Ears Back!!

[trick_pony19]

Hey guys its Nikki you probably find me a little annoying but I have another question. Well last year I was in Girl Guides and we went riding I normally ride English but we went to a Western Riding school :mad: Anyway I was in the first group and rode a pure Black 15:0 hh Thourobred Stallion. But my ? is In the second group I was watching a girl ride and the pony had its ears really far back and he had a mad expression and this girl had no experience and all.So I told her to be a little more soft with the reins but then a mean leader snapped back and said No shes riding fine perfectly fine and a horse having its ears back means the horse is Happy! But everyone says it means thier mad.
Was this Pony happy or mad???
Thankz Whoever said Money cant buy Happiness haven't cheaked into the HORSE world!!

[Kimbychelsea]

it means is wasnt too happy!!! It was probably very angry or something , Kimby :D

[maverick927]

the horse was definitely upset. Anyone who thinks a horse is happy when its ears are back needs there head looked.

Theres nothing worse than a photo with the horses ears back, as they look so sad.

[trick_pony19]

THankz guys I knew that horse was mad I guess thier teachers dont no much about horse expressions!
Happy Riding Whoever said Money cant buy Happiness haven't cheaked into the HORSE world!! :D

[vickie]

ears back don't always mean unhappy but in this caes i think it probably does!

[Yann]

If the eyes were angry as well the horse was definitely unhappy, or uncomfortable about something. Some horses do this when they're being aggressive towards the others they're riding out with as well, it's sometimes the precursor to a kick.

[virtuallyhorses]

It can mean many things and depends on what you mean by 'far back' http://www.eurodressage.com/images/aktion.jpg

Stallions in particular may use their ears to indicate aggression - sometimes to another horse than we don't even think about, but the stallion is signalling to. There is also what I'd describe as 'competitive aggression' - you know how people get worked up in competition, well to a certain extent so do horses (I'm not implying for the same reasons). But often the movement itself requires some 'aggression' when the horse shows real expression - sort of like the yelling of a martial artist.

My horse (a gelding not a stallion) will put his ears right back, if I verbally tell him off for gawping around when he is supposed to be working - at the same time he always picks up his game, as if to say guiltily ' aha! how dare you tell me off, look at what I can do!' while knowing full well that he's been caught out. Its somewhere between, aggression, guilt, concentration and pride if that makes any sense

I've posted pictures of two horses with their ears back that I don't think are very unhappy http://www.sabineschut-baroquehorses.com/img5.gif

[Alex]

if it looked like this, then it was angry!
(a very un-flattering shot of Milly when mum's horse was too close to her bum! :D she was not happy!)

if the ears were just backwards, but not flattened, it could have just been listening to what was behind it...

[jUmPingIsLifE]

it may not have been the rider in this case, as the horses were out in groups it is very possible the horses ears were back because of a horse close by that he did not like. my moms horse will flatten her ears back whenever a horse comes up from behind her or is to close in front of her. but having the ears back definatly doesnt mean they are happy.


sry to point it out, just a pet peeve of mine...and it was probably just a typo, but you cant have a 15.4hh horse:)

[horsemad]

My horse regularly puts her ears back, but I don't think this necessarily means she is unhappy. When I approach her stable, she puts her ears back (which would upset me greatly if it weren't for the fact she also nickers at the same time!). Even when I bring her feed, she puts her ears back, puts her head down and backs away - this looks like a sign of submission to me, rather than unhappiness.

She will also put her ears back if she isn't taking the lead - ie if I'm leading her, or if there is another horse in front of her. I've read that the dominant position for horses is out in front, so I suppose she is a bit put out at not being the dominant horse for a change!

There is also a difference between her putting her ears back like this, and pinning her ears flat - which she does when she is threatening another horse!!

So I suppose what I'm trying to say is that horses ears do all sorts of strange things and it isn't always the case that a horse with its ears back is unhappy.

[virtuallyhorses]

OK, here's a test - hope the pictures are ok they're a bit small - pick which horse out of these two is the most unhappy\angry\aggressive ?

[NuttyMare]

if they were pinned against the horse's head they it shows he is fed up. If they were slightly back that probably means he was listening to aids the rider was giving him