Both Ears Forward
Look at the signal, then look at the whole horse and the situation around it.
NOTICE
Both ears are upright and directed forward.
WHAT IT MAY TELL YOU
Your horse’s attention may be focused on something in front of them. They may be watching, listening to, or investigating something that has caught their attention.
DON'T ASSUME
Forward ears don't automatically mean a horse is happy, friendly, or relaxed.
LOOK AGAIN
Where are the eyes and head directed? What has caught the horse’s attention? What are the neck, body, and posture doing?
Research / Learn More
What research shows
Horse ear direction can provide useful information about where attention is oriented. Research also shows that horses use ear and eye cues together, so ears are most informative when read with the head, eyes, and situation.
What it does not tell us
Ear position alone does not identify a single emotion or tell us whether a horse is happy, worried, or relaxed.
Sources
- The eyes and ears are visual indicators of attention in domestic horses — shows that ear and eye cues contribute to how horses communicate attention.
- Horses’ facial micro-expressions — discusses ear orientation as an indicator of attentional direction.