Folks in the UK...a horse/art question? (crosspost)

Folks in the UK...a horse/art question?

Posted by piebon on 8/16/2004, 13:45:57
24.9.123.135

I have a question about horses over there....

I was looking through a book of paintings that a client of mine owns, and noticed that there are several in which the horses have cropped ears. I had never seen that before! I knew that docking the tails on fox hunters and carriage horses was the norm, but what's the story on the ears?

Mrs. Berger did not seem to know, so I am posing this question to all of the history buffs out there.

I have included a link to one of the paintings that I speak of...

Berger Collection http://www.bergercollection.org/artwork_detail.php?i=45

dont have a clue Babs, but nice pic!

Barbara At the risk of sounding stupid perhaps they are just small ears I have never heard of docking. If they were docked I guess it was a fashion statement of the time, other than that I can think of no practical purpose to do such a thing as horses ears are used to communicate body language. Perhaps the horsey DW people might know can't say I like Mr Stubbs little ears though

I have seen alot of horses in my time, having my parents owned many and been friends with a girl that worked with both ponies and race horses. I also worked at a polo club. I have never seen a horse with cropped ears? if u like i will email my dad and ask? he may well know the answer to this?

If that pic was based on a real horses ears that have been cropped then its vile. Horrible pic - where's the poor boys tail to swat the flies with!!! Horrid.

The forum where this topic originated has come up with the idea that the ears of the horse were 'artists license' and that the horses weren't really cropped, just the artists painting is different than the real ears. Hope that's the case Thanks all

I was gonna say I think that were the case, but then on the other hand in 'those' days they did all sorts of wierd stuff! like burn women who they thought were witches !

Well all I can say is Thank Heaven I didn't live during those days I wouldn't have lasted 5 minutes

me neither staffy
i would have been burn,t too