pinning ears when she eats

samplelady · 08-20-2008, 10:29 AM

i have a 5 yr old medicine hat paint . she is still green but very workable.we do ride her - western.this is a new unacceptable behavior! she has started pinning her ears back at me when she is eating.i think it is either : she is getting more mature and trying to be more assertive, or it an alpha mare issue....? i would welcome any advice on how to handle this. she doesnt so this with my husband.! which is really irratating...so, i have started spending more time with her. i have taken over her feeding.i take a lunge whip out with me and when she pulls her ears back i redirect her attention and then come back to her grain and if she does it again we start over .... that being said, am i doing the right thing?

Gallop N Gal · 08-20-2008, 10:31 AM

Sound like she is being disrespectful. There are alot of helpful threads on here about gaining respect and dominance on here! Hope it works out

SonnyWimps · 08-20-2008, 10:35 AM

It's hard to say just from your description. Are you by her side or behind her when she pins her ears back? Or are you by her head/face? Is she actually pinning her ears back or turning them backwards to listen behind her?

If by her face, then it sounds like a respect issue or dominance issue.
If behind her or by her side, it sounds like she's just turning her ears to hear what you are doing.

FincaPerlitas · 08-20-2008, 10:37 AM

There's another ongoing thread about this topic. Go here to read responses:
Pinning ears back at everyone

samplelady · 08-20-2008, 11:01 AM

thanks ! i hope it works out too! lol this is new for her...its not like she has to compete for food she is by her self.

samplelady · 08-20-2008, 11:04 AM

no i am beside her head. she is pinning her ears back to her head and lunging her head at me showing me teeth.

BriLeigh · 08-20-2008, 11:53 AM

I think you are doing the right thing. Don't let her have her food until she is standing not trying to get the food from you and she isn't being a grouch. She doesn't eat until she shows you that respect. I did this with my horse. I would stand with her grain outside her stall and wouldn't go in until she was quiet and standing still. Then I stood in there until she was quiet and didn't pace around. She learned pretty quick that she gets her food a lot faster by not begging for it!

Good luck!

08-20-2008, 10:29 AM	#1
samplelady Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 10	pinning ears when she eats i have a 5 yr old medicine hat paint . she is still green but very workable.we do ride her - western.this is a new unacceptable behavior! she has started pinning her ears back at me when she is eating.i think it is either : she is getting more mature and trying to be more assertive, or it an alpha mare issue....? i would welcome any advice on how to handle this. she doesnt so this with my husband.! which is really irratating...so, i have started spending more time with her. i have taken over her feeding.i take a lunge whip out with me and when she pulls her ears back i redirect her attention and then come back to her grain and if she does it again we start over .... that being said, am i doing the right thing?

08-20-2008, 10:31 AM	#2
Gallop N Gal Senior Member+ Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Land O' Cheese Posts: 4,237 Images: 767 Blog Entries: 2	Sound like she is being disrespectful. There are alot of helpful threads on here about gaining respect and dominance on here! Hope it works out __________________ *It Takes More Muscles to Frown* ......Than to Smile!**

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08-20-2008, 10:35 AM	#3
SonnyWimps Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 16	It's hard to say just from your description. Are you by her side or behind her when she pins her ears back? Or are you by her head/face? Is she actually pinning her ears back or turning them backwards to listen behind her? If by her face, then it sounds like a respect issue or dominance issue. If behind her or by her side, it sounds like she's just turning her ears to hear what you are doing.

08-20-2008, 10:37 AM	#4
FincaPerlitas Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Jose, Costa Rica, Central America Posts: 177 Images: 8	There's another ongoing thread about this topic. Go here to read responses: Pinning ears back at everyone

08-20-2008, 11:01 AM	#5
samplelady Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 10	thanks ! i hope it works out too! lol this is new for her...its not like she has to compete for food she is by her self.

08-20-2008, 11:04 AM	#6
samplelady Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 10	no i am beside her head. she is pinning her ears back to her head and lunging her head at me showing me teeth.

08-20-2008, 11:53 AM	#7
BriLeigh Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Washington Posts: 441 Images: 21	I think you are doing the right thing. Don't let her have her food until she is standing not trying to get the food from you and she isn't being a grouch. She doesn't eat until she shows you that respect. I did this with my horse. I would stand with her grain outside her stall and wouldn't go in until she was quiet and standing still. Then I stood in there until she was quiet and didn't pace around. She learned pretty quick that she gets her food a lot faster by not begging for it! Good luck!