Tips of the Trade: Ear Plugs -- USTA Harness Racing

In this segment of Hoof Beats Tips of the Trade, harness racing trainer Kenny Edwards shows how to insert ear plugs on pacer Tiger Iz. Ear plugs help keep a horse calm early in the race, but when a driver pulls them out later in the mile, the sudden rush of air causes a horse to go faster.

[@GretchenDupree]

thank you for the clip! extremely informative.

[@ScottKing]

AMEN / AMEN " MY USTA BROTHER FOREVERMORE " RAWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR .

[@Anrirua]

@XxSodano I put my hands up when I'm wrong :-( Apologies. I thought they were air-tight.

[@Simon1111022]

When did they start using ear plugs? Do most harness horses use ear plugs? Another question--un-related to the plugs: tongue ties. I remember tongue ties routinely used with harness horses. Why don't the runners use tongue ties? Doesn't the lack of a tongue tie put the horse at risk of choking down during a race?

[@Simon1111022]

Sorry. I should have looked up your segment on "Tying a Tongue" before posting. Anyway, I still question why the runners don't use tongue ties. I would think they would be at the same risk of choking down as the harness horses.

[@XxSodano]

@Anrirua If you are seriously so stupid that you think a sudden rush of air hurts a 1,500 lb animals eardrums you should be institutionalized.

[@XxSodano]

@Anrirua My butt plug, wow, that was a good one, did you come up with that while you were saving horses at the slaughter house? Your mis-informed "criticism" is pointed in the wrong direction, instead of worrying about my sport's killer ear plugs, go save some horses from the slaughter house, do something productive, and what do you think our ear plugs are made out of? Rubber? There made of sponge you fool, they don't even completely cut off air, just noise. Moron.