FEBRUARY 2013 THE RIDER /43


Building A Partnership with Your Young Horse


“Dealing with a Horse that Pins His Ears” By Lynn Palm


If you have spent much time in the saddle, chances are you have come across a horse that pins its ears. Whether you are riding such a horse, or you are riding in a group that includes this kind of horse, you know how unpleasant it can be. More importantly, the aggres- sive, ear-pinning horse can be dangerous.


Why do horses pin their ears, and what can we do about it? Horses use physical actions known as “body language” to communicate clearly with each other, and laying their ears back is just one of the examples of body language. When a horse pins it ears, actually flattens the ears back to the neck, the horse is saying, “Get away from me” or “Keep your distance!” Flat- tened ears may also mean, “Watch out because if you don’t move away, there’s going to be trouble!”


Mares have a tendency to pin their ears more than male horses, but either sex can devel- op the habit. With some horses, this is just part of their nature. It could be a horse that is especial- ly territorial and uses this way to let other horses know that they are getting too close. Or, the


horse may just have a dominant personality. In any case, the horse that is pinning its ears is clearly letting both his rider and the other horses know he is not accepting the immediate situa- tion, whatever that may be. It is natural for your horse to flick his ears back to register another horse’s approach, either beside or behind him. He may even briefly flatten his ears to give a warning to the other horse not to get in his personal space, but he does not react beyond this. This causal pinning of ears means, “I’m not happy about this and I’m letting you know.” What we are concerned about is the horse that quickly and aggressively pins his ears and then swings his head to bite. He may also swing his hindquarters to kick. This horse is saying, in no uncertain terms, “Look out!” This kind of attitude can be a nuisance at best, and, at worst, a serious danger to other horses and riders. And, the horse that regularly pins his ears at his rid- ing companions does not make for a fun ride! (In the show ring, this attitude is very undesirable and not one the judges will look on favorably.)


If you are the rider on an ear-pinning horse, remember


that it is up to each rider to avoid potential accidents every time you are in the saddle. Your horse will react to what happens around him, and so it is your responsibility to think for both of you and to always keep safety in mind.


Inform the people you are riding with that your horse is anxious about horses coming up behind him or if he has any per- sonality quirks such as being ter- ritorial or dominant. Forewarned is forearmed!


Our instinct is to look at the horse or whatever or wherever the focus (or problem) is. We have to remember to take in the whole picture and not just focus on one particular horse or thing. If your horse aggressively pins his ears, immediately act to change his focus from the other horse(s) to you, the rider. Continue to keep controlling your horse. Make a transition or gait change to distract his atten- tion and refocus his concentra- tion from the other horse(s) to your commands. This may mean trotting for a few steps, or dong a turn on the forehand, or backing a few steps. Obviously, you want to be sure that any gait transition will keep other horses and riders out of harm’s way.


Always keep a minimum distance of ten feet (on both sides and front and back) between horses whenever you are riding in company. If you allow horses to get any closer together then they can make potentially dangerous contact with another horse or a rider before you can react in time to prevent it. Stay aware of where other horses are in relation to you and your horse. Do not rely on other riders to maintain the minimum ten foot distance between horses. You are respon- sible for where your horse is at all times!


Many riders want to react by hitting their horse when he pins his ears. I would caution them that when you use physi- cal discipline, if your timing is off by even a second, you could end up confusing the horse or even making him more aggres- sive. Instead, I suggest using vocal discipline. Get bossy with your voice! The moment your horse pins his ears, say “NO” in a sharp, stern tone. Take charge with your voice, then immedi- ately physically make him do something else, such as a gait change, to redirect his concen- tration and change his focus.


Speaking of change, it is a good idea to change positions with other riders throughout a trail ride so your horse does not always get the idea he has to be on the lead, or bringing up the rear, or that the only safe place is in the middle. You have to expose your horse to as many different things as possible. The goal is to have your horse focused on listening to you and what you are asking him to do, rather than fretting about the horses around him.


Another method I like to use that can help break the bad habits of the ear pinner is to pony him. Ponying is leading one horse while you are riding another horse next to him. When I start, I will ride a “good faith” horse—one that is steady and totally reliable—and lead the ear pinner. For safety’s sake, always teach a horse to pony in an enclosed area such as a ring or small paddock before going out on the trail on into a large open area. You should have control of both horses and be able to stop, turn in both directions, and back up before you head out of the enclosed area.


him that you are riding. When the horse flattens his ears in reaction to the other horse you are riding, immediately take the longe line you are leading him with and shake it towards his face. This will make him move away from the horse being rid- den and teach him that ear pin- ning is unacceptable. In addi- tion, remember to use your bossy voice and say a loud “NO” whenever he pins his ears.


When you feel confident after many ponying sessions, tack up the ear pinner and use him to pony another horse. The end result is a horse that is more tolerant and will not express a territorial attitude by aggressively pinning his ears; and, in the long run, that means a happier ride for you.


