FACE FACTS
Horses may not speak our language, but we can learn to understand what they’re telling us through their behaviour and body language. In the first of a two-part series, Justine Harrison discusses a horse’s facial expressions
What his expressions tell you
HORSE OWNERS WILL often say of their fourlegged friend, “I wish he could talk”. In fact, horses are extremely social animals and they communicate with each other — and with us — all the time. However, we aren’t always very good at picking up their subtle signals. Or is it just that we’re not looking hard enough? Horses are largely silent animals and rarely vocalise. Instead they use body language, behaviour and even scent to leave chemical messages in the form of pheromones. As we rely so much on verbal communication it can be difficult for us to see and understand their subtle expressions and movements. As a result, vital messages are often missed or misinterpreted by humans.
Equine ethologists have spent decades observing horses in their natural environment. Although we still have a long way to go before we fully understand how they interact and perceive the world, we do have a good understanding of how they communicate with each other.
Often horse owners assume that a horse’s actions or behaviour mean one thing, when actually the horse is telling them the exact opposite. Therefore understanding what that white eye or tense expression really means is vital. Every horse is an individual and how one horse reacts to a stimulus can be the opposite to how another would react. Because of this, it’s essential to know your own horse’s signs so that you can recognise when he’s frightened, stressed, relaxed or in pain. To become fluent in your own horse’s language, observe him in different situations and environments — for example, when he’s relaxing, playing, drowsy, waiting for his feed, introduced to a new horse, with the farrier or vet, or taken to a new environment. Watch his facial expressions, where tension is in his body, and his posture, speed or movement.
Face value
Learning to recognise early changes in your horse’s facial language can help you to see when he’s anxious, fearful, frustrated or aggressive. This puts you in a much better position to avoid potentially dangerous situations or behavioural problems escalating.