I’ve heard this term used, moreso years ago, to describe a horse with small, mobile ears that turn in at the tips. It usually denotes a horse who is mentally quick, sometimes quirky and often hot. Does anyone use the term anymore?
I’ve never heard that term but would have imagined it meant big wide ears.
In horses, I always associated the term with cute pointy “foxy” ears.
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always associated with ears that turn inward at the tips, ; sharp alert refined.
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foxy is used (was used?) to denote a “crafty, cunning and/or a very pretty” horse… I have seen the term most often used with western horses
Foxy ears here means little bitty, tight, straight ears.
Considered cute by many.
Compared with loger, more expressive ones.
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I know, WNT, you would imagine it to mean large, wide ears so I don’t know how it came to mean the opposite! It may be one of those terms from another era that has fallen out of usage. I’m relieved to hear others still remember it as I do.
Any horse I’ve known with those ears has been very sharp. Not always hot, though sometimes they are, but very keen and tuned in to their environment.
Ha! I have had ENOUGH of fox ears! I clipped a pair this morning on a bouncing mini. Those small and dainty ears took FOREVER!
I have always heard the term used in describing small, curved inward ears. Maybe the definition is a regional thing.
But foxes do not have inward curving years - lots of horses do, tho.
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True. Makes me wonder how the term got associated with the dainty ears, though. I hear it often. Lots of people comment on my minis ears at shows, calling him fox earred. Right now I think he has devil horns!
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Anyone know the origins of the term? Old England maybe? I can’t find any historical examples. Conversely, lop eared seems to universally mean low-key and steady.
This is definitely a term I remember using while competing in FFA horse judging in high school around a decade or so ago.
At that time it was meant to compliment little and refined ears. But I have no idea where is came from!
Yeah, I remember it from horse judging competitions too. And I remember one judge at the end when official placings were given, stating that it seemed contestants from one area seemed determined to compliment a horse on “sharp, foxy ears” even when the class was made up of big-eared TB mares! (Another judge noted that those on the Texas team talked a lot about “muscling over the loin” and he pointed out that they weren’t being judged as meat animals :winkgrin:)
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It means adorable little triangle ears
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I’ve never heard that descriptor but it makes sense
I have learned to never trust a horse with little ears…always at least a little spooky and unpredictable. I am sure there are exceptions, I just haven’t met one yet
Love the lop eared ones!
Best description. We can all stop saying fox like ears now. Moving forward “adorable little triangle ears” is to be considered correct.
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RoughOut, my fox-eared horse agrees! Though his ears and his disposition fit the description to a “t”. I believe Linda Tellington Jones has written on the subject of ears. I can’t remember if pin ears and fox ears are exactly the same…
Huh, I learned something new today! I have never heard of the term before
