Why is my horse shaking its head and scratching at its ears? | arlo.® Atlas

Read time: 3 minutes

Overview

If your horse is shaking its head and scratching at its ears, it usually means something is irritating the ears, face or head area. Common causes include flies, dirt, sweat, minor skin irritation, an ear mite or a small injury, but there can be several possible reasons, so it’s worth checking calmly rather than assuming one cause.

Things To Check

1. Notice when it happens most. If it starts after turnout, grooming, exercise or fly exposure, that can point towards irritation from the environment.

2. Look at the ears and around the head for redness, swelling, broken skin, scabs, discharge or anything stuck in the coat.

3. Check whether one ear is worse than the other, or whether both ears seem to bother your horse equally.

4. Smell the ears and look for waxy build-up, dampness or an unusual odour, which can sometimes go with a hygiene issue or infection.

5. Watch for other signs such as head tilting, sensitivity when the ears are touched, rubbing on fences or difficulty accepting the bridle or headcollar.

6. Consider whether flies, midges, sweat or muddy conditions could be making the area uncomfortable.

7. Check the bridle, headcollar or grooming routine in case something is rubbing the ear base or causing repeated irritation.

Common Causes

Flies and midges are a very common reason, especially in warmer weather or when horses are turned out near water or woodland.

Dirt, sweat and hair rubbing around the ears can also cause mild irritation, particularly in horses that dislike ear handling or have sensitive skin.

Small scratches, scabs or pressure from tack or headgear may make a horse shake its head and scratch.

Less commonly, the problem may be related to ear mites, an ear infection or another issue inside the ear canal, especially if there is discharge, smell or marked sensitivity.

What To Do

Start by looking closely and keeping a simple note of when the behaviour happens and what seems to trigger it.

Gently clean only what you can clearly see on the outside of the ear with a soft, dry approach unless your vet has advised otherwise. Avoid putting anything deep into the ear canal.

Reduce likely irritants where you can. That may mean managing flies better, checking turnout timing, keeping grooming gear clean and making sure the bridle or headcollar fits comfortably.

If the skin looks mildly dirty but not sore, keeping the area clean and dry may help the horse settle. If the behaviour continues, worsens or comes with discharge, smell or pain, ask your vet to have a look.

Products That May Help

If flies seem to be part of the problem, a summer care routine can be useful as part of day-to-day management around turnout, grooming and head and ear comfort.

Horse Fly Sprays & Summer Care

Item added to your cart