Horse Body Language: Decoding Your Horse’s Behavior
Michelle DrumWhile horses do communicate vocally in herds, the majority of what they tell you can be read from their body language. The key to communication with horses is picking up on subtle changes in behavior that indicate whether they’re anxious, angry, scared, or relaxed. When you understand what your horse is saying with their body language, you can respond in a way that keeps them calm and happy.
Learning how to decode your horse’s behavior is one of the most important parts of horsemanship, in and out of the saddle. But because humans rely so heavily on verbal communication, these cues can be difficult to pick up on at first. That’s why we’ve created a guide to equine behavior and how to interpret and respond to your horse’s cues.
Alert or nervous horse body language
When horses hear a noise or perceive a change in their environment, they pause to identify whether it is a threat. Because this is a stress response, horses display a lot of the same behaviors whether they’re nervous or simply checking out their surroundings. Here are some behaviors that indicate your horse is alert or nervous:
| Posture | The horse will be in a square stance, head raised and focused on the person or noise that is making him alert or nervous. |
| Facial expressions | A nervous horse keeps his eyes open wide, with square or flared nostrils and a tensed up muzzle and lips. |
| Ear and tail movements | An alert horse’s ears will be turned back, forward, or swiveling to locate the source of the sound. His tail will be tensed up, either raised or clamped. |
| Actions | A nervous horse may blow out through his nose to make a snorting sound or block you from reaching his neck with his head as you approach. |
A nervous horse may also touch you with his muzzle if he’s stressed out and looking for reassurance. If your horse is recovering from a stressful situation, he may lick and chew as he shifts from an alert to a resting state.
Scared horse body language
If a horse perceives a sound or object as a threat, his alertness will turn to fear. It’s important to identify when your horse is afraid so you know when he is at risk to flee. A scared horse displays nervous body language with additional signs to indicate fear:
| Posture | A scared horse keeps his head raised and focused on the scary object, leaning back with his front legs splayed. |
| Facial expressions | The horse’s nostrils will remain square or flared with a tensed up muzzle and wrinkled eyelids and brows. The horse’s eyes may dart back and forth, with the whites of his eyes, or sclera, showing. |
| Ear and tail movements | The horse’s ears will be turned back or pinned to his neck, and his tail will be clamped down. |
| Actions | A scared horse may also make snorting sounds and begin backing away. If he’s especially scared, he may start trembling as well. |
If your horse is showing signs that he is scared, he may try to run away. Remove your horse from the object he’s afraid of, and help him calm down. If necessary, reintroduce the object once your horse is relaxed, and remain calm to show him he doesn’t need to be afraid.
Angry horse body language
An angry horse can pose a threat to you, others, and horses nearby. The best way to prevent kicking or biting incidents is to understand the behaviors your horse displays when he’s angry. Here’s some angry horse body language to be aware of:
| Posture | An angry horse lowers his head and focuses on what is irritating him. If threatening to kick, he may also raise his hind hoof. |
| Facial expressions | Like a scared horse, an angry horse’s muzzle tenses up, and the sclera of his eyes show. He may also have wrinkled and elongated nostrils and open his mouth to show his teeth. |
| Ear and tail movements | Pinned ears and a rapidly whipping tail usually indicate a horse is irritated or angry. |
| Actions | Pawing, stomping, lunging, and biting are all signs of an angry horse. He may also block you from reaching his neck and swing his hindquarters to warn you he’s going to kick if you come any closer. |
Horses almost always give a warning before they kick. Your horse may lift his hind hoof, paw at the ground, lunge at you, or swing his hindquarters to threaten aggression. Pay attention to these signs, and quickly identify what is making your horse angry.
How can you defuse aggressive behavior in horses?
If your horse is threatening to display aggressive behavior, back up or get out of the way, depending on what is irritating him and how angry he is. Once you’ve identified what is making him angry, either remove the object or refocus his attention to calm him down. Never approach an angry horse from behind where he could easily kick you.
