Have you ever wondered what a horse might want to say, either to yourself or perhaps another horse? Horses use body language as well as vocal techniques to communicate with each other and with those around them. All good horse training requires a thorough understanding of its behavior and language, in order to achieve successful and ideal results. Understanding your horse's behavior and language will help you to build a much more meaningful relationship and develop a deeper bond with it.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Understanding Horse Facial Expressions, Eyes and Ears
Step 1. Look into his eyes
Paying attention to your eyes will help you understand how your horse is feeling (e.g., alert or sleepy) at all times. Be aware that horse vision is different from humans. Horses have a panoramic view of their surroundings (like the panorama mode on a camera); because the horse is a prey animal in the wild, it must be able to see its surroundings widely. The horse's depth perception is also poor, which means it can't tell how deep or shallow something is; a shallow pool to us may seem like a bottomless pit to him.
- If the horse's eyes are shining brightly and wide open, this means that it is aware of its surroundings.
- Half-open eyes indicate a sleepy state.
- If both eyes are closed, the horse is sleeping.
- If only one eye is open, this means that the closed eye may be having problems. Contact your veterinarian to determine the cause.
- Sometimes, horses will move their heads in different directions to get a better look at their surroundings.
Step 2. Observe the position of the horse's ears
These ears move in various ways to pick up different signals from the environment, as well as indicate how the horse feels about things happening around it. Horses can move both ears simultaneously or separately.
- Ears pointing slightly forward indicate that the horse is relaxed. If this ear is tilted straight forward, he may be feeling attracted to, or threatened by, his environment. If his ears indicate that he is feeling threatened, his nostrils will widen and his eyes will widen.
- Ears that fall back flat is a sign that the horse is angry. If you are nearby in this condition, stay a safe distance away to protect yourself from possible injury.
- If one of the horse's ears is leaning back, this means he may be listening to something behind him.
- If the horse's ears are pointing to the side, it means he is concentrating but still relaxed.
Step 3. Pay attention to his facial expressions
Horses can display a variety of facial expressions in response to their environment. Often, this change in facial expression is accompanied by other changes in body language.
- The horse's chin and/or mouth will droop when he is relaxed or sleepy.
- A puckered upper lip indicates a flehmen response. While this may seem funny to humans, the flehmen's response is actually a horse's way of interpreting unusual odors in its environment. To display this response, the horse will straighten its neck, raise its head, inhale, then pursed and curled its upper lip inward; The horse's upper teeth and gums will be visible when he does this.
- Foals, especially docile and newly weaned, will grit their teeth to make sure the older horses don't hurt them. The foal will do this by first straightening its neck and lifting its head. Then, the foals will curl their upper and lower lips to reveal all their teeth, and grit their teeth together. You will hear a soft click if the foal does so.
Method 2 of 3: Understanding the Sound, Posture, and Position of the Horse's Feet
Step 1. Observe what the horse does with its legs
Horses will use their front and hind legs in a variety of different ways to show their feelings. Horses can cause serious injury to their feet, so understanding how they use them to communicate is very important for keeping themselves safe.
- Horses will stomp their front paws on the ground when they feel impatient, frustrated, or uncomfortable.
- The front legs outstretched indicate that the horse is preparing to flee or run. It could also mean that he has a medical problem that prevents him from standing up properly; contact your veterinarian for a diagnosis of the real cause.
- Lifting one leg, both front and back, indicates a sense of threat. If the horse does this, keep a safe distance; horse kicks can cause serious injury.
- Horses may tilt their hind legs by leaning against the front of the hooves and lowering their hips. This position shows that he is feeling relaxed.
- Horses will sometimes rebel by raising their hind legs in the air. This is often a playful behavior (when accompanied by neighing and sighing), but can also indicate that he is feeling unsure and scared, especially if he is being ridden for the first time.
- Standing is another ambiguous behavior. If the horse is standing, this can indicate a desire to play on the field, but if he is angry, it means he is afraid of not getting out of a situation.
Step 2. Look at her overall posture
You can understand how a horse feels by looking at its entire body as it moves and stands. For example, if the horse's back is raised, it may mean that it is tired from being ridden for a long time.
- Tight muscles and stiff movements can mean that the horse is nervous, stressed, or in pain. If you're not sure why your horse looks stiff or inflexible, contact your veterinarian for behavioral and medical tests (such as dental and fatigue checks) to determine the cause.
- Trembling is a sign of fear. Horses may tremble to the point of wanting to run or fight. If he does, give him some personal space and time to calm down. Horses may also need to be appeased; an animal behaviorist can help a horse overcome its fear.
