Why do some horses pin their ears back when they follow you?

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AbbyT90

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My new boy does this, he's not the first one I've had do it in my life but it's got me curious...does anyone know why they do it?

And when I say follow you, I don't mean "being led in a headcollar", ears are always fine then! But in the field he likes to follow me about with no incentive, he's completely loose in an open space, no lead rope in sight! But he will wander around with the ears pinned flat!

It never escalates into aggression or biting/kicking and if I stop, the ears relax a little and he stands there quite happily, it's so odd! It isnt worrying me but it is making me curious to get inside his head a little. Any ideas?
 
Does it happen more when other horses are near? I guess if they are really pinned, it couldn't be more! Hmm...

Are there any other signs of tension in his face?
 
Two of mine do this, one will ping his ears forward if I growl at him, the other if I scratch his neck.
I'm not really sure why they do it, like yours they never escalate to aggression or anything like that.
I've always assumed it's an attention seeking behaviour, the one that stops when I growl at him is almost certainly after a treat, although he never gets one when he pins his ears!
 
I see it as a herding behaviour, he's not technically herding you as he's not forcing you to move your feet but when he is following you he is displaying the behaviour he'd use to force another horse to move.

I'd sent him away out of your space, if you're happy to let him follow you, fine, but make sure he does it from a distance and when you stop he stops a safe distance away. If he's right behind you and testing you out it's not hard for him to try a nip while your back is turned. I'm not saying he would but there is a chance. Also if he spooks he may run you over or if he's giddy your close to his feet.

I don't tolerate a horse pretending to herd me or any behaviour that allows a horse to feel they have any element of control over moving me around and I really don't like them being on top of me while they are loose in a field.
 
Equine version of a frown? One of mine does it and at first I thought it was a threat, but she is a softy and near the bottom of the peck order. I soon learnt that it was all bluff. Like some kind and generous people go about scowling and looking sour to put people off asking favours -- which they are unable to refuse once the barrier is surmounted!
 
I used to play the bear game in the field with my mare (as long as no one was watching!). It just confirmed that she was happy to move away from me when I wanted her to. Horses behind a leader do tend to have their ears back though, I assume what is going on behind you is more important than in front when you aren't in charge.
 
It's all very odd! I don't think he's listening out behind him and at the times he's done this there haven't been any other horses in the field, he did it in the school when we were doing join up and he was loose.

Thinking he is in charge and "herding" me sounds like a good theory! He's only been with me a little over a week and is only 4, so still establishing who is boss! I have been making sure when we are stood still that he backs out of my space and he does put the ears back when I move him off! I should probably make sure he keeps his distance in field for a bit as well!

Seems so odd to me that with all that space to play (and boy does he love to play) he would want to hang with the boring human! (He is usually turned out with others but I won't go and interact with him in the same way unless he's on his own in case I start a riot!)
 
I do think it is herding and dominant behaviour. One of the youngsters here has always done it. You turn around and he is right behind you looking like he wants to take a chunk out of your back. He's right in my space when he does it and so I always send him away. At17.1hh and rising four, you don't want him getting the idea he may be boss of you! But now, after reading this thread, I do wonder if I may have misread him...
 
AbbyT90 said:
It's all very odd! I don't think he's listening out behind him and at the times he's done this there haven't been any other horses in the field, he did it in the school when we were doing join up and he was loose.
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if you've done join up with him he probably feels he need to stick close to you in case you start acting all weird and chasing him round for no good reason again.
 
My current mare has pinned her ears at me once (briefly) and it is so unusual for her, I took it seriously.

Aside from that, she has never pinned her ears and I wouldn't feel comfortable with letting a horse follow me with pinned ears.

She does however sometimes walk in hand with her ears just behind 'relaxed'. Usually it's due to wind (external, not internal :D ), other times it seems to depict 'relaxed but moving' (could equally be listening behind). Otherwise, she has her ears pricked, paying attention.
 
My NF pony used to do this and he never in 20 years put his ears back when I was looking at him or even showed the slightest aggression towards me when I was facing him. He would only do it if I walked across his paddock and he was behind me. He would follow me almost snaking his neck, ears pinned down and if I turned round suddenly the ears would pop forwards again and he would put his head up and be all friendly again. He wasn't a dominant type to me or even with other horses. If other horses came up to him he would open his mouth and do the passive foaly thing. I never really understood it but it felt as though it was a type of join up thing because he always followed me around to the extent that I could often feel his nose against my back. If I started to jog, he would trot behind me doing the same thing and also made a little squealy sound..I never thought of it as an aggressive thing, more playful if anything.
 
Illusion100 said:
I see it as a herding behaviour, he's not technically herding you as he's not forcing you to move your feet but when he is following you he is displaying the behaviour he'd use to force another horse to move.

I'd sent him away out of your space, if you're happy to let him follow you, fine, but make sure he does it from a distance and when you stop he stops a safe distance away. If he's right behind you and testing you out it's not hard for him to try a nip while your back is turned. I'm not saying he would but there is a chance. Also if he spooks he may run you over or if he's giddy your close to his feet.

I don't tolerate a horse pretending to herd me or any behaviour that allows a horse to feel they have any element of control over moving me around and I really don't like them being on top of me while they are loose in a field.
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I have to say I agree with Illusion100 on this one!
 
I wonder if it could be a way horses use an instinctive herding behaviour in a playful way, similar to the way that cats and dogs often do hunting manoeuvres when they are playing but don't actually engage with each other, or actually bite their playmate. That's how it seemed with my pony.
 
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