Horse pinning ears while riding, does it mean something?

[Lunabear1988]

Curious about people’s thoughts on a horse that pins it ears consistently while being ridden? Not my horse. I know a few horses who do this consistently and I was watching a video of a dressage judge giving a lesson which made me think.

The judge said she noticed the slightest short step on the horse but it didn’t bother her because she said the horse had a pleasant expression, no ear pinning ECT. That the horse would be marked down a little for gaits but she wouldn’t ring out the horse for that.

So how much stock do you put into a horse that pins (or doesn’t pin it’s ears like the example above) it’s ears when ridden? Do you believe it’s pain? I hear from a lot of people it’s just the horse.

[Palm_Beach]

@Lunabear1988

Curious about people’s thoughts on a horse that pins it ears consistently while being ridden? Not my horse. I know a few horses who do this consistently and I was watching a video of a dressage judge giving a lesson which made me think.

The judge said she noticed the slightest short step on the horse but it didn’t bother her because she said the horse had a pleasant expression, no ear pinning ECT. That the horse would be marked down a little for gaits but she wouldn’t ring out the horse for that.

So how much stock do you put into a horse that pins (or doesn’t pin it’s ears like the example above) it’s ears when ridden? Do you believe it’s pain? I hear from a lot of people it’s just the horse.

Your post is not clear. You talk about ear pinning, then a video of a dressage judge, then mention the horse had a pleasant expression with no ear pinning.

Ear pinning is usually caused by the rider constantly nagging a formerly sensitive horse with leg leg leg leg leg. There is never any release of leg pressure when the horse responds correctly, causing the horse to get annoyed.

[Lunabear1988]

@Palm Beach sorry, my point that wasn’t clear, was the judge was basically saying if the horse was pinning it’s ears, she would have rang the horse out for the inconsistency on the right hind. I gathered that the judge took ears pinning or a sour expression as an indicator of pain.

I know at least three horses that constantly pin their ears when ridden. By professionals or amateurs. One has known issues but are said to be fixed. And the others the owners insist they are healthy. I have noticed many do it on the lunge line as well.

I could see the nagging leg being a factor or a contact issue. Or being drilled.

[Palm_Beach]

@Lunabear1988

@Palm Beach sorry, my point that wasn’t clear, was the judge was basically saying if the horse was pinning it’s ears, she would have rang the horse out for the inconsistency on the right hind. I gathered that the judge took ears pinning or a sour expression as an indicator of pain.

I know at least three horses that constantly pin their ears when ridden. By professionals or amateurs. One has known issues but are said to be fixed. And the others the owners insist they are healthy. I have noticed many do it on the lunge line as well.

I could see the nagging leg being a factor or a contact issue. Or being drilled.

Got it.

[Lunabear1988]

@Palm Beach I posted before I had my full cup of morning caffeine :lol:

[Bluey]

A pinching saddle may do that also.
If not enough to cause pain and lameness yet, it irritates enough for pinned ears.

[Foxglove]

William is a former cutting/sorting horse who is now my first flight fox hunter. When we started over fences three years ago, he’d pin his ears when asked to go into a canter in the stadium arena. He w/t/c willingly, but generally with his ears back and even pinned.I asked his former owner (the cutting/sorting guy) if he’d noticed the ear pinning. He said William did it when he worked cows. I looked at a couple of videos, and sure enough when William went into an arena his ears would be up. As soon as the rider selected his cow and dropped the reins down, Will’s ears went back and his head dropped and he went after that cow like he wanted to eat it. The former owner said he thought it meant William was thinking. I like that explanation —so when Will was learning to jump (took 2.5 years to go from ground poles to 3’ but he’s solid) Will had his ears back because he was thinking. He still pins his ears when in the stadium arena. On the hunt field he’s watching hounds.

[RMJacobs]

My pony Salt always pinned his ears when approached in the pasture, and when being led. Tack didn’t come into play given the circumstances. I tried to discipline him out of it, but then stopped trying because he always did exactly what I asked (other than raising his ears), his demeanor was soft and cooperative, and I didn’t see a point in getting into a fight with an otherwise well behaved horse. So although the circumstances are different, this to me is evidence that sometimes it’s just how the horse is.

Rebecca

[candyappy]

It can mean pain or discomfort, but I also believe it can be seen on a horse that is bored and sour with doing the same thing every time they are ridden. It can also be irritation from a bad rider. Not actual pain but a rider who is constantly in their mouth, banging down on their back or constantly bumping them with their feet/ legs…

[jeano]

My mare used to approach me with pinned ears. Nothing hurting her that I could tell, but she was discontented in general in those days as the former Adult Horse of an Alcoholic.

I clicker trained her to approach me with an ears forward, head-lowered, pleasant expression. Which she does to this day, going on 14 years later. Still pins her ears at the gelding to warn him away from her feed or just on general principles.

I can easily believe a former cutter assuming the “Die, Cow!” Expression when getting down to business in the hunt field. Gotta wear your game face.

[2DogsFarm]

My mini will approach with ears pinned - not flat to his skull, but back.
Happens when he’s coming for the daily treats.
I just tell him “Fix your face!” & up they come.

Might be because he knows the other 2 will be coming for their share - that’s the routine & nobody gets nasty.
Or ???
What the reason, he never does more than temporary stinkface, so I don’t do more than tell him to fix it.

[Scribbler]

@Lunabear1988

Curious about people’s thoughts on a horse that pins it ears consistently while being ridden? Not my horse. I know a few horses who do this consistently and I was watching a video of a dressage judge giving a lesson which made me think.

The judge said she noticed the slightest short step on the horse but it didn’t bother her because she said the horse had a pleasant expression, no ear pinning ECT. That the horse would be marked down a little for gaits but she wouldn’t ring out the horse for that.

So how much stock do you put into a horse that pins (or doesn’t pin it’s ears like the example above) it’s ears when ridden? Do you believe it’s pain? I hear from a lot of people it’s just the horse.

Generally a horse that pins its ears back is unhappy and probably angry.

As the examples above show it is also possible for a horse to get in the habit of pinning it’s ears. This is not however very common.

If I were a judge, or a buyer or student evaluating a new horse, I would see ear pinning under saddle as a warning sign. As a rider I see this as a possible warning sign horse will buck or bite. I would not be comfortable working a horse on the ground or longe with pinned ears.