Horse Ear Care

A horse's ears can say a lot about the animal. They can be pinned, indicating the horse is upset; droopy, signaling a sleepy animal; or pricked, showing high alert. Typically, the ears on a healthy horse do not require much care, but there are a few things you can do to ensure that the ears remain healthy throughout the animal's life.

  1. Fly Control

    • Flying and biting insects such as mosquitoes are often attracted to the sensitive, thin skin inside the horse's ear. These types of bugs will try to lay eggs or feed in the horse's ears, leaving the animal frustrated and tossing its head to try to relieve itself of the pests. Use a roll-on or gel fly repellant in the horse's ears to deter bugs, or put a fly mask with ear covers on the horse when turned out.

    Trimming

    • Sometimes a horse's ears are trimmed prior to a competition in the show ring. While removing the hair around and inside the ear can give the animal a clean, tidy appearance, removing the hair inside the ear leaves it more vulnerable to bug bites. To help keep the ears healthy, remove only the fuzzy hair on the edge of the ear and lightly trim the fluffy pieces sticking out of the ear, leaving the inner-ear hair intact. Leaving the ear hair alone also helps prevent dust and debris from entering the ear canal.

    Noise Control

    • Horses have excellent hearing and can become agitated by strange sounds when at a show, in a parade or at any another event where there are plenty of loud noises. These sounds may cause the animal to become frightened or upset, so some owners put cotton balls or earplugs in the horse to minimize the effects of the noise.

    Aural Plaques

    • A horse's ears often become very sensitive to touch if aural plaques develop in the ears. These plaques are lumpy lesions in the ear that have a cauliflower-like texture and appearance and are spread by biting gnats and flies. The animal may become head shy and be difficult to work with if it develops these lesions. Consult your veterinarian for treatment options.

    Indications of Discomfort

    • If a horse's ears are in pain or discomfort, the animal will exhibit signs such as rubbing its ears against a fence or flicking them back and forth repeatedly even though no bugs are present. When ridden, the horse may throw its head repeatedly or shake it as though attempting to dislodge a foreign object. In some cases, the horse may stand with its head tilted at an unnatural angle. If the cause of the problem is not apparent and easily removed, consult a veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.