Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: Here is What Your Horse is Saying To You!

Horses, like most animals, communicate largely
through body language. They way a horse carries
himself or the position of his head and ears says
a lot about how the horse is feeling and what
he's trying to say to you. Learning to read your
horse's body language will enable you to
communicate with him on his level.

Perhaps the most expressive body parts of a horse
are the ears. A horse's ears can tell you a lot
about what your horse is thinking or feeling. The
ears of a horse are always moving, either
together or independently, much like radars. 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.

Like with many other animals, your horse's tail
is also an important part of his body language
and 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.

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Stal Amani is a top equestrian centre based in
Belgium within 2 hours drive of most of the top
jumping and dressage competitions in Europe. At
Stal Amani we specialise in training riders and
horses to compete in top level competition. Find
out more about training and stabling your horse
at Stal Amani by going to http://www.stalamani.com

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