by Anthony Stemke

Created on: July 23, 2008   Last Updated: June 25, 2009

We horse lovers are always trying to better understand the nature of our animals, so that our relationships with them will improve. With love and respect horses can learn to respond to human demands. But many people don't understand the mind of a horse, and what he is saying when displaying non-verbal signs. If we can understand and appreciate the horse's mind, we will respond appropriately and consistently to their behavior.

Horses instinctually run at great speeds to protect themselves from predators. Knowing that their natural instinct is to run will help owners understand and control their animals better. A well-trained horse, even when frightened, will follow directions, disregard instincts, and trust its rider. It is the psychological trust between a horse and rider that bypasses instinct and makes them more manageable. The best way to cultivate trust is by positive interaction and reinforcement. Lavish praise produces trust and speeds up the learning process.

How do you interpret horse-speak? What do you look for? You must closely look at body language. Being social animals, their need for communication is profound, and they interact with a system to let their fellow horses know what they are thinking. They communicate by using their posture, tails, face, eyes, and perhaps most importantly their ears. The biggest and most easily recognized communication tool is the horse's body outline. The high rounded outline signals an excited animal, as opposed to the flat outline of a relaxed one. When you and your horse are really together, your wishes will transfer from your mind to your horse's mind with the slightest move of your body.

A horse's ears will tell you many things about how he is feeling. Essentially they point in the direction of their attention. When slightly back, they are listening to their rider and are content. Moving his ears back and forth signals uncertainty. However, ears pulled far back can indicate anger, or fear. Your confidence travels right through your body into your animal's body. Work on your confidence and you'll build his as well. When the horse's ears are pulled flat back, be careful, he's liable to kick, especially when his nostrils are flared. With a defiant horse you must be firm, but always gentle.

The tail expresses body language as well. A high tail is a sign of intense excitement. When a horse is lashing its tail it is displaying irritation. Just like frightened dogs with tails between their legs, horses also express fear that same way. During these times, speak softly and try to redirect his attention to something good.

Subtle facial signs are more difficult to understand. A wrinkled nose can mean disgust or displeasure, but wrinkles above the eyes, can mean distress or uneasiness. An open mouth with bared teeth or eyes opened wide showing the whites signal a bite threat. When a horse licks his lips it is a sign of understanding and relaxation. A high head equals an uptight horse, while a low head equals a relaxed horse. So teach your horse to drop his head.

Studying horse psychology, the reading of the mind so to speak, via the animal's body language, offers a perfect way to derive satisfaction in the relationship between you and your horse. Use patience and empathy to help your horse through his fears, and your relationship will flourish..

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