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!