sensitive ears

[montananative]

there is a horse i would really like to buy in the near future but he, like most horses, has a little flaw. when i go to put his bridle on once i touch his ears he freks out.

this horse was a reject race horse and when i got to him he was not rode for two yrs, then i rode him hard for about a yr while i was workin on a ranch, he simmered down alot when i started ridin him and at the beggining he never freaked when i touched his ears but was real sensitive. then one day he was not having it anymore. would freak out and run away when i would go to slip the bridle over his head. any ideas of what i was doin wrong or what i could do to get him less sensitive around his ears. this is his only flaw, hes got tons of speed, heart, amazing in the mtns, and easy to catch!

[Machias]

Have you checked to see if he has any cyst or sores down in his ears? Sounds like he has been eared before. I ride mules and we treat them ears with lots of respect and carefulness. They have some bridles out there with a snap on one side so you don't have to even mess with the ears, you might consider one of those.

[montananative]

no never did check him close for sores, the day he ran away i was able to catch him and get him bridled and then he was fine until i went to take it off, he will let ya touch around his nose and face but once you get to his ears he tenses up, throws his head etc.

[catdogs]

I'd say he's been ear twitched too! He may come out of it in time. Start by petting his neck then slowly working your way up to his ears. Do this over the course of a couple weeks. He should get used to it and start trusting you. If he takes a bridle or lets you touch his ears, give him a treat.

[Budd Denny]

My first guess would have been that maybe a farrier had eared him to many times while being trimmed, but being a ex-race horse I'm sure he stands good for a farrier. Like Machias said look for sours. I once watched a video of a fella breaking a horse of ear shyness. He would rub the horses face, neck, eyes, nose then slip up and touch the ears but he would let go quicker then the horse could react, he done this several, several times till the horse got use to it. When he was done he was rubbing the inside of the horses ears with out a reaction from the horse.

[montananative]

thanks for the info, he does lift his feet fine, i never put shoes on him i did pull shoes off him and he didnt fight or nothin. just out of curiousity whats it mean for a ferrier to "ear" em. thats again guys

[Machias]

earing is some nut job trying to control a horse or mule by hanging onto their ear and yanking the crap out of it. Horse and mule's ears should always be handled gently, same a putting the bit in and out, lest you bump their teeth and they begin raising their heads when you try to bridle.

[jjjjranch]

[Dan V]

You said his ears have always been sensitive, but he recently began acting worse. I think JJJJ could be right on the money $$ with the ear mites. They are pretty easy to treat. Your vet should have some stuff to put down the ear and kill them.

If its not medical, just hobble him before you briddle him.

[Shorty]

[Mike Leonard]

[larry]

[montananative]

[Kiamiachi Outfitters]

we some times buy mules that are ear savy we twitchem check em an put small amount of sweet oil in em this will get the mites if any then we use a old time bridal that buckels on top the worst thing you could do is fight the problem if you like the horse out think him an the problem will proably go away

[catdogger]

we ride mules and some of them come with that same issue we use the hear gear with the buckel on top.just so we dont fight them some time they realize they arent geting hurt and they get over it.i seen a reply on it about mabey a farrier might have eared him.i have seen that done and i also i'm in the farrier bussines and if any ever tries to do that to your horse/mule i would ask them to leave if they need to twist something twist their toung it works good and you dont hurt the animal.we do it with some mules cause they dont like the nose twich.