![back in focus horse back in focus horse](https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/portrait-horse-brown-head-young-girl-sitting-her-back-focus-179508558.jpg)
The bored or impatient horse paws when tied-he’s saying that he’s tired of standing around and he’s ready to go! Stressed horses may paw in the trailer or at feeding time, and the behavior stops when the source of the anxiety is past. Horses paw-an arcing action with the foreleg that may dig a trench in soft ground-for a number of reasons. Call in a veterinarian if a horse standing splay legged is unwilling or unable to move. Injuries or health issues, such as weakness from malnutrition or neurological impairment, can also cause a horse to stand with his forelegs splayed. Standing splayed.A horse spreads his front legs out to the sides and leans back a little when he is scared-he may be seconds away from a spook or bolt. We’re all trained early on to watch out for a horse’s hind legs because that’s where the kicks come from, but the front legs can also communicate quite a bit: This may mean refocusing his attention, moving him out of the area or just getting away from him. You need to ascertain why the horse is aggressive and defuse the situation. If you see a horse do this, it’s a red alert. Lowering the head slightly and waving the neck from side to side is an aggressive act, often used by stallions who are fighting or herding an uncooperative mare. If the behavior persists, have a veterinarian check your horse for back pain. Carefully examine your tack for protruding screws or other sources of discomfort and check for proper fit. As his handler, you need to realize that he is not paying attention to you, and he may be about to spook or bolt to prevent that from happening, you must regain his focus.Ī horse who raises his head while being ridden may be in pain, especially if he also hollows his back, pins his ears or wrings his tail. If he’s standing in his stall or pasture with a lowered head, he’s probably either resting or asleep call his name and make your approach obvious so you don’t startle him.Įlevated.Your horse is focused on something in the distance, and he’s probably trying to figure out whether he should flee, investigate or ignore it.
![back in focus horse back in focus horse](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eJCMPrVvWqg/maxresdefault.jpg)
Lowered.A dropped head is a sign your horse is relaxed and feeling good, and his ears will often hang to the side as well. The position and movement of a horse’s head are easy to see and can tell you a lot about his mood and what he’s thinking: He may be trying to locate the source of a frightening sound or smell, or he may be overwhelmed by too many stimuli. Rapidly swiveling.Ears that are flicking back and forth are a sign that the horse is in a heightened state of anxiety or alertness. When combined with a swishing tail or other signs of tension in the body, turned-back ears may be a precursor to pinned ears. If your horse’s ears are pointed backward but not pinned, it often means he’s listening to something behind him-he may be deciding whether to run away or turn around and check out the sound. Instead, call his name or make some noise, and don’t approach until he turns his head or otherwise indicates that he’s paying attention to you. You don’t want to march up to this horse and pat him because he may be startled and react by running over you, whirling or striking out. Turned out to the side.The horse is asleep or relaxed and may not be attuned to what’s going on around him. But the ears have more to say than just that: One of the first lessons a novice rider is taught is that when a horse’s ears are forward he is alert, paying attention and/or interested in what’s in front of him, and when his ears are pinned back close to the neck he is angry and about to bite or kick. Here’s what you need to know: What His Ears Say If your horse’s ears are pointed backward but not pinned, it often means he’s listening to something behind him. It may take some time and attention, but a better understanding of the language of horses will improve your horsemanship skills, and you’ll be able to read your horse more clearly and fine-tune your training and handling accordingly. Anyone who spends time around horses can learn to tune in to their unique forms of nonverbal communication. From a distance, it may look like these experts are “mind reading,” but in reality, they’re noticing and responding to the subtlest of cues from the horse, both on the ground as well as in the saddle.
![back in focus horse back in focus horse](https://cdn0.wideopenpets.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bigstock-Girl-horseback-riding-at-sunse-23167235.jpg)
The ability to read and respond to this horse body language is what sets great trainers apart from the rest. But like many animals, horses communicate much more through postures, gestures and expressions than they do with their vocal cords. Equine body language involves his entire body, from ears to hooves to tail.īecause people rely so much on verbal communication, it’s natural to focus on a horse’s vocalizations when trying to figure out what he is saying.