The Communication Factor between Horse and Man

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Body Language in Horse and Human Interactions
By Debbie Burgermeister
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Ways in Which Horses Communicate With Humans
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A sick horse may appear quiet, reserved, and
dull. They could be lying down. Or the opposite
they could be biting at their stomach or
thrashing around. If your horse is also
uninterested in food or activitiesand eventually
refuses it the horse is likely unwell.
Additionally, their facial expression may appear
sad or scared.
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Happiness is the most heart-warming body language
to see in a horse. Horses often display their
smiles with a slight neck tilt and half-closed
eyes. Other times you might get a full-on
side-to-side grin when they want to play with
something with their mouth (muzzle). Have you
heard of horse smiling? Their ears will be
forward and alert. Understanding what actions or
activities make your horse content and happy is a
great way to cultivate your horse-human
relationship.
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When a horse is angry, you can visibly see the
whites of its eyes it also pins back its ears
and tenses its muscles throughout its body. The
horse may additionally paw or stomp the ground or
even start baring its teeth. Most of the
horse-human injuries are pretty avoidable. A
horse will rarely react angrily without issuing a
warning, which can be very suttle at first, and
you need to be able to read the signs so you are
quick to react with distance or discipline and
you dont get hurt. If you notice your horse
depicting any of these signs of anger, simply
move away from its proximity until the horse has
calmed down or you can assess the situation.
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Seeing a sad or depressed horse ought to be one
of the most heart-breaking experiences. Like
humans, a horse expresses its depression or
sadness in a gloomy demeanour. Theyll appear
very disinterested in their environment and
surroundings. The horse may also refuse food when
depressed. When your horse is trying to
communicate sadness or being depressed, its
likely to stand still while facing a wall with
its neck hanging low. Unless a person is very
inattentive, it is easy to know when your horse
is sad and depressed.
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Can your horse read your emotions?
They are not psychic, but they can certainly read
your facial expressions and behaviour. If you
stare angrily at a horse, its likely to turn
away and give you a sideways glance. Its heart
rate will also rise. Theyll also respond very
positively when they notice you are happy and
smiling.
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