I use the ear hats all the time. But not for what you want them for. They are really only useful for keeping bugs out of their ears and eyes. It won't provide the amount of distraction you are hoping for. I would make sure you are doing things that interest him. I find that if I am working a horse and I am just going round the ring in circles or doing the same thing over and over the horse gets bored and will be lazy. Incorporate some ground rails and things to turn around. Do some figure 8's at the canter. What I would do is trot on the turns and ask for the canter on the straight away. Don't worry about that leads just getting him to canter, but you want to make it your decision to stop. So get him to canter a few strides then you make him trot. This way he starts to learn he can't just start trotting when he feels like it, it has to be your call.

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