| Ears can be a touchy subject and unfortunately, | | | | the ears. This may mean you have to run your |
| many horse owners will never address this | | | | hand quickly over the cheek and work up to the |
| problem, as they do not know how easy it is to | | | | ear. You want your hand quick enough to have |
| solve. Just as other parts of the horses' body | | | | gone past the ears before the horse reacts. If |
| need cleaning and attention, the ears are no | | | | the horse throws his head up, ask him to bring it |
| different. Dirt, hair, bug bites, and injuries all need | | | | back down. |
| cleaning to keep your horse healthy and | | | | As soon as the horse will allow you to pass your |
| comfortable. You will find that once your horse | | | | hand quickly over his ears, without a reaction, |
| understands you are not going to harm them, | | | | bring your hand back over his ears from behind in |
| they will learn to enjoy having their ears rubbed | | | | the same move. When the horse is comfortable |
| and cleaned. | | | | with both the forward and back pass of your |
| You will begin this lesson by placing a halter or | | | | hand, you will start slowing down your hand. Do |
| bridle with full check snaffle on your horse. What | | | | not get too slow too fast. You will know if it is |
| we are going to do is start at a place on the face | | | | too slow if the horse moves his ear out from |
| that the horse will allow us to touch. You will then | | | | under your hand. Just speed it up a little if that |
| take your hand up and over the horses' ear fast | | | | happens. Work at slowing your hand down until |
| enough that your hand is gone before the horse | | | | the horse is comfortable with your hand resting |
| moves his head. Remember to praise your horse | | | | on its ear. |
| for each correct response and improvement. | | | | Now that you are able to run your hand up to his |
| After each pass of your hand, you should pause, | | | | ear and leave it, you can start working on |
| praise the horse or move his feet a little. We do | | | | touching the inside of his ear in the same manner. |
| not want to go at the lesson non-stop. You can | | | | Cup your hand around the ear and rub up and off |
| take a break at any place, but you will receive | | | | the ear. Do not grab the ear; keep little to no |
| the best results if you stop on improvement. If | | | | pressure on the ear itself. Gradually add pressure |
| your horse is tall and you cannot reach his face, | | | | to your hand until your hand is completely around |
| you will need to teach him to put his head down | | | | the ear firm, yet gentle. When the horse is |
| when asked. | | | | relaxed with you holding and stroking the outside |
| The cue for the horse to put his head down is | | | | of the ear, you can start touching the inside of |
| slight downward pressure on the lead/rein. So, | | | | the tip of the ear with your thumb as your hand |
| keep the halter or bridle on and put downward | | | | passes up and off the ear. On each new stroke |
| pressure with the lead/rein. You want enough | | | | add a little more pressure and allow your thumb |
| pressure that it is motivation for the horse to | | | | to touch lower into the ear. Again, if the horse |
| change, but not so much as to panic your horse. | | | | pulls away before your hand is off the ear, you |
| Keep your eyes on the tips of his ears and as | | | | are asking too much too fast. When the horse |
| soon as you see them move even a sixteenth of | | | | raises his head or pulls away, ask him to lower his |
| on inch down, release ALL pressure of the lead | | | | head again. |
| rein like it was on fire and praise the horse. If the | | | | You should now begin to fuss with his ears with |
| horse raises his head, keep the pressure the | | | | both hands. When the horse pulls away, bring his |
| same on the lead/rein until you see the ears go | | | | head back to you and lower it. Work at this until |
| down. You release whenever the ears go down, | | | | the horse will accept your hands on and in his |
| no matter how high the head goes. You do not | | | | ears. Be gentle but firm. You do not want to |
| wait to release until the head is where you | | | | scare him later when you handle his ears in a |
| started, as we are teaching the horse to lower | | | | normal fashion, so start treating them in a normal |
| his head from the pressure, not put the head in a | | | | fashion now. You can introduce objects to the ear |
| certain spot. | | | | in the same manner as you did your hands. Do |
| When the horse consistently lowers his head to | | | | not assume your horse will be ok with a rag, |
| the downward pressure, you are ready to move | | | | repellant roll on, etc. just because he is doing well |
| on to the ears. Now the horse may raise his head | | | | with your hand. In addition, do not assume your |
| in response to your hand coming toward his ears | | | | horse has completely learned the lesson in one |
| and that is expected. When the head goes up, | | | | day; go over the lesson for the next week or so. |
| ask the horse to bring it back down. Try to find | | | | It should take less time to get to where you left |
| where you can go with your hand that the horse | | | | off and you should always work for |
| reacts to the least and gradually move closer to | | | | improvements. |