Dominant horse body language
In a herd of horses, there is always one or several alphas. Sometimes, horses struggle with one another before establishing which ones are dominant. If your horse is trying to show dominance, he may display these behaviors:
| Posture | A horse trying to establish dominance may stretch his head over you or another horse. |
| Actions | Snaking the head from side to side, biting, threatening to kick, and pushing can indicate struggles for dominance within a herd. |
If your horse attempts to establish dominance over you, you need to correct this behavior right away. If a horse is showing aggressive behavior towards other horses in his herd, you should remove him from the others to defuse the situation.
Relaxed horse body language
A horse can be relaxed when resting or training. As you might expect, relaxed body language means the horse’s muscles are relaxed, not tensed up. Here are some other signs of a relaxed horse:
| Posture | If your horse is relaxing, he may have his head lowered and rest one of his hind legs, occasionally shifting his weight between legs. |
| Facial expressions | The horse’s muzzle will be relaxed with oval nostrils or droopy if he’s drowsy. His eyes will be open or half-closed, and his mouth will be closed. |
| Ear and tail movements | A relaxed horse keeps his ears low and turned to the side, loosely swaying or relaxing his tail. |
| Actions | If you hear your horse take a big sigh and see him chewing, he’s most likely relaxed. |
When a horse is relaxing, he may get startled if you approach him without warning. Call your horse’s name as you move closer to avoid scaring him. If your horse starts chewing during training, it means he’s relaxed and thinking.
Sleeping horse body language
Because horses can sleep lying down or standing up, you may not realize it when your horse is napping. When you approach a horse that’s standing very still, check for these other signs to see if he’s sleeping:
| Posture | A sleeping horse may be standing with a relaxed posture, low head, and one hind leg resting, or he may be lying down. |
| Facial expressions | The horse’s eyes will be closed and his muzzle relaxed with oval nostrils. He may also have a drooping lip. |
| Ear and tail movements | If your horse is sleeping, his ears will be low and turned to the side, and his tail will be relaxed with minimal movement. |
| Actions | The horse will probably be standing very still, but it’s normal for horses to have involuntary leg twitches during deep sleep. |
Like a relaxing horse, you should let a sleeping horse know when you’re approaching. It’s always unpleasant to be woken up suddenly, but horses spook more easily when they’re sleeping and unaware of their surroundings.
Do horses snore?
It is not uncommon for horses to snore during deep sleep, especially when lying down. Horses are very large animals, and when lying on their side, their weight puts pressure on their respiratory system, causing them to snore. When horses sleep standing up, they are usually in a light sleep and less likely to snore, but it is possible for them to snore while standing up.
How can you tell if a horse is happy?
We all want our horses to be happy, so it’s just as important to know when your horse is enjoying himself as it is to know when he’s upset. A horse may be happy while hanging out with the herd, going for a run, getting groomed, or just relaxing in the pasture. Here’s some body language that means your horse is happy:
| Posture | A happy horse’s posture depends on the activity he’s enjoying, but generally, he will not be tense. |
| Facial expressions | Happy horses hold their eyes half-closed, relax their muzzle and nostrils, and stretch out and curl their upper lip. |
| Ear and tail movements | Your horse’s ears may be relaxed or pointing at whatever he’s concentrating on. His tail may swing loosely if he’s enjoying time in the pasture, or he may raise his tail if he’s enjoying a good run. |
| Actions | A happy horse may also dribble a little or make a soft snorting sound. Although pawing can be a sign of an angry horse, pawing and playing with other horses can also mean your horse is happy. |
Another happy horse behavior is mutual grooming. This indicates the horse is relaxed and bonding with other horses in the herd. Horses sometimes attempt to groom their owner when enjoying a good grooming session. Encouraging this behavior can lead to confusion as the horse gets older or changes hands, so it should be gently discouraged from a young age.
What does it mean when a horse stares at you?
When a horse stares at you, he could be bored, curious, uncertain, or relaxed. You can usually figure out why your horse is staring at you from other body language clues. However, if your horse is staring at you and appears alarmed, he could be uncertain about or scared by something you’re wearing.
Why do horses clack?
Clacking is a sharp noise made by a horse clicking his teeth together, and it’s used to show submission. Foals and young horses often clack at other horses to let them know they’re young and harmless, but this behavior usually stops once they’re a few years old. An older sick or injured horse may also clack at a dominant horse as a sign of submission.
