# Mares: The dreaded ear pinning?



## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

I wouldn't rule out pain and would personally get a chiro out, if possible. Sometimes horses are weird like that and its hard to really tell if they're in pain or not.

It does seem to be a 'mare' thing though, I have one who's permanent expression is cranky. My rule for her though is that she can make whatever kind of crabby face that she wants as long as she doesn't act on it. If she wants to be a sourpuss, I'm not going to stop her. I'm _not_ going to tolerate any stupid behavior though.


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## InsaneDino (Aug 3, 2012)

I don't know any chiros nearby, so that would be an awful expense to have somebody travel here if there isn't anything wrong. That's why I want to check more with people on here if they experience something similar or feel it isn't something to worry about.

I've worked with her back some to feel for pressure points before and after rides, after she's been broncing in the field, etc. and she doesn't seem like her back is sore. However, I know I'm ignorant compared to a good chiro, so I won't completely rule out pain.

Some more added notes that I just thought of:
I've been riding her bareback with her turnout blanket on (just walk and a little trot) and she doesn't pin her ears. With the blanket on her, it's less strong of a leg cue to get her to trot (granted, she is already sensitive to touch on her sides... brush of my leg = GO!).

Could it be the cue to get her to trot when I'm riding her that she doesn't like?

And as far as leading her at the trot goes, could it be the way I'm leading her? When I run in front of her (not like... in FRONT of her, but farther ahead of her) she seems fine. When I try to get her to trot when I'm running along side her, she pins her ears. This seems like a dominance issue here. She is the lead mare in every field she's been in...?


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## corgi (Nov 3, 2009)

My mare is the Queen of ear pinning. She does it all the time. I call it her "[email protected]&$hy" mare face. She does it anytime I give a different command. But they don't stay pinned.


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Haha sounds like your describing one of the mares at the barn! When I'm in cleaning her stall and ask her to move away from her hay for a minute while I move it and clean around it she gets the ugliest look on her face! As soon as the hay is relinquished she goes back to normal.....some mares are like this, some are not!

I certainly wouldn't rule out pain....check your saddle fit too


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## InsaneDino (Aug 3, 2012)

I guess it seems to be a mare thing...
haha and she does seem to perk her ears back up after she's trotting for a while. Maybe she figures she's not going to get her way?

And I'm not too worried about the saddle fit.
1.) Her sweatmarks are even, she moves out fine under it, and her back isn't sore after riding.
2.) I tried multiple saddles on her to get the best fitting size
3.) She does this even when she's bareback or on the ground without tack on.

I know that pain is probably the general rule to post on every thread about cranky horses though.
Bad fitting tack can definitely be a pain both for the horse and the rider (specifically his/her wallet). D': :roll:


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Could it be that her saddle doesn't fit well?


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## JustaSkippenJess (Jan 25, 2012)

haha sounds like my mare... you look at her ears are pinned, touch her ears are pinned, etc. she has just always pinned her ears. she is adjusted on a regular basis and it isn't a pain thing it is just her personality. She never tries to kick or bite when she pins her ears. the older she gets the more lovey she wants to get thought.


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## InsaneDino (Aug 3, 2012)

Endiku- I'm pretty sure it isn't her saddle fit. I maybe ride her in a saddle 1/5 of the rides. I usually ride her bareback or with her turnout blanket on. Even with her saddle on while free lunging her, she is fine. Every test I've done, every opinion I've had from other riders, and everything I've researched seems to be that the saddle fits her fine.

I don't mean to sound like a cocky, know-it-all, because I know I'm not an expert saddle fitter, but I just don't see how the saddle fit could play into her trotting with her ears pinned while being led without any tack on.

JSJ- haha! I can't wait until she ages then. Maybe, just maybe, she will lose the mare'tude. c;


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

If her ears are flat against her neck then she's pinning her ears. If they are turned back then she's paying attention to you.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

It isn't a mare thing. 

You've ruled out pain.



> And as far as leading her at the trot goes, could it be the way I'm leading her? When I run in front of her (not like... in FRONT of her, but farther ahead of her) she seems fine. When I try to get her to trot when I'm running along side her, she pins her ears.


This makes me wonder if she isn't just paying attention to you.

Are your hands and seat quiet at the trot?


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I have a mare that's a bluffer. When I saw her at the sale and went up and looked at her with her owner, she was sweet, attentive and so on. When I went back to check on her after I bought her, she was pinning her ears and making the WORST caca face I've ever seen a mare make. Her owner was not there, so I decided insecurity due to new situation. I walked in carefully, she turned her behind to me and got popped with the halter real quick, she went into a corner and sulked. I put the halter on, lead rope and led her out and onto the trailer. I have not seen that caca face since. It's been 10 days since I bought her, she now comes up to me in the pasture, nickers when she sees me and so on. First time she met my husband......here we go....bluffing again. She now loves him too. 

Unless their ears are pinned to their necks, and they're giving me snake neck and teeth, I don't pay a lot of heed to mares, they're all about the bluff.


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## InsaneDino (Aug 3, 2012)

boots said:


> It isn't a mare thing.
> 
> You've ruled out pain.
> 
> ...


I consider myself to have a quiet seat and hands. I don't bounce around on her back, I'm aware of seat cues, and I don't get in her mouth (or up on her face- I ride in a halter).


