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Here Is What Your Horse Is Saying To You!
Author : Josie Amani
Horses aren't verbal beings; most of their communication is done via body language although they do communicate verbally on occasion. Learning to read your horse's body language can help you understand why your horse acts the way he or she does. Your horse's body language speaks volumes about how your horse is feeling, the mood he's in and what he may do next so it is vital that you learn equine body language in order to be able to communicate with your horse on his level.
Perhaps the most expressive body parts of a horse are the ears. Horse's ears are very expressive body parts, you can know a lot of what your horse is feeling by observing his ears. A horse's ears functions like radars, they are constantly moving pick up interesting sounds in the environment. Ears pricked forward usually mean the horse is relaxed, but if they're sharply pricked forward this could mean the horse is on the alert. The horse may be anxious or excited about something.
Ears facing backwards can mean the horse is relaxing, taking a short nap or listening to something behind him. Ears pinned backwards are usually a sign of aggression and the horse is telling you that you should back off immediately. Horses will usually pin their ears sharply backwards before taking a lunge at you or the offending object, they are also the prelude to a bite or kick so be careful!
Horses have very expressive eyes and a horse that is displaying the white of its eyes is nervous or afraid, this is generally referred to as "rolling eyes". A combination of body language can often reveal a lot about the horse's next move, for example sharply pricked ears, flaring nostrils and eyes showing white are usually signs that the horse is ready to bolt. The more time you spend with your horse the better you'll become at reading his body language.
The way the horse holds his neck is also an indicator of how he's feeling; a head held high can indicate anxiety fear or sometimes plain defiance. When a horse lowers his neck in a calm fashion this usually indicates acceptance and submission. A level neck is a neutral pose and usually means the horse is focused and engaged.
As with many animals, horses use their tails to indicate their mood. A swishing tail can mean the horse is irritated, if the horse is swishing his tail in an angry manner this means the horse is annoyed, you may see this if the horse is being pushed too much during an exercise. Flies can also be a source of great irritation!
Some horses, especially Arabians and foals "flag" their tails - flagging is when the horse holds his tail up high and is curls slightly at the dock. This is usually a display of happiness or excitement but it can also signal alarm. When a horse carries his tail low this can mean he is submissive or relaxed, but if the tail is tucked in between his hindquarters this means the horse is in considerable pain and discomfort and should be examined by a vet immediately.
Other forms of body language such as prancing are usually easy to read, a prancing horse may be on the alert, excited or nervous. Ground pawing usually means the horse is bored, but a slightly raised hind hoof means the horse is relaxed. Horses never raise their front hooves unless there is a problem so if your horse holds a foreleg off the ground make sure to have him checked by the farrier or vet immediately.
Author's Resource Box
Stal Amani is a world class equestrian centre located within close proximity from virtually anywhere in Europe. There are large arenas and cross country hacking is available in the surrounding forest areas. Stal Amani caters for most equestrian disciplines from novice to Grand Prix level. The facility also includes solariums for the horses and a fully staffed bar and taverna for our two legged guests http://www.stalamani.com
Article Source:
Articlebliss
Tags: horsespeak, equine body language, horse body language, understanding horses, understanding horses body language
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Submitted : 2010-08-18 Word Count : 1 Popularity: 274 Times Viewed: 124
