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forward, he is calmly paying attention.

If the horse twitches one or both ears back and forth, he is listening to something and trying to determine his next move.

If he opens his eyes quite wide, so that the white rims are showing, he is probably afraid and may flinch, spin or bolt.

By observing horses in the pasture and reading horse care books, humans can learn important information about the ways horses communicate.

HANDLING WITH CARE

If treated kindly, horses are generally gentle and kind creatures. Most equines are eager to please their human handlers, once authority and trust have been established.

Mistreatment or harsh handling may transform a sweet horse into a difficult one. Humane horse care and interaction are central to positive stable behavior.

USING CALM TONES

Horses are amazingly empathetic creatures. Equines have an uncanny ability to sense human emotions, but they usually cannot discern the causes of our responses. Although a horse may not understand our human speech, he seems to recognize the difference between a calm tone of voice and an angry one. He can also sense when people are uneasy or afraid.

If a human maintains a calm and confident demeanor around a horse, then that horse is most likely to trust him and cooperate.

FEEDING TREATS

Barn visitors often desire to feed tasty treats to horses. Carrots, apples, sugar cubes, peppermints and other snacks may appeal to equines. However, it is important to ask for permission before feeding others' horses. Some horses may have special dietary programs or even food allergies.

What's more, many owners do not wish for people to hand-feed their horses. Equines may develop mouthy habits, such as nipping, if they receive many treats by hand. Horse owners often do not wish to face liability risks from folks placing their hands in, or even near, equines' mouths.

KNOWING BARN RULES

Most horse barns post lists of basic rules, which may include both safety issues and general management concerns. If a newcomer or visitor is unsure about how to behave in any situation at the stables, then he or she should certainly speak up and ask for directions.

For security and courtesy, it's important to behave carefully, calmly and kindly around horses.

At the horse barn, horseplay should be practiced only by real horses.

Learn more about this author, Linda Ann Nickerson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

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