Horse Ears

Horse's ears are sensitive to the slightest noise. Your horse turns his ears toward a sound that has captured attention and then uses his eyes to determine if he needs to be concerned. He will also focus his ears on something that has caught his eye to take advantage of the full spectrum of his senses to detect danger. The direction in which your horse's ears are pointing reveals what has his attention. That's why your horse’s ears make are a natural early warning system. When both of his ears are focused ahead and he's elevated his head to enhance his vision, he's concerned about a possible threat. That's a sign that he might be getting ready to spook, and a signal for you to redirect his energy and refocus his mind.

You can use your horse's ears to do much more than predict a potential spook, because they always reveal what your horse is thinking. If both ears are trained on the road ahead, it means he's watching where he's going and is not focused on you. That's fine if you don't need him to be attentive, however when you apply an aid, such as leg, rein, seat, or voice, an obedient horse will immediately turn an ear in your direction. If your horse doesn't, he's tuning you out for some reason such as disrespect, insecurity, or fear.

Ears that are constantly flicking back-and-forth are a sign of uncertainty or anxiety. This is a horse that doesn't know where to focus his attention and may be easily distracted. On the other end of the spectrum, a horse that has his ears flopped out to the sides is very relaxed and may even be close to dozing. Be careful, because he's not paying attention to what's going on around him. He could become startled if surprised, so so make sure you make your presence known before you approach and touch him. When you're riding a horse with one ear facing forward and one turned back, it means that he is thoughtfully splitting his attention between you and the road ahead. While a horse with both ears turned in your direction is concentrating very hard on what you're asking him to do.

Speaking of horses with their ears turned back, there is a big difference between a horse with his attention focused rearward and ears that are being used to signal aggression. An angry horse will lay his ears completely flat against his neck. This behavior is almost always accompanied by a pretty unpleasant facial expression and other signs of displeasure such as tail swishing. So, don't worry if your horse looks backward with his ears. All it means is that his eyes as in rear view mode and he's taking a look at something that's behind or to the side of him.

Take the time to watch your horse's ears and you'll learn a lot about what is going on between them. The more insight you have, the better your relationship with him will be.

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