When you do go outside the small area, the ear pinner will have more interesting sur- rounding to focus on rather than directing his negative attention to the horse next to


All that being said, keep in mind that ear pinning for some horses just may be part of their temperament. It may not be possible to get them to totally stop even with training. How- ever, by being a conscientious and consistent rider, you can lessen their aggressive reac- tions and make them more pleasant to ride in company. Learn about our valuable training products at www.lyn- npalm.com or by calling 800- 503-2824.


Jump Canada Announces


2013 Talent Squad


A common error many rid- ers make is to tunnel their vision and focus their mind on the mid- dle of their horse’s neck or head.


Ottawa, Ontario, January 31, 2013 - The 2013 Jump Cana- da Talent Squad has been announced. During the 2012 season, 14 Talent Squad qual- ifying competitions were held in the Eastern Division while eight qualifying competitions comprised the Western Divi- sion. The top five riders from each division form the 2013 Jump Canada Talent Squad. They are, in alphabetical order, as follows:


Cold Weather and Your Pet


Many pet owners love spending time with their furry friend outside, but during the cold win- ter months pet owners need to take special pre- cautions to ensure that their pet stays warm and healthy when the temperature drops.


“The good thing is that for most areas of Texas, even the ‘winter months’ do not get cold enough to cause serious problems in our pets or even most large animals,” said Alison Diesel, lec- turer at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. “The thick coats of most domestic animal species are sufficient to provide protection from the cold here in Texas, but on the rare occasion of a colder day some other things could be considered.” One precaution pet owners must take is making sure dogs, cats, and other large animal species have an adequate defense from the cold when they are outside.


“Making sure blankets are available and dry can be extremely helpful for this purpose,” said Diesel. “Also, as with people, turning up the heat can help keep our pets warm as well.” For smaller pets simply keeping them inside during the colder times can be the most benefi- cial. Nonetheless, short exposure to the outside cold can be fine and is usually not detrimental to the pet’s health.


“Dogs and cats shiver a lot like people. This action is used to help generate body heat in cold climates,” said Diesel. “If your pet shivers while


outside, shorten the length of your trips together to help reduce this trembling. Providing extra bedding like blankets and towels will also keep your pets warm and cozy.”


For larger pets that cannot come inside, making sure they have an adequate outdoor shel- ter is important to their comfort and safety. Shel- ters such as dog houses and stables can be very helpful during cold winds, and should have extra bedding (blankets, towels, hay, etc.) added for additional warmth.


“An important thing to remember for out- door pets is to make sure they always have a fresh supply of water,” said Diesel. “If it gets cold enough to freeze this should be checked regularly to make sure the water doesn’t freeze over. Mov- ing water sources like fountains are less likely to do this.”


Conditions like frostbite and hypothermia, while not typical in warmer climates like Texas, are severe conditions that are common in colder climates.


“Dehydration is a possibility as well if your pet’s water source freezes over,” said Diesel.


About Pet Talk


Pet Talk is a service of the College of Vet- erinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the Web at http://vetmed.tamu.edu/pettalk.


Ontario’s Largest Equine Cremation Service SERVICING ALL OF ONTARIO • GOVERNMENT LICENSED • PICK UP AVAILABLE


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Rider / Hometown / Horse Tiffany Fong / Calgary, AB / Black Ice owned by Robert Jack


Susan Horn / Bolton, ON / Zahara S owned by Kings- field Farm


Jim Ifko / Calgary, AB / Peninsula Vertigo owned by Marilyn Dawson Dixon Eric Martin / Oakbank, MB /


Kumano owned by Jan Ash Gross


Kim Mervyn / Georgetown, ON / Caruso van Paemel Z owned by Jennifer Footman Anne-Sophie Milette / Mon- treal, QC / Zorro 182 owned by Anne-Sophie Milette Tamie Phillips / Strathmore, AB / Lerche 37 owned by Tamie Phillips


Ryan Roy / King City, ON / Limbo 124 owned by Doug Bannister


Jennifer Serek / Calgary, AB / Brown Thomas owned by Kim Nixon


Michelle Vandal / Missis- sauga, ON / VDL Viper H owned by Michelle Vandal


The National Talent Squad Series is a means of recognizing up-and-coming riders who are preparing to enter the grand prix ranks and


demonstrate the ability to become future members of the Canadian Equestrian Team. Complete details on the Jump Canada Talent Squad Series are available on the Jump Canada website www.equinecanada.ca/jump- canada.


About Jump Canada


Jump Canada is the com- mittee of Equine Canada responsible for all hunter, equitation and jumper activi- ties in Canada from the grass roots to the international level. Jump Canada is gov- erned by a board, the majority of whose members are elected by the stakeholders in the sport. For more information regarding Jump Canada pro- grams and activities, visit www.equinecanada.ca/jump- canada.


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