“This is just how they’ve evolved, and it’s how their body language has evolved, as well,” says Sue M. McDonnell, PhD, certified applied animal behaviorist and founding head of the equine behavior program at the University of ­Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s New Bolton Center, in Kennett Square. And that becomes a serious welfare issue.”Mares can have adhesions or lipomas (fatty tumors) pulling on the reproductive organs, which can become even more painful during certain phases of the reproductive cycle, McDonnell says. When he's relaxed, slowly reintroduce the thing that scared him. “If you notice him turning his head the wrong way, you can correct the problem right away, avoiding the danger of him dragging you off or kicking you. Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with Breeding stock 100 % FPD – Stormcloud is a gentleman - a real treasure and such a good boy. Humans could prevent many equine-related accidents by paying attention to their horses’ body language, says Jan Ladewig, DVM, PhD, professor in Animal Welfare and Ethology in Copenhagen University’s Department of Large Animal Sciences, in Denmark.
And your fellow barnmate isn’t nuts.

The ability to read and respond to this horse body language is what sets great trainers apart from the rest. They are a herd animal that has also been hunted as prey for most of those years of evolutionary development. The mouth may be slightly open but is relaxed. Horses have been a very old part of the animal kingdom spanning millions of years. As you work with your horse, observe how his postures and expressions change as he interacts with you as well as other people and animals. It doesn’t matter if some of these aren’t intentional communication. The tail may sway gently, curl loosely or hang in a relaxed position.
“If humans would pay attention to the laid-back ears and the threats, like pulling up a back foot or lunging toward the person with open teeth, there could be a lot fewer ­accidents.”Much equine research has focused on the communication of negative emotions. At the more aggressive end of the spectrum, many of the warning signs will be similar to a horse with a cocked leg: He may elevate his head, pin his ears and possibly even snake his head back and forth in warning.

In fact, when given the chance, they do it quite well. It also comes from spending lots of time simply While each horse is different, with our sources’ help we’ve come up with common things your horse might be communicating to you through body language. “Horses often threaten before striking—it’s part of their body language between each other,” she says. I once worked with a little filly who was nervous and high strung. When a horse's ears are back, it can also mean that the horse is concentrating. When a horse’s bottom lip is limp and drooping down from his muzzle, this is a sign that he is completely relaxed and trusting of his situation. As you work with your horse, observe how his postures and expressions change as he interacts with you as well as other people and animals.

What a foal is saying when he clacks his teeth? She and her team recently developed Ridden horses express pain using a different set of behaviors and facial expressions, says Sue Dyson, MA, Vet MB, PhD, DEO, FRCVS, head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the Animal Health Trust Centre for Equine Studies, in Newmarket, U.K. “These include persistently having the ears back, repetitive mouth-opening, an intense stare, alteration of head position by being above or behind the bit, head-tossing up and down or from side to side, tilting the head, and repeated tail swishing,” she says.Horses in acute stress display fairly recognizable body language, says McDonnell. To be sure, vocal sounds also play an important role in equine communication.