# Horse almost always has ears back?



## Kaity Painted Equine (Sep 19, 2016)

I think its just a TB thing? All TB crosses or purebred TBs just have there ears to the side or back. It was hard to ever get a nice photo of theirs ears forwards, I'd have to jump around to get their attention to snap a good photo. Haha


But its always good to get them checked, he may have sore ears? Ear infection, yeast infection... Just incase!


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Hi, I don't know that it's a TB thing, in my experience. It is often a pain thing though - horse may be looking 'down' because he's hurting somewhere or feeling off. And it's likely that a 6yo off the track has at least a couple of body issues. So I'd get that all checked out first. His back/body, with a good vet chiro or such, his guts - racehorse diets & regimes mean they're quite likely to have ulcers and gut upsets. His feet - racehorse diets & regimes also mean laminitis is not uncommon, but very often 'mild' laminitis also goes unrecognised. And of course, teeth & tack. Are his teeth in good order? I presume you're using a bit & it's comfortable for him? Saddle fit?


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Kaity Painted Equine said:


> I think its just a TB thing? All TB crosses or purebred TBs just have there ears to the side or back. It was hard to ever get a nice photo of theirs ears forwards, I'd have to jump around to get their attention to snap a good photo. Haha
> 
> 
> But its always good to get them checked, he may have sore ears? Ear infection, yeast infection... Just incase!


Huh...I've worked with a LOT of TBs and would actually say most tend to have perky ears!

Pain is a good thing to rule out of course, especially as an OTTB. Do start there.

Other than that I'd say it's his personality, a little at odds with the "gentle and sweet" though? I'm guessing he's just tolerating you as opposed to being loving if his ears are back (though I do know some that will put their ears back for attention, weirdos). But I have a gelding who is aggressive and his ears are practically always back. And I know plenty of non aggressive horses that still just aren't people horses. There's also a difference between pinned ears, sleepy ears, listening ears, etc.

Regardless: As long as he's not pinning his ears *at you* then it doesn't matter at all.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

I agree with @Yogiwick, most TB's I've seen have perky ears. Hmmm. Maybe he is experiencing some discomfort? Many horses that were off the track can have pain issues. Definitely get him checked out so you can rule out any pain or discomfort. Otherwise, could just be how he is. Some horses do have pinned ears more than others, it's just the way they are.


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## Hackamore (Mar 28, 2014)

Pinned ears is the horses way of communicating displeasure/annoyance. They can use this to warn another horse or to warn the human. To fix this you first need to determine the cause. Specifically what are you doing when the horse exhibits this behavior?


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Are his ears back or are they pinned?

As many have said, pinned ears can mean irritation, discomfort, or pain but ears back can mean the horse is paying attention to you. I have one that rides with his ears back towards me, not pinned but kind of cocked towards me, at first I thought they were pinned but then I realized that as I spoke, they would kind of tune in to me. He was focused on me.

Also, sometimes with a younger horse, or as your case an OTTB that is used to a jockey riding in a much different way, it could be that the feel back their is way different and it's not comfortable with the weight balance yet. Maybe not pain or discomfort but balance has changed.

The first thing I would do though is rule out any kind of pain in the back and the bit...


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

I've known several ottbs who have their ears back as a general demeanor. They may not have had a good experience on the track and are jaded old men now. Do check for any discomfort, but if they are doing it all the time, even in the pasture it may just be learned behavior.


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## WhattaTroublemaker (Aug 13, 2013)

Following along because when Trouble was young and we did ground work he would ALWAYS have his ears back. I've noticed he stands in the pasture with his ears back as well. It was impossible to get a good picture of him for two years because his ears were always back and his nose was wrinkled.


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## PaisleysMom (Feb 22, 2017)

My first thought it an ulcer flair up. He an OTTB for starters, and secondly I assume by you just acquiring ownership that means he moved to a new barn? That's a decently stressful time for a horse and perfect situation for a little flair up. I'm not ruling out any other sources of pain but that would be my first guess.


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## HarleyClown (Nov 13, 2013)

I have a mare who almost always has her ears turned back and it's just a state of relaxation for her. If they aren't back they're usually drooped sideways. However if his ears are pinned back flat against his head that's a whole 'nother story. It's quite natural for a horse to swivel its ears around. My Arab mare turns her ears back, droops her lip, and lowers her head and sleeps. Similar to this horse in the pic.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

other than just the ears back, how would you rate the horse's emotional state? does he move around a lot in the pasture? is he happy to trot off, under saddle? is he eating well? state of his manure?

