Hi,
Not sure if this is the right section to post this, maybe horse health would have been better...
I have a 23 year old TBH/Andy cross that I ride on trail daily. We ride with other horses or on our own. She is a rockstar on the trail and with other horses. She is usually oblivious or non reactive to anything another horse may do such as nasty faces, spooking, etc.
Recently I noticed that she had pinned her ears at horses that we were riding along side of. Didn't matter what horse. Then I realized that this was brought about by any kind of leg I put on her to get her to either keep up or walk out more. So I tested it out and if my legs go against her she pins her ears. Doesn't matter if there is a horse there or not.
She does this if I am riding in a saddle or bareback. Her reaction doesn't escalate or change what she is doing in any way, just ears pin and then normal as soon as I take my leg off.
She is a naturally very forward horse and I rarely do have to put leg on her, but since this is a change in behavior I am curious as to why.
She sees the vet on a regular basis and has had ulcers in the past and is given ranitidine as a preventative daily. She has had frequent colic episodes in the past but those have seemed for the time being to have resolved.
Any thoughts?
Not sure if this is the right section to post this, maybe horse health would have been better...
I have a 23 year old TBH/Andy cross that I ride on trail daily. We ride with other horses or on our own. She is a rockstar on the trail and with other horses. She is usually oblivious or non reactive to anything another horse may do such as nasty faces, spooking, etc.
Recently I noticed that she had pinned her ears at horses that we were riding along side of. Didn't matter what horse. Then I realized that this was brought about by any kind of leg I put on her to get her to either keep up or walk out more. So I tested it out and if my legs go against her she pins her ears. Doesn't matter if there is a horse there or not.
She does this if I am riding in a saddle or bareback. Her reaction doesn't escalate or change what she is doing in any way, just ears pin and then normal as soon as I take my leg off.
She is a naturally very forward horse and I rarely do have to put leg on her, but since this is a change in behavior I am curious as to why.
She sees the vet on a regular basis and has had ulcers in the past and is given ranitidine as a preventative daily. She has had frequent colic episodes in the past but those have seemed for the time being to have resolved.
Any thoughts?