Ear Bonnets

An ear bonnet - or ear cap - is a beautiful and functional piece of equipment that covers the horse's ears and is also decorative. Horse hats are available in many colors, materials and styles, and can be more or less decorated with fringes and sparkling stones.

Unamari carries a wide selection of hats from well-known brands such as CATAGO and Horse Guard in many different colors and variations.

What is an ear bonnet?

An ear bonnet is a fabric covering that covers the horse's ears and goes down over the forelock. The ear bonnet protects the horse's ears from buzzing and annoying insects. Some hats are also sound deadening and can be calming for sound-sensitive horses. A hat can also be a statement of fashion and your style as a team.

A hat can be the finishing touch to streamline the color choices you ride with, and you can ride with a hat without a practical reason.

For stables and paddocks, there are also fly masks with ears and fly masks with ears and fringe.

Why use ear bonnets?

There are 3 reasons to use ear bonnets:

1. You want to give your horse peace of mind from insects around the ears.
2. You think a hat looks good and use it for visual expression.
3. You use a silencing hat soothingly, to muffle distracting and frightening sounds for your horse.

All types of ear bonnets shield the ears from insects during the summer months, so there's plenty of choice on all shelves as long as the size fits your horse. If you're looking for special features, like a noise-reducing hat or a therapeutic hat, Unamari's range also includes them.

Ear bonnets protect your horse's ears

Ear bonnets protect your horse's ears from both physical damage and irritation. The ears are a sensitive area and can easily be exposed to scratches, insects or harsh weather that can disrupt your horse's comfort and concentration. Hats act as a barrier against wind, dust and insect bites while helping to keep the ears warm in cold weather.

Is there a difference between an ear bonnet and an ear cap?

A hat and an ear cap are two different words for the same equipment. Hats and earmuffs are used when riding and are different from insect masks and fly strips, which are not typically worn when riding and go down over the eyes. A hat only protects the horse's ears from insects and sound.

Types of ear bonnets

An ear bonnet can be designed with specific functions in mind. For example, a sound-dampening hat or a Fir-Tech hat that increases blood circulation. But hats can also vary in their material, appearance and finish. Some hats have fringes, glittering stones, crocheted details or multiple colors, while others are uniform and plain.

Ear bonnets - what to look out for

It's important that your hat is the right size and fit and that it sits comfortably on the horse. The ear bonnet's ears should match the horse's as closely as possible and not be tight and restrict ear movement. In addition, the hat should not bother the eyes, should lie smoothly under the bridle's neckpiece and headband.

The horse's ears in particular are an area you should pay special attention to. As you probably know, horses move their ears forward, sideways and all the way back. The hutch should both fit your horse's ear size and allow your horse to move their ears freely.

Today we also know that horses have many sensitive nerves distributed throughout the head, making them sensitive to pressure from equipment. Because the bridle sits on the head and is mounted under the bridle, it's essential that it fits correctly so it doesn't interfere. This applies to the fit and size, which must fit the horse's proportions so that the bridle stays where it should. It also applies to the material being soft, light and comfortable, and that any edge bands under both the headpiece and browband are not too tight or constricting.

Finally, you should always check whether the fact that you put a layer under the headpiece affects the position of the bit in the horse's mouth afterwards. If it does, you may need to adjust your bridle.

Choose a bridle in the right material

A bridle is typically made of a thin, stretchy material around the ears, which makes the fit flexible. In addition, a hat consists of a piece of fabric that goes over the upper neck and down to the horse's forehead. If you know you have a horse that sweats a lot, it can be advantageous to look for a lightweight material that is sweat-wicking and quick-drying. In addition, there is also a visual difference in the look of hats. A mesh hut has a slightly transparent and net-like look, while some Catago Fir Tech hats have a nice waffled pattern in the lightweight material. There are also other great benefits of a Fir Tech hat.

What does a Catago Fir Tech ear bonnet do?

A Fir Tech ear bonnet uses a special technology with ceramic fibers woven into the material that converts some of the horse's body heat into far infrared radiation that is returned to the horse. This has the benefit of increasing blood circulation and relieving muscle tension in the horse's upper neck.

Silencing ear bonnets for horses

A silencing hat, as the name suggests, has a noise-reducing effect. The ear part itself is typically made of neoprene, which absorbs a significant portion of the sound that reaches the horse's ears. A silencing hat helps to minimize distracting and startling elements and can give the horse more peace of mind in everyday life and at the start of a competition.

Neoprene on the earpiece has the property that the thick material filters out some of the sound that reaches the horse's ears. This means that the sounds become less prominent, but the horse can still hear. For some horses, this means they can better concentrate on working under the rider.

Can you wear an ear bonnet at competitions?

You can ride with an ear bonnet, also known as an ear muff. However, it must fit the horse and be made of a soft material that allows the horse to move its ears freely so that ear communication can be seen and read. If a silencing hat meets this requirement, you can start with that too.

All Unamaris hats - including the silencing hats - are suitable for competition use as long as you ensure the right size and fit. Regular earplugs for horses are not allowed during competition rides, but can be used at other times.

You can always check the applicable rules for hats and other equipment under the individual discipline regulations and common regulations on the Danish Equestrian Federation website.

Black hat, blue hat, beige hat - hats in all colors

Looking for a hat in a particular color? For example, a black hat, or maybe an ice blue hat to match your new bandages? Unamari has hats in many different colors and styles, and you can always find hats that match other great gear to complete your look on the track.

You can filter your search by color if you only want to see hats in a specific color.

Match hats with other gear

Did you know that both CATAGO and Horse Guards make new colors of hats every season to match the brands' other gear. That means you can always find a hat to match saddle pads, horse boots and bandages and always in the new colors of the season.

At Umamari we carry Horse Guard hats and Catago hats, so they can be color-matched in the exact same shade to other gear from the same brand and season

See the selection of hats and matching gear from CATAGO or Horse Guard and take to the riding arena color-coordinated.

Christmas hat: Santa bonnets for horse

If you need a cute Christmas hat - also known as little Santa hats for your horse, we have that too. A Christmas hat can be fun and cute in December, for example if you're going to a Christmas competition or Christmas show, but also just for everyday Christmas fun. A Christmas hat is two little studs for the ears

Many riders love Unamari hats

If you're looking for an ear bonnet, you've come to the right place. A lot of riders use several hats from Unamari, as we only develop hats of the highest quality. It's not just our hats that many people love. We also supply clothing and equipment for the Danish and Norwegian national teams. You can also get your hands on our entire national team collection at Unamari. However, if you are looking for a specific hat for horses that you can't find here, you are always welcome to contact us. We'll guide you and together we'll find the best hat for you.