What I mean, is that my experience is that a horse rarely has its ears back all the time unless there is something that is making it feel negatively. it can be persistant stomach upset, it can be just achey joints of old age, it can be that it is in a herd situation that is not restful for it (under alot of pressure by a bully horse, or, not enough companions to keep it company), it can be painful ovulation, I big bean in the penis, sore hooves (latent laminitus), an ill-fitting saddle that keeps aggravating a sore back . . . . . . you name it. It can be that the humans in it's life do not handle him well, and I don't mean they beat up on him. just, that they don't know how to deal with horses , so they make him confused and upset without knowing it.

when you start to know the horse,, you will see that he has many facial expressions that will tell you as much as the ears alone. the way the eye looks (the wrinkles around it can indicate tension), the way the lips are held, again, loose or tight? there is just a face that a hrose can have that I call a "Pain Face".

so, while some horses will keep their ears kind of half way back when in a state of relaxation, if they do that AND have other indicators of a pain face, then it is NOT relaxation, . . it's pain/discomfort (and that can be emotional discomfort, too)

please post some photos of your horse as he is when you are not interacting with him, and perhaps when you are?


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Agree with Tiny, you have to read the rest of the body language of that horse.There is a difference in ears back, totally relaxed, and ears back with eyes, tail and other body language contributing.
It is one thing, for a horse to stand totally relaxed, ears back, and quite another, for a horse that is sour,either from past experience or a pain issue, where he has those ears back all the time, esp when asked to do something, and with not a relaxed body, but with 'hard' eyes, tense body and often using the tail some
This link might help
Equine Body Language


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

In my experience, it sure depends on the horse.

I've known many who are very business-like when being ridden or worked and they tended to have their ears back. When I was young I thought it always meant they were angry, annoyed, and/or about to hurt me! Not a fun assumption.

I know a mare that has a most unpleasant expression, complete with ears back, all the time. But, you can't find a more easy to work around and trustworthy horse than she. 

My own personal horse keeps his back until I put him on a cow and indicate what I want him to do. Then they go forward. Some people incorrectly think that means he's only happy when working a cow. Naw. He's also very happy when eating and dozing in the sun. With his ears back.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

boots said:


> In my experience, it sure depends on the horse.
> 
> I've known many who are very business-like when being ridden or worked and they tended to have their ears back. When I was young I thought it always meant they were angry, annoyed, and/or about to hurt me! Not a fun assumption.
> 
> ...


As mentioned, you have to take that ear position, not just to degree (back,m versus pinned ) with the rest of that horse;s body language
Horses listening tot heir rider, often have ears swiveled back, then bring them forward, when focusing on something else
Trail riding, my horses have their ears forward, for the most part, alert to whatever is moving ahead or in the under brush. When working , esp on various exercises where there might be voice commands also, as in carefully doing a complicated back through, sidepass, , ect, I kinda like those ears swiveled in my direction, knowing the horse is listening to me!


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

A couple years back there was some research done in identifying a universal "pain face" among horses. 
Without restating the entire article, it basically aligned with what most of us agree a horse in pain looks like and I found it to be very interesting!

Here's an article in it: Recognizing Pain on a Horse's Face | TheHorse.com


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## horsesaremylife20 (Dec 15, 2016)

Thank you all for your replies. I've only had him for about 4 days now so haven't ridden him with tack yet. I still have to get a saddle and tack that fits him, which I plan on getting this week. I attached a couple of pictures of him with his ears turned like they usually are.


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## HarleyClown (Nov 13, 2013)

horsesaremylife20 said:


> Thank you all for your replies. I've only had him for about 4 days now so haven't ridden him with tack yet. I still have to get a saddle and tack that fits him, which I plan on getting this week. I attached a couple of pictures of him with his ears turned like they usually are.


