Understanding horses in their own language

First of all, anyone familiar with horses knows the overriding importance of body language for them. “Because 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,” explains Jennifer Williams, PhD in Equus. “But like many animals, horses communicate much more through postures, gestures and expressions than they do with their vocal cords.”

Indeed, Williams notes, while sounds like nickering with pleasure over food are fairly obvious, other cues are more subtle. And one of the best places to start – as is often taught to developing riders – is with a horse’s ears. Indeed, not only is their hearing said to be superior to humans, but their ears are clear indicators of various emotional states.

For example, as Williams and others remind us, when a horse’s ears are pinned back, “he is angry and [could be] about to bite or kick.” In contrast, ears turned backwards could simply be a sign of the animal hearing a sound behind and trying to identify it. This could then lead to pinned ears, however, if a horse’s stress level increases; equines are prey animals (from an evolutionary point of view) and naturally scan their surroundings for dangers. When the ears are forward, this is another form of alertness, with the animal focused on what is in front of them. 

Obviously, every horse has its own character, including in its interactions with humans. But there are other universal gestures and body language which equines use to express themselves. One can mention the position and movement of a horse’s head, for instance: lowered when relaxed, elevated to identify something in the distance and figure out how to respond (or signalling possible pain while being ridden), or ‘snaking’ – lowered and waved back and forth – in aggression.

In fact, a horse’s entire body is communicating in different ways all the time, from its legs to mouth, nostrils to eyes and lips to tail. Being aware of that body language and knowing how to interpret it are important skills developed over time. For an indepth look at the issue, see Jennifer Williams’ original article here. 

At the same time, humans must be conscious of the different types of horses they are interacting with, even when are trying to express affection through petting, hugging or kissing. As this video reminds viewers, the places some might think horses want to be touched, like the nose, should often be avoided or treated with extra-special care. In addition, given their sensitivity, animals also react to the confidence of the person touching them and can respond accordingly.

Research into equine communication – including their techniques for conveying specific goals to people – is of course ongoing, and one example in recent years was carried out by Rachele Malavasi, PhD and others. “Horses,” Malavasi observed, “are social animals which have evolved skills to maintain their social unity: affiliative relationships, protection from outsiders, social facilitation, and even social learning…. We know now that their skill set also includes the ability to communicate intentionally with humans.”