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Laura Miller
Member
Username: Lmiller1
Post Number: 17
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, Oct 26, 2005 - 10:50 pm: |   |
I am thinking of purchasing a 10 year old TB mare as a broodmare and riding horse. She is great in every other way but her ears. Her ears just kind of flop around. She has control of them because she can bring them forward when she wants but mostly they are just floppy. Is this a conformation defect or just normal? Most horses I have had seem to move their ears around but this mare lets hers just flop. Any information regarding this would be helpful. I have search and search but nothing really comes up about it. |
Angela Spucces
Member
Username: Rubysmom
Post Number: 128
Registered: 3-2000
| | Posted on Thursday, Oct 27, 2005 - 1:37 am: | |
It's a GOOD thing, IMO. 
There is a dressage mare named Rocher, ridden by George Williams who has these huge, floppy ears.
She is also international quality, and has won many, many competitions at the highest level of Dressage.
My horse's ears flop when he's working very hard and concentrating on me, it's also a sign of a dependable, hard working, steady eddie kind of horse, which my guy is.
I certainly would not let floppy ears dissuade me from a horse that is great in every way.
I don't consider it a fault, at all. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 13986
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Thursday, Oct 27, 2005 - 7:11 am: | |
If I understand what you mean, I too would not let floppy ears keep me from buying a horse but am uncertain how it might effect showing or more specifically scoring.
DrO |
Fran C
Member
Username: Canter
Post Number: 327
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Thursday, Oct 27, 2005 - 8:12 am: | |
Ditto to what Angela said. A good indicator of a relaxed & happy horse when riding is floppy ears--although some horses tend to "flop" more than others. In dressage, there would be no scoring penalty. I've seen video of Rocher showing and she's adorable, and as Angela mentioned, she's a top competitor..
My mare does not tend to have floppy ears, but on occasion, when they get "loose", I consider my ride very successful. |
Ann
Member
Username: Dres
Post Number: 644
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Thursday, Oct 27, 2005 - 9:57 am: | |
Can we see a picture... I have a 4 year old that I call Bucket Head, she has had huge ears since birth and well a HUGE head too...I would joke that she had better grow into that head... Well she is almost 17 hhs tall and still has the huge floppy ears... I LOVE THEM... I can tell she is very relaxed when she goes thru our lessons with her ears ''flopping'' My trainer said a horse with big floppy ears works their way into his heart much faster then a horse with small pointed ears..!~ Unless you are describing something different .. DON'T WORRY....
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with SPOTS.. |
Zoe English
Member
Username: Nonie
Post Number: 195
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Sunday, Oct 30, 2005 - 8:28 pm: | |
They are incredibly intelligent and focussed, those horses with the floppy ears.
Ange knows whereof she speaks.  I am lucky enough to have seen George Williams & Rocher win the Grand Prix class at Dressage at Devon all three times. They are the ONLY team ever to have taken the championship three times. Rocher is an amazing mare.
I would grab her, if I were you.
Zoe |
Julie Ash
Member
Username: Jewel318
Post Number: 14
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, Jun 17, 2006 - 2:49 am: | |
Yeah!!! I too have a mare with floppy ears, I wasn't sure but I thought it seems she does it when she is doing her best work. I absolutely love to see her big ears flopping. I was told that it would count against her in the dressage ring. I hope you are right and the person who told me is wrong. I don't care I love it anyway. |