He doesn't look angry or mean, I think he has a rather shy look about him and his ears being back could just be a result of being in a new environment. I would give him some time and see if he perks up at all, if not you might want to make sure he's not in pain or sick, which I highly doubt. Being in a new home with new schedules, herd mates, and humans is often a lot for a horse to take in.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Looking at his whole face, if that's what he usually looks like, I'd bet there's a pain issue there somewhere. Interesting that I just read a report(closed it, think it was from a London University or such - will see if I can put a link on here to the article) on gauging lameness from facial expressions - good to see people are officially starting to notice those signs now, not just saying 'grumpy horse' or such.


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## TribalHorse21 (Aug 23, 2016)

Definitely does not seem like a content horse to me. His eyes look lifeless and sad, and the expression on his face doesn't look relaxed - it looks almost like a grimace. Like someone on this thread already said, I'd have him seen by a vet and checked for ulcers. Ulcers are pretty common in competition horses, especially young race horses. If it's not a pain issue, than I'd say it looks like he has crippling depression. Poor guy. Please give the little guy a carrot for us, lol. 

Also please let us know if you do figure out what is wrong with him. Hope he feels better soon!


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Lameness can be seen in the faces of horses, study shows - Horsetalk.co.nz


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

admittedly, that's only a snapshot out of time, but to me, it looks like a horse that is just not happy, and is stoicly enduring something. he looks unhappy, and I bet it's a physical issue.

what is he eating? how is his manuring habit, and has he had a big change in feed? different type of hay?

he DOES look unhappy. strange that a young horse would have such deep hollows above his eyes.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

^He is an ex racer Walkin...


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

I've had chronic ear pinners. One wasn't kidding when I first got her but even after she was sweet she still looked mean, to the point of biting at stall bars when approached by anyone but me. 
The next one I bought as a yearling & her Mother was an ear pinner. She then grew up with my other ear pinner. Never anything wrong with her, it was just her thing. She looked like she didn't even have ears. Not a mean bone in her body. I taught her "look pretty" (ears forward) for pictures.
I'm now working with a baby who did bite. She doesn't now but the ear pinning still lingers at times. 
The OP's horse looks jolly compared to mine.
Good advice to rule out physical issues before learning to live with pinner.


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## Jan1975 (Sep 7, 2015)

He certainly doesn't look angry in those photos; either bored or as others have state, possibly uncomfortable. It is unusually that a horse wouldn't perk up its ears upon seeing someone walk up, though.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

When riding my horse, I have a difficult time getting an ear picture with her ears forward. She hears the camera and turns her ears back to find out what is going on. 

He doesn't look mad. Maybe just a little stressed from being in a new place.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

He kind of looks to me like he's just hanging out. He doesn't look angry....


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## charrorider (Sep 23, 2012)

Some horses will have their ears back when they are focusing, paying attention. I have one. Been with me for 27 years. I wouldn't worry if that's all he does.


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## horsesaremylife20 (Dec 15, 2016)

He's a little bit underweight so we're feeding him one scoop of Purina senior feed with two scoops of dumor weight booster a day. He also is eating hay and grass. Today he didn't have his ears turned back as much as he did when we first got him. Yesterday he was introduced to another horse and is in a pen just with her, he seems happier. Maybe he's been doing it because he was lonely? We had him in a stall and a round pen for a couple of days until they got the fence fixed in the main pasture.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

my lease horse will often put his ears back. but, it is almost always when he is feeling something either negative, concerned, aggressive, possesive, or aggressive. Those are all mental states I don't want him indulging himself in when I am handling him. I mean, even like when we walk up to the water tub; he will be walking beside me, on a lead, with a totally neutral expression, or even really connected to ME, . . . . then, as we get close enough to the water, he starts thinking about that water. since he is a dominant horse in teh herd, he begins to pin his ears with a "Mine!" sort of feel, as he lickes his lips in anticipation. 

well, I will not have him approach the water (or feed) with that attitude. feed and water are MINE , until they are his. and his ears tell me his feelings. his feeling is a negative one, a sense of irritation that he is being led by a subordinate and held by a line. I will not let him stay in that negative place. I will literally stop and wiggle the line a bit until he looks at me with a "what?" experession? He does not know why I did that, but he has, in teh meantime, let go of the irritable expression and thoughts.

you see, leaving your horse in a negative space is not good for him, even if he thinks he has a reason to be that way. 

in the case of the op, it's too early to tell what's going on, and giving him some time to settle is the best way . . for now.


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