problem with legal equipment that improves the comfort of the horse. At this point I question the sanity of this conversation.
10 Likes
What about your late mare who never got comfortable with trailering or couldn’t have an outside facing stall at shows? From what you’ve said to others here you should have been able to train her to cope with those situations or stopped taking her to shows just so you could try and win a ribbon. Seems hypocritical to chastise others when you couldn’t train your own horse through those situations.
13 Likes
My takeaway from this is it is always baffling what hills people will choose to die on.
13 Likes
Yes, but IIRC, it was Earl Farshler’s advice as well.
1 Like
At least some of the people using the bonnets are using them to conceal earplugs, though.
I thought they checked for that?
1 Like
They do! Well they did when I was competing
1 Like
And my takeaway is that nose nets are not nearly as controversial as bonnets 
4 Likes
Did you read about why that mare is deceased? Might answer your question about why she never got comfortable with trailering or shows. I don’t have any connection to this poster but even I found that heartless. It might just be easier for all parties to agree to disagree and move on. 
We’ve learned today that nose nets are controversial and fly bonnets are even worse. How do we all feel about hoof boots?
3 Likes
Charlie would like to cast his votes in favor of bonnets, boots AND those newfangled anatomical bridles
17 Likes
They are. I started using them in summer/fall of 2020 and they are working really well for us (and normally they are on all 4 hooves). I did also try Renegades with him but the fit wasn’t as good for us. The Scoots are significantly easier to put on and take off.
1 Like
