Horse Talk: Part 2 How Horses Communicate with Us

Horses are incredibly intelligent, social creatures. And over the years they have adapted to living and working with us. It is fascinating to see how hard they reach out to us, seeking to communicate with us as our worlds have combined.

Today, let’s look at three different ways horses talk to us in the beautiful realm of horsemanship. This is hardly a comprehensive list - it would take books to cover it all! But those listed below will give you a glimpse into how your horse may be trying to talk to you!

1. Body Language

Much of the equine language is silent. It consists of movements; some are quite obvious and others so slight they’re easily missed. It could be a toss of their head, a shift in how they’re standing, or even a tightening of muscles through their neck and back.

Nervous vs. Calm

A nervous horse is, for the most part, a moving horse; they just can’t seem to hold still or are barely contained. This can vary a lot on the individual horse and what is causing them to be nervous. Some horses will pace and run, working themselves into a lathery sweat; others will spin and rear, head held high; and others may simply breathe harder and become tense. Whatever their reaction, be attentive: there is a reason for their behavior! There may be danger lurking… or it might just be a plastic bag in the bushes that the horse fully believes will eat them. Either way, it’s our job to listen and respond correctly to make them feel safe.

A calm horse, on the other hand, will stand quietly or graze peacefully in their pasture. A horse that will close their eyes is calm and completely trusting of you: it’s a high compliment! While riding, a horse that is in a calm state will move easily and is willing to stop when asked. Their breathing is slow and steady and they will have their neck nearly even with their spine. You’ll also notice that a calm horse will cock one of its back hooves - this is the equivalent of us kicking back on the sofa.

1. Habits and Expressions

Just like with people and most animals, a horse’s expression is very telling. When we’re with our horses, we need to pay special attention to this. If we’re truly watching, we can have advance notice on things that could become serious issues if we had waited for the more obvious signs. Expressions can communicate more than just their thoughts and emotions; they can tell us about their health and even their ranking in the herd hierarchy.

Sick Horse vs. Healthy Horse

Horses are prey animals. Left out in the wild, they would be battling elements and predators. Their survival depends on showing no weakness and remaining with their herd. So even as domestic animals, a horse that isn’t well won’t often show it. They will hide their injury or illness as much as possible. Colic, which can be a life-threatening condition, is often not discovered until it’s at its most critical state. Hence, we horse owners have to play detective. An unwell horse’s eyes will be dull, maybe even runny; and their head will droop. A horse that’s off his feed (not eating) is trying to tell you something! See your horse with a tense expression while doing something he usually enjoys? Red flags! Time to investigate further!

A healthy horse's eyes will be bright and clear. (Slight watering isn’t abnormal.) Their expressions will vary between relaxed and focused. They will happily follow their usual routine and their attention will be alert to activity around them.

1. Vocals

Horses make a variety of sounds, though mainly thought of as the classic whinny and nicker, there’s more! Whenever a horse does vocalize there is a specific message being conveyed. Here are the top four vocals that I’ve heard from my experience with horses.

Whinny: Their most used sound and the meaning can cover a broad range of topics when addressed to us, their handlers. It can be a greeting as you come to the barn or a call to hurry when you’re bringing them their feed.

Nicker: This low, gentle sound is most generally used as a sign of pleasure and affection, heard within their herd, with those they trust.

Snort: You’ll hear this usually when a horse is surprised or startled. I hear it the most when a horse sees a new (and to them scary) object or is meeting a new horse.

Scream: Yes, horses can scream. And once you’ve heard it, it’s a sound you can’t ever forget. I’ve only heard it once firsthand, and it is bone-chilling. Horses will scream in fear and in pain. If you ever hear this, go to your horse with all speed! This is no bluff: there’s something drastically wrong and they need your help.

As students of the equine language, it’s our duty to be listening to what our horses are saying. We might not always understand, but each day we can learn and expand our ‘vocabulary’!

Study the horses around you and your eventual fluency is guaranteed!

There’s something thrilling about the moments you realize: “I know what my horse is saying to me!