Body language

I don't remember ever being taught how to "read" a horse. As a child, I remember that the signals horses sent to me, or anyone for that matter, were just so obvious.  However, there are quite a few people that do not understand their language. So for those that struggle with "horse language" I will attempt to explain it in words and pictures. Hopefully the accompanying photos of Mystic will help to clarify some of my words.

The eyes are the "Windows of the Soul" so the saying goes and this is especially true for horses. Rolled back, wide eyes are fright, anger, or pain. "Soft" gentle eyes are indicative of a relaxed, introspective (yes, horses actually think about and feel emotions too) thoughtful state of mind. Eyes that tear or blink a lot usually mean there are irritations, such as flies, to the eye. Obviously closed eyes are a horse at rest or sleep and yes, horses do dream. I know this because I had a young horse that would take afternoon naps and I would sit next to her as her closed eyes or legs would twitch and she would make soft noises yet, remain asleep.

The nose is another indicator of a horses emotions or state of being. Flared nostrils can mean excitement, heavy breathing, or that the horse is whinnying. Often a horse will take its top lip, curl it and throw its head skyward. This is called the "flehmen response". While it may look funny, it actually helps the horse to transfer particles in the air to the nasal passage for the horse to gain more information about its surroundings. It usually occurs when there is a smell the horse is unfamiliar with or when pheromones are present such as a mare in heat. A soft blowing through the nose accompanied by a licking or chewing often indicates the horse is relaxing and/or processing recent stimuli or information. This is a sign I look for when doing bodywork or energy work like Reiki with horses. A wrinkled nose can often mean the horse is irritated or about to sneeze.

The ears. You can tell a lot about where a horses attention is by the direction its ears are pointing. Ears pointed forward, there is something interesting ahead. Ears pointed sideways, they are listening to me (or the birds or another horse). However, if they are pointed sideways, the neck is hanging below the shoulders, the back leg is cocked, they are very relaxed or dozing. You need to notice where the level of the head is in relation to where the ears are. If the head is held high, the ears are pointed directly forward, the eyes are open and the nostrils are wide, chances are the horse has spotted something "scary" and may take off in the other direction at a moments notice! Sometimes an ear can be pointed forward and one pointed back. I see this a lot with horses that are ridden. It means they are listening to the rider with one part of the brain and also partially focused on something else around them. When the ears are both facing back but not against the head, they are completely focused on the rider or what is behind them. If you see the ears flat against the head, watch out! This is an angry horse and a bite or a kick may soon follow.   

The tail is yet another piece of the horses emotional state. A tail clasped tightly between the back legs means "I'm uneasy. I'm scared. I don't like this". A vigorously swishing tail means "I'm irritated", and if the hind leg is cocked, get out of the way because a kick is likely to be just around the corner. Horses use their tails to get rid of pesky, biting flies. They swish them back and forth on their sides or across their back but this swishing is much more relaxed than the "I'm irritated" kind of swishing previously described. Often when I turn Mystic out in an arena to run, he will throw his tail up in the air as he gallops or trots around. This usually means "Whee, I'm having fun!" or just plain excitement.

When "listening to" horses it is important to look at the overall body language and not just one piece of the puzzle. For example, don't just look at the ears to try and figure out what your horse is saying. Look at the ears in relationship to the tail, to the eyes, to the nostrils, to the legs...it is all important and it all goes together. With practice, observation and time you will be able to understand the expressive world of horse talk!                

 

 

 

First Bath...

I decided to get a little bit adventurous and give Mystic his first bath. It was Saturday, July 20th. It was a warm, humid day and Mystic had been cavorting around in the round pen. I wanted to tire him out first before beginning something as "monsterously scary" as showing him a "big, green snake" with water coming out the end of it. Of course, he did his obligatory roll in the dirt and high kicks in the air safely out of harms way before we got started. There were the usual loud snorts of "what the heck IS that?" but I kept the water to a trickle and slowly inched it around his head and over his back. Mind you, this was no small feat considering I was holding his lead rope in one hand and the hose "snake" in the other as he was dancing and prancing and snorting around. Not exactly a cooperative partner in this game initially. It took about 10 minutes of this before he began to resign himself to the fact that this was not going to stop so he might as well give in. He actually began to enjoy it once he discovered he could grab the end of the hose with his mouth and drink from it. I think I ended up getting wetter than he did and by the end of everything he was clean and I was filthy! We have done this "bath thing" two times since and each time he gets better and better with it as long as I keep it away from his tail. I will get that too eventually! I am really pleased with the progress we are making and I look forward to the day he stands quietly while I scrub and clean every inch of his horsey hide!

Whoo hoo!

       

Mystics new home.....