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## InsaneDino (Aug 3, 2012)

This is what she looks like:


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Sorry, I hadn't seen that someone else already asked about the saddle fit! xD


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I think she is just being a stinker. I have to say, that is one reason I have less incliniation to own a mare; they just have so much opinion about everything.
If she does it, you might try kind of suddenly upping the pressure with a "shhhhhht!" (and I dont' mean the cuss word, I mean the sound to make her scoot.) and if she goes forward nicely , reward her with a pet and a short rest.


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

tinyliny said:


> I think she is just being a stinker. I have to say, that is one reason I have less incliniation to own a mare; they just have so much opinion about everything.
> If she does it, you might try kind of suddenly upping the pressure with a "shhhhhht!" (and I dont' mean the cuss word, I mean the sound to make her scoot.) and if she goes forward nicely , reward her with a pet and a short rest.


And if that doesn't work.....use the cuss word!:lol: 
Sorry, couldn't help myself!!!!:lol:


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## ThePaintGirl (Aug 14, 2012)

She sounds 100% like my mare. My girl is very touchy with her sides, brush of the legs and we're gone! I had a chiro check my girl and he said she was perfectly fine, checked her saddle perfectly fine. 

Knowing my girls personality, I take it as 'i'll do it but only because I want to NOT because you asked' she never acts up, no headtossing ect. i think its just her ego


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I heard that some mares are touchy about their sides becuse when they are cycling, it's like they have cramps and their ovaries make their side sore to the touch.

Also, the mare , by nature, has to learn how to say "no" to the Stallion, time after time after time. His job is to ask "now?" and her's is to say "no!" except for that "special " time. So, mares get good at saying no.


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## Strange (Jan 11, 2009)

My old mare was like that. xD 
We ruled out pain issues and medical issues.
I could never tell when she was cycling and when she wasn't by her attitude, she was just opinionated and grumpy all the time.  

I just accepted it, teased her about it, and moved on. If she acted on it, I reprimanded her, and she usually didn't try anything again. She was a good mare. Despite some of them having an attitude, I will always have a preference for owning mares over geldings.


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## TexasAndi (Mar 3, 2012)

My mare pins her ears and walks with her head lowered even when I am feeding. She can pull all the faces she wants as long as that's all she does. She always does what she's told even if she doesn't look happy about it. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## StarfireSparrow (Jan 19, 2009)

I have found that mare take things personally, for lack of a better way to say it. They are women, some are ladies, some are princesses and some are hags. I have never met a gelding or a stallion who is so quick to do something that makes me hear that "ehhhhh" sound in my head. You know, the one you make when you are being told to get up and you really don't want to go to work today.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Guess I'm lucky. My mare used to pin her ears at the start of a trot, but that was because I wasn't a good rider and she knew it meant her back was going to be bounced on. Other than that, she's never pinned her ears at me. If she did, we'd have a religious revival, complete with an altar call...


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

bsms said:


> Other than that, she's never pinned her ears at me. If she did, we'd have a religious revival, complete with an altar call...


Hah! Laughed so hard I snorted on this one, I got SUCH a visual! :lol:


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## texasgal (Jul 25, 2008)

Pinning:










Listening:


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## countrylove (Oct 18, 2012)

I've always had geldings. I just recently adopted my first mare. Let me tell you what LoL she is a pain in the butt! She never pins her ears but she is pushy and has no respect. Our main goal right now is lots and lots of ground work and yielding from pressure. She has improved a lot just in a few sessions. I don't think it is a mare thing though. She is also boarded with an appy who does pin her ears all the time. A lot of people are scared of her and walk off when she does this. It's a bluff. She learned early on that she could pin her ears and humans would go away. If you continue what your doing or even just sternly saying her name, she perks her ears back up like it never happened. It's not because she is a mare either. Horse's have personality quirks just like we do. I can not tell you why your mare does what she does but it's not because she is mare IMHO. I hated mares until I realized they aren't all that bad after all.  good luck figuring it out


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

this pic is enought to give nightmares


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## InsaneDino (Aug 3, 2012)

texasgal- I know she isn't just listening to me. She is pinning her ears, but not with so much force that she adds in those "teeth bares" or "tail swishes". She just pins them back.

If I even say the word "trot" in a conversation, the ears go back. o:
I think she knows this verbal cue better than "woah"! LOL


I'll work with the "shhht" or shake of the rope and see if it works any. Maybe she's just one of those mares a few of you are talking about: just has the look to intimidate.


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## Valentina (Jul 27, 2009)

Could it be ears come back and she's listening to you, or is it pinned ears such that her eyes get that "I hate this" look too? 

In dressage you want the ears to come back - it means the horse is listening to you. (as long as the ears are not pinned - that could indicate discomfort on her part, or even confusion). 

Perhaps asking a bit more lightly for the trot - light squeeze with the calves - no kicking, etc....


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## InsaneDino (Aug 3, 2012)

I posted a picture on the previous page I found that looked similar to what she looks like. I can't really tell what face she was pulling (if I'm riding), but on the ground it looks like she's grudgingly trying to resist the lead rope (she puts her neck out and has her nose pointed a bit up) when I first ask. She goes back to a normal head position once she gets trotting, but her ears stay back.


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## Lexiie (Nov 14, 2011)

My mare does that. When we go to trot, she pins her ears, then puts them forward and continues on like a good girl!
Same with the canter, pins them at first, then puts them back up.

TO me it's like her saying "I don't wanna!" and then "Well..fine"


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## FaithCat (Aug 13, 2012)

This sounds alot like my horse! When I ask for a canter either in saddle or lunging, he pins his ears(but still goes along with it). But my horse is a gelding!


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