- The horse may swing its hindquarters to indicate it is preparing to kick; immediately stay away from the horse if he does this. If your horse is a mare, she may swing her back to indicate that she is ready to mate and wants the stallion's attention.
Step 3. Listen to the voices
Horses can produce a variety of sounds to communicate different things. Understanding the meaning of these sounds will help you better understand what he is trying to convey to humans and fellow horses.
- Horses can neigh for a number of reasons. He may do so to show anxiety or stress; when this happens, the horse's neigh will be very high-pitched and may be accompanied by a drooping tail and moving ears. Horses can also neigh to indicate their presence. The self-assured neigh will sound like a snort and be accompanied by signs of a raised tail and forward-leaning ears.
- Sometimes, a horse's neigh will also be soft and audible from his throat. To produce this sound, he will keep his mouth closed while producing sound from his vocal cords. The mare will sometimes use this sound with her cubs. Your horse may also make a similar sound as it approaches feeding time. This gentle neighing is usually a harmless thing.
- Squeaks can indicate a threat. Two horses meeting each other for the first time may squeak. In addition, squeaks can also indicate a feeling of wanting to play, for example when a horse is lifting its hind legs.
- The horse will grunt by inhaling and then exhaling quickly through the nose. This sound meant he might be expressing wariness of other animals getting too close to him. In addition, the horse can also indicate that he is interested in something. Know that grunts can excite a horse; You may have to calm him down when this happens.
- Just like humans, horses will exhale to show feelings of relief and relaxation. These sighs are slightly different for each emotion: relief – the horse will take a deep breath, then exhale slowly through the nose or mouth; a feeling of relaxation – the head is lowered when exhaling with a thudding sound.
- Moans can indicate many things. For example, a horse may groan when in pain while riding (e.g. after a high jump over a fence, the rider presses hard against the saddle). He may also groan as he exercises happily and painlessly. Moaning can also indicate more serious medical issues, such as constipation or stomach problems due to heartburn. If you're having trouble determining why your horse is groaning, consult a horse specialist.
Method 3 of 3: Understanding the Tail, Neck and Head Position of the Horse
Step 1. Pay attention to the position of the horse's head
Like the rest of the horse's body, it will move its head in a variety of ways to express its feelings. This head position indicates a wide variety of moods.
- If the horse's head is erect, it means it is alert and curious.
- A bowed head can mean several things, for example the horse has accepted a certain situation or command. However, it can also indicate feelings of depression, which require additional assistance from a veterinarian.
- If the horse is lowering its head and moving its neck to the right and left, it means it is being aggressive. If possible, keep the horse away from the cause of the problem. If you can't do this safely, stay away from the horse as much as possible until it calms down.
- Horses may turn their backs to indicate discomfort in their stomach.
Step 2. Observe the movement of the ponytail
Horses will wag their tails for a variety of reasons, not just to repel flies or insects. While the natural position of these tails varies depending on the breed of horse, there are some that are commonly shared by different breeds.
- In addition to wagging their tails to ward off annoying pests, horses can also do this to show feelings of irritation and a warning to other horses to keep their distance. When a horse feels uncomfortable, it will move its tail more quickly and aggressively than when it simply wants to repel insects.
- Horses often raise their tails when they are happy and alert. A foal with an erect tail means that it is playing or is alert.
- If the ponytail is limp down, it may be experiencing some discomfort, such as having flies on its underside.
Step 3. Observe the look and feel of the neck
Horses will position their necks in various ways to indicate whether they are tense, relaxed, etc. Knowing these different positions will help you better understand your horse's body language.
- If the horse's neck is straightened and its muscles feel weak, this means that it is relaxed and happy.
- If the muscles in the back of the horse's neck are tense, he may feel stressed and unhappy.
Tips
- Take the time to observe the horses from a distance. This will give you a better understanding of how horses use several specific body parts, or together, to communicate.
- Understanding how a horse communicates takes time, but it's worth it because you know what he's trying to say.
- If you're not sure what your horse is trying to convey, consult an expert to help you better understand the horse's body language.
- Remember, a certain facial expression or action, such as a stomping of the foot, can indicate a variety of things.
- Horses are prey animals and will likely perceive you as a predator. Because horses are big, knowing body language to indicate when they feel threatened or in danger will help protect you from potential injury.
- If the stallion is showing aggressive body language, keep the horse away from you. Otherwise, he will think he is the boss. You have to be firm and make the horse understand that you are in control, not him.
== Warning ==
- An angry, anxious, or timid horse can be dangerous and result in serious physical injury. Always put your safety first.
- A horse that is constantly rebelling and standing will endanger the rider – don't ride a horse like this. Some horses may be tamed by the right trainer and extra patience, but don't pair an inexperienced rider with a rebel horse.
