When it comes to animals, horses are considered the most majestic creatures and not common household pets. Therefore, it’s hard for an amateur to observe their behavior. But if you’ve spent a lot of time around them, it will be fairly easy for you to note how each is unique from another in personality. Hence, understand body language in horses, and in no time, you’ll be able to tell a friendly from an aloof one, a grumpy from a confident one, and so on.
But even despite daily observation, how can you tell if a horse is happy, or why do horses clack? You can’t always be sure of their feelings and thoughts. Also, the more time you spend around these creatures, the more you’ll question their behaviors.
The good thing is that these majestic beasts provide a lot of insights into their minds through their movements. Their posture and expressions often consist of subtle signs that speak out their thoughts.
Therefore, if you want to develop your relationship with these animals, learn to recognize these signs. By learning to interpret their movements, you’ll get deep cues into their expressions of pain, happiness, and even fear. In this article, I’ll provide you with a basic horse behavior chart to help you out.
Learning Body Language in Horses…
To understand a horse’s body language, it’s vital to look at each component of their physique that they speak through. And this guide will give you an idea of exactly that.
Communication through Ears
Living around them, one of the first things you learn is how they speak through their ears. Forward-facing ears mean they’re interested and alert. While pinned-back ears mean they’re angry. However, their ears speak of a lot more than just that…
Turned to the Side
- Relaxed or sleeping.
- It’s wise to make a small noise or call out before approaching them to avoid startling them.
Turned Back without being Pinned
- Listening to something behind them, preparing for a course of action.
- Alert and anxious due to something in the environment.
Rapidly Twisting Ears
- Anxiety, heightened alertness.
- Trying to locate a frightening sound or smell.
- Overwhelmed by the environment.
Speaking through Eyes
Body language in horses, or any other living being, starts with their eyes. Even the most quiet of animals speak a ton through their eyes. Hence, making eye contact with them can reveal a lot.
Whites of the Eyes Showing
- Something might be wrong; either they’re fearful or physically uncomfortable.
- It’s recommended to determine what’s wrong and fix it.
Bright and Focused
- Alert and happy with the surroundings.
- This is an extremely positive sign of socializing with their environment.
Hooded or Partially Closed
Reading Head Movements
Head movements can say a lot about the mammal’s mood.
Slightly Lowered
- When a horse is hanging its head low, with ears hanging to the side, it indicates a good mood.
- If the head’s even more lowered, they could be sleeping.
Raised Head
- Focusing on something in the distance and might even bolt soon.
- Combine this behavior with wide eyes; the conclusion becomes that they might be scared and alert.
Lowering Head, Side-to-Side Movement
- Mostly seen in stallions, this is a sign of aggression.
- It’s essential to assess the situation and defuse it.
Leg Movements
Learning about body language in horses is incomplete without knowing about their leg movements. Moreover, a common question people ask is, “Why do horses stomp their feet,”. Here’s what all this indicates…
Forelegs Splayed
- This means they are scared or about to get spooked.
- It can also be a sign of weakness or illness.
Pawing
- Pawing indicates boredom, stress, or even anger in some cases.
- If pawing is forceful and the ears are pinned back, approach with caution as they may be angry.
Stomping
- Repeated stomping signs toward irritation.
- While it can occur due to a fly or worm, it could also be due to something you’re doing, so be mindful.
Cocked Hind Legs
- When they cock their hind legs and rest the tip of their hoof, it usually means they’re relaxed.
- However, other signs like a raised head or turned-back ears alongside cocked hind legs might indicate irritation and a need to kick.
Muzzle or Mouth Movements
While these beasts don’t speak like any animal, it’s important to note their mouth and muzzle movements to understand body language in horses.
Drooping or Slacked Mouth
- Slacked or drooping mouth means the mammal is sleeping and calm.
Flehmen Response
- When you see them curl their top lip, raise the head, and take a deep breath, they’re showing a Flehmen response. This is a behavior shown by stallions assessing a mare in heat.
Nostrils Flared
- This is a sign of the animal being startled or nervous.
- Learning to recognize this helps prevent a negative situation.
Understanding Tail Movements
Raised or Flagged
- This is a sign of excitement. While it’s a positive indicator, it also means they’re prone to bolting or getting spooked.
Pressed-Down Tail
- A pressed-down tail means they are in pain or just feeling down.
- Acknowledging any discomfort will help them feel comforted.
Rapidly Swishing Tail
- A swishing tail isn’t always to squat flies. Sometimes, it can mean the animal is angry and about to kick.
Further Key Indicators
Sometimes, to understand body language in horses, you need to look at its whole body rather than just part of it.
- When the mammal’s entire body is trembling, or its movements are stuff, it may be nervous or in pain.
- Swinging hindquarters, meanwhile, indicate that it’s about to kick.
Recognizing different cues can help you understand the animal better while also ensuring you keep yourself and your surroundings safe from any sudden kicks.
Every animal communicates primarily through body language. This is essential to understand as it makes taking care of the animal easier. Pay attention to posture, expression, movement, and mood to get better insights into understanding the majestic mammal’s emotional state.
For additional help in understanding body language in horses, you can even create a personal horse body language chart to refer to when you feel confused by any behavior. For more help, you can always contact me at Unheard Miracles.