Friday July 26, 2013. Mystic moves from Valley Center to Garner Valley. I had a lot of apprehension about how the day might go...mainly, would Mystic load in the trailer and if so, how long would it take to load him up? Having only seen and spent time with him for two days, I wondered if he would trust me enough to follow me into the great unknown. I contacted a woman named Sheila about picking him up and trailering him to his new home as I do not own a horse trailer myself. We met at 9 am and rode together to the rescue facility in Valley Center. All the way there my heart and mind were racing and I was telepathically attempting to send messages to Mystic "please be a good boy and jump in the trailer". You see, Mystic had only been in a horse trailer once or twice in his young life and it was never under anything but stressful circumstances. Nicki greeted us when we pulled in. She was beaming and very happy knowing one of her rescues was going to a new forever home with me. I was happy to see her smiling face. It reassured me and made me feel more at ease. Sheila and Nicki talked while I went to collect Mystic. I know he sensed my anxiety and knew something different was up as he immediately turned his butt to me and did not act like his usual curious friendly self. I finally got his halter on and led him to the trailer. He was making his usual snorting sounds when he approached. I stepped up the ramp and into the trailer pulling on the lead and gently encouraging him in front while Nicki and Sheila stood behind and to the side encouraging him from behind. There was a lot of praise when he put one foot on the ramp. Eventually one foot became two and two became all four. He was in! Sheila had a bag filled with alfalfa waiting for him to munch on and he was happy to do so. The whole process took about 5 minutes and I let out a big sigh of relief. He loaded quicker and better than some horses I know with more handling and experience. I was a very proud Mustang momma! The ride from Valley Center to Garner Valley took almost two hours as Sheila is a very careful driver. Inside, Mystic behaved himself very well and was pretty quiet for the whole ride. We arrived at his new home right at Noon. He unloaded without incident and I took him to his new, clean stall. It took him a little bit to get used to his new home as I put shavings down in the box stall. He has never been in anything but a pipe corral. A box stall to him probably looked like just another big version of a horse trailer. And with the shavings on the ground-which he had never seen before either-it took a bit of convincing with handfuls of hay to get him in the stall and over to the rack filled with horse food.  Thirty minutes later he was walking in and out of the stall like he had been doing it all of his life! I am so impressed with Mystic. In the short time I have been with him, he has continually shown me what an eager, courageous, intelligent horse he is. We are building a bridge and a bond of trust together day by day and step by step.

           

Humble Beginnings.....

Mystic stumbled into my life on July 13, 2013. I never expected I would own a horse, let alone a Mustang, after the loss of my last horse due to the break up of my marriage eleven years ago. Had someone told me three weeks ago, "Denise you will be the proud owner of a 2 year old Mustang soon" I would have laughed and told them they were crazy! I have previously owned and trained a number of young horses in my life. I like working with and starting youngsters. I love the bond and the relationship I develop with my horses. It has never felt like work to me. It has always felt like play. I didn't think I was looking for a horse when I found Mystic. I am pretty busy at my massage therapy job and spending time at my art studio/gallery in Idyllwild. Practically speaking, a young horse is not something I needed to add to an already full plate financially or time wise. At least, that's what my mind was telling me. Apparently my heart and Soul had other plans. After stumbling across an ad for a horse rescue site in a magazine, my heart took over my mind and I made contact with a woman named Nicki who owns the property and runs the equine rescue facility. I made arrangements with her to come take a look at the horses available for adoption on Saturday, July 13th. After visiting with a mare that I had seen in photos, I quickly decided she and I would not be a good fit. As beautiful as she is, she is a very sensitive horse that would require much time, patience and a bit of risk to work with. I needed a "puppy dog" personality. A horse that was quiet and looking for a person to bond with. In came Mystic. Nicki and I walked up to the small pipe corral he was standing in. He had not had much handling so was a little bit shy at first but there was a light and a twinkle in his eye that seemed to say, "just give me a chance". I spent some time petting him and he began to follow me. I knew he was choosing me. By the end of the day, I handed Nicki a check for his adoption fee and was now the happy owner of a young Mustang. The facility had given him the name "Tag" but I quickly changed it to "Mystic Moon". "Mystic" for short. I don't know much about Mystics story in his short life of two years. What I do know is, his momma was a Mustang mare found in a feedlot and Mystic was a young foal by her side. Someone contacted Nicki about her and asked her to rescue them. Nicki agreed and they were brought to the facility. The only other thing I know is that when Mystic was weaned from his momma, he was put in a pasture to run and play with some of the other rescue horses and pretty much left alone until a few months before I adopted him. Some of the volunteers worked with him and taught him to accept a halter and lead. It could not have taken too long as Mystic loves to follow people and is a very smart horse who catches on to lessons quite easily and quickly. Mystic is a very gentle and friendly soul. He was a favorite of a number of visitors and volunteers at the facility. I know he will be missed there. That is one of the reasons I have decided to create this blog. To give his "fans" a chance to keep abreast of his progress through stories and pictures as he grows up. This blog is also a chance for me to chronicle the adventures and lessons Mystic and I will share together. He is a very special horse and I know he has come into my life at this time for a reason. We are meant to be together and I am looking forward to sharing my life with him.