Re: Mare pins ears

["Howard Bramhall" <hwb67@msn.com>]

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: JANUSTUDIO@cs.com

Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2002 11:33 AM

To: SunsetOvrC@aol.com; ridecamp@endurance.net

Subject: RC: Mare pins ears

 

In a message dated 1/5/02 9:23:26 PM Eastern Standard Time,
SunsetOvrC@aol.com writes:

<< My mare pins her ears whenever I ask her to trot or canter, not only when
I use leg aids, but also if I only use a voice cue.  She seems to do it more in
the arena than when on trail.  I have just had her teeth floated and changed
to a saddle that fits her well.  Her back is no longer sore when I palpate it.  So what is it?  A bad attitude, or memories of pain?  How can I encourage her to stop it?

Pamela
  >>

My gelding does the same thing. He has a resentful attitude when working in
the arena when I ask him to canter. He is better now, but it is still there.
He is more than happy to canter out on the trail. No pinned ears at all no
matter what I'm asking of him. <g>
It could be remembered pain, but more than likely it is just the attitude
thing. I think it was John Lyons that said, "There is nothing like an arena to suck
the go out of a horse."
On the other hand, I have another horse that much prefers the arena to the
open trail. <sigh>

Jan


------

When my wife lets me ride the Paint, Moonlight Princess, and I take this mare out alone, with no other horses, she constantly does that ear thing with me.  It's a signal, the same she gives to any of the 3 geldings who live with her in a co-dorm setting, that she's not happy with something, or, to the geldings, move back from my space.

Now, when I get out a few miles, and let her make a turn towards home (she thinks she's going there, anyway) the ears relax.  She's a happy camper and, until we make a turn away from home, her ears will relax and appear semi-normal.

Then, the other day, I decided to take her out (I do love this horse and see potential here) with spurs.  Spurs and a crop, I must look like the  FEI Anti-Christ dressed for battle, with my mare, like this.  lol.  (jk, please forget the Christ thing, change it to antithesis or something.)

Anyway, at first, when I applied them, she attempted to buck on me, something that I thought we had trained her to no longer do.  But, this was almost brand new to her (I did use them at a ride 9 months ago to get her to cross a creek that she didn't want to cross).  After awhile, she was so lively, and I realized that my riding abilities had to increase for me to ride with spurs (heels down takes on a whole new meaning wearing these things), I took off the spurs and tied them around the saddle.  Jingle, jingle, and landing on them where I do hurts like heck. 

We went out further, her ears did the back thing more than half the time, and the spurs just kept on jingling.  We stopped, I let her eat, and I put back on those spurs.  This time, no buck, just a slight touch every now and then, and man, I had this horse's attention more than I have ever had before.  Heading away from home.  And, the ears did what they should do.  I was in spur endurance training heaven with a 4, soon to turn (very soon, like next month) 5 year old, who I am hoping will be able to do a 50.

Anyway, I'm into spurs.   At least with the mare.  DAnce Line doesn't need them, in fact, I truly believe he would launch me into outer space if I attempted such a thing.  His power can be overwhelming.  The other 3 horses don't either, but I like using them on Princess, when riding her alone, out there on the forever trail of endurance training.  With my mare, I'm convinced, if I control her ears, I control this horse.

 

cya,

Howard (Jennings Boogie, here I come, dooo-waaaaa, dooo-waaaa, Jennings Boogie here I come, all the dooodaaaaadaayyyyy) yes, I was singing.  lol