3 Ways to Understand Your Horse’s Language
Even though our animals cannot speak to us to tell us how they’re feeling and what they want, this doesn’t mean they don’t tell us in other ways. As an animal physiotherapist it's our job to interpret our clients' communication to identify what they need in order to improve their wellbeing. To help you learn your horse’s language, and communicate better with them, we’ve created this short guide.
All horses acquire unique language cues so it's important to take the time to take the time to learn your horses' cues and what they mean. However, there are some which are displayed by most horses and this can be a good place to start with your horse or with a new horse, see below.
Body language and Ear Communication
Alertness and Curiosity
Ears pricked forward with head held high in a sniff stance, eyes wide and bright. If your horse feels threatened their nostrils will flare and eyes widen, you should take extra care around them.
Stress and Anger
Ears pinned back, tense muscles and whites of eyes showing. If you or someone else is standing close by move a safe distance away because angry and stressed horses can be unpredictable and dangerous. Swing hindquarters to indicate their ready to kick, note females can do this when in heat to get male attention. If only one ear is back while the rest of their body language communicates relaxation they may just be listening to something behind you.
Relaxed and Happy
Ears slightly forward or to the side, chin or mouth drooping, eyes open halfway, lowering a hip and resting the front edge of the hoof on the ground.
2. Facial Expressions
Smile
Often your horse will display half-closed eyes and a slight tilt to the head and neck to show they’re happy and content. Understand what makes your horse happy and use that to cultivate a better relationship with your horse.
Yawn
High frequency yawning can be caused by frustration, for example about restricted stabling. However, low frequency yawning can reflect contentment where all welfare and behavioural needs are met. Horses often infrequently yawn during Physiotherapy treatments as a result of them releasing tension held somewhere in the body.
Curl Upper Lip
You may notice your horse extend its neck, raise its head, inhale and curl their upper lip to expose their teeth and gums. This may look like a strange and maybe threatening expression, however, named the flehmen response, this expression is how horses are able to interpret unfamiliar environments using their sense of smell.
3. Behaviour
Stomping
Stomping is often how your horse communicated they’re Impatient or frustrated. It could also be an indication they’re uncomfortable so if this behaviour persists it may be worth having your vet, farrier or physio checking your horse over.
Bucking
Bucking is the action when your horse raises their back legs off the ground. This is often playful but can also indicate discomfort, uncertainty or fear. So look for other body language clues to try and understand how your horse is feeling.
Sound
Nicker: relaxed gentle growling sound, friendliness, submission.
Blow: louder than nicker, blow air out of nose, indicates interest, curiosity or fear.
Whinny : load and free sounding noise, trying to communicate over a long distance
Summary
To effectively read and understand how your horse is feeling you should try to identify what their body language, facial expressions and behaviour are all telling you. Then you’ll be able to use all this information to decipher what your horse is thinking and how their feeling. This will enable you to be better equipped to provide your horse with what they need and for your bond to strengthen. The more time you spend looking at and focusing on your horse’s non verbal communications the easier it will be for you to identify what emotion each one is portraying.
