[kmdstar]

I wasn't sure where to put this, but I thought training might be okay.

Starlite's ears I'm pretty sure are back 95% of my time on her. Not pinned back, just...back, unless we're on a trail ride (she's usually the lead horse).

I've noticed, especially with gaming her ears are back. I don't get it!

For those who don't know, Starlite used to be very hot, her previous owner ran her on trails for years, then she sat for a year, then I got her. She's a pretty good w/t horse right now, canter needs work - but she still gets 'fiesty' and wants to run often. I know she wants to RUN. So why do her ears go back when she finally gets to?

I've always thought she loved barrels/pole bending. She's very good at pole bending with little to no training, how can she be so good at it and hate it!? LOL

But whenever we are heading to a jump, her ears perk right up!

Here's some pictures for examples...
Barrels...

Flat work...

Poles...(this is the picture that made me notice the ear issue)

I mean she almost looks in PAIN there! She seems to love it though
It seems like the faster I let her run...she more her ears go back...but she always WANTS to run.
Here we're just goofing around, still got her ears back...


I know people say that means she is listening to me, but sometimes I really don't know! I guess I could be worried over nothing, I tend to do that.

And how she is on trail rides...

Looking from my pictures, her ears are ALWAYS up on trails.


The other thing I thought is maybe because she was always pushed to run, now when I want her to run I try to slow her down (I never want her to run that fast at home) she feels pressured or something. I don't know It takes nothing to make her run, I let up on the reins, lean forward and she's off. It's not like I'm kicking the cr.ap out of her or anything, there's no kicking involved riding her.

I've been riding bareback more often the past couple of weeks and notice her ears are up more often when I ride bareback, we only walk and do VERY little trotting bareback. She's pretty relaxed bareback. Maybe her instinct says run but she really wants to be western pleasure?! LOL I don't know! I don't think it's her saddle, she's been ridden in quite a few different saddles (both western & english) and still does it.

What do you guys think?

[kmdstar]

Bumping up!

[mftowner06]

She's listening to you, waiting for you to give her the next command. It's a good thing...she's paying attention to you. And on the trial well her focus is more on what could be out there... you need to get her to get her focus her attention on you.

[FallenAngel]

Its not just her

Shes listening to you. Just like Kinta. I've had a few people who were like "OMG your horse looks ****** at you! " But nope, as you can see, even on a long rein, she has them back. Its good. Means shes paying attention to you.

[BootsOn]

There is a huge difference between ****** off ears and listening ears. Your horse is paying attention to you, which is exactly what you want. When the ears are really pricked forward it means that the horse is excited about/interested in something other than you.

She's fine- and you are lucky to have such an attentive horse!

[kmdstar]

Originally Posted by mftowner06

She's listening to you, waiting for you to give her the next command. It's a good thing...she's paying attention to you. And on the trial well her focus is more on what could be out there... you need to get her to get her focus her attention on you.

Phew! Thought she hated me for a while there LOL.

That's weird about the trail thing, she never spooks, so I dunno. I read the lead horse always has their ears up, horses in the middle have their ears 'sideways', last horse has their ears back (I actually found a thread saying that in "Similar Threads" at the end of the page)

Originally Posted by FallenAngel

Its not just her

Shes listening to you. Just like Kinta. I've had a few people who were like "OMG your horse looks ****** at you! " But nope, as you can see, even on a long rein, she has them back. Its good. Means shes paying attention to you.

HA so people probably think our horses don't like us but in all reality they love us enough to be listening to us! Well....when they feel like it

Originally Posted by BootsOn

There is a huge difference between ****** off ears and listening ears. Your horse is paying attention to you, which is exactly what you want. When the ears are really pricked forward it means that the horse is excited about/interested in something other than you.

She's fine- and you are lucky to have such an attentive horse!

Yep I sure did get lucky with her!

My mom always says on the trails "Sometimes I dunno about her when her ears are that forward!" LOL

[kmdstar]

Wait so does this mean when she perks her ears up going towards a jump she's NOT listening? LOL

[Jumpergem]

I think that when she is jumping and her ears are forward, it means that she is evaluating the jump to see what she has to jump.

[FallenAngel]

Originally Posted by kmdstar

Wait so does this mean when she perks her ears up going towards a jump she's NOT listening? LOL

Could be excitment, just like on trails. And could be a bit of not listening. Lol. Depends.

[kmdstar]

Originally Posted by Jumpergem

I think that when she is jumping and her ears are forward, it means that she is evaluating the jump to see what she has to jump.

That's probably it, because as odd as it sounds for Starlite being..Starlite, she'll slow way down right before a jump (almost like she stops but doesn't) to look at it THEN jump it. First time she did that I landed on her booty