What is the flehmen response in horses?
The flehmen response is a voluntary behavior where a horse raises his head, curls his lip, and inhales to better process certain smells. Horses flehmen when they smell something unusual, but stallions also flehmen when breeding to find out whether a mare is in heat.
How to tell if a horse is sick or hurt
Horses also use body language to tell you when they’re sick or hurt. Sometimes, it can be difficult to tell whether a horse is communicating an emotion or a physical ailment. The best way to decode your horse’s behavior is to observe body language alongside other symptoms over time. If you’re unsure whether your horse’s behavior is normal, it’s always best to call your veterinarian.
Here are a few signs of a hurt or sick horse:
- Front legs splayed: While splayed forelegs can be a sign that your horse is scared, it can also be a sign of malnutrition or neurological problems. If your horse does not show other signs of fear and is also unable to move, he may be experiencing one of these issues.
- Pointing with a front hoof: Horses do shift their weight from one foot to another when they’re relaxing, but when a horse can’t seem to get comfortable or points with one of their front hooves, it’s a sign that he’s in pain and can indicate lameness.
- Slack mouth: A relaxed muzzle and drooping lip is no cause for concern when a horse is sleeping. But if the slack mouth does not go away when he wakes up, this could indicate an injury or neurological problem.
- Gaping mouth: If your horse keeps his mouth open while being ridden, he could be in pain. Ensure the bit and bridle are properly fitted. If the pain continues, you should have his teeth examined. A gaping mouth combined with an outstretched neck indicates choking. Dislodge the food blocking his esophagus, and call your veterinarian.
- Tense muscles: Muscle tension is usually associated with fear, anger, or alertness, but if your horse tenses his muscles at all times, he could be suffering from back pain, lameness, or dental pain.
- Blocking you: A horse may block you from reaching his neck when he’s nervous or angry, but if he isn’t showing any other signs of these emotions, he could be protecting a painful area.
- Lowered head and ears: If your horse lowers his head and ears when he’s not sleeping, he could be in pain or not feeling well.
- Half-closed or closed eye: Horses half-close or close their eyes when they’re napping or have the sun in their eyes. A horse that closes one eye when he’s awake and out of the sun may have an abrasion or something stuck in his eye.
- Isolation from the herd: Typically, a horse will not separate himself from the herd unless something is wrong or he’s been pushed out by an alpha for not respecting other members. A horse that’s new to a herd may be nervous, but if your horse is isolating himself from his established herd, he could be sick or injured.
It’s important to know when your horse is sick or in pain so the problem can be addressed before his symptoms worsen. Learning your horse’s normal behaviors can help you identify unusual behavior and better care for your horse.
Horse body language hacks for training
Once you’ve learned how to understand your horse’s behavior, you can use that skill to improve communication with your horse during training. Here are some of our best tips for responding to body language as you train your horse:
- When horses chew during training, they’re thinking about what you’re teaching them. This means the training method you’re using is helping them learn.
- If you notice your horse is curious, encourage him to explore what he’s curious about. This will give him the confidence to learn new things on his own in the future.
- When a horse points an ear in your direction during training or riding, it means he’s paying attention. He may even point his ear toward your leg when you give an aid in an effort to understand what you’re asking of him.
- If your horse is in pain while being ridden, he may raise his head, gape his mouth, hollow his back, pin his ears, or wring his tail. Try readjusting your horse’s tack to make him more comfortable.
- Look for early signs of annoyance and fear during training. When you notice this behavior, correct it before it escalates to keep your horse on track.
- Never allow your horse to stretch his head over you. As a dominant horse behavior, this is a sign of disobedience and can hinder your training.
- If your horse muzzles you for reassurance, a little encouragement can help boost his confidence and ease his nerves.
- When your horse is uneasy, remain calm. Horses pick up on our demeanor, so the best way to calm them down is to appear calm.
Understanding your horse’s body language is an essential part of training, caring for, and bonding with your horse. The Farm House carries a wide selection of horse training equipment and grooming supplies to help you do just that. With the right knowledge and supplies, you’ll be communicating with your horse like a pro in no time.
You might also like: