We may be able to read horses, but they can read us better.
Recently I joined a webcast sponsored by Horse Class called Unlock Your Horse’s Hidden Language.
Andrea Wady, Equine Relationship Specialist, shared tips on how to read the subtle (and less subtle) body language, movement and facial expressions that horses use to communication how they are feeling.
The webcast referenced a book by Rachaël Draaisma entitled, Language Signs and Calming Signals of Horses.
The writer helps you interpret the physical signals that horses display in such subtle ways that they go unnoticed by humans. She takes the reader on a journey through the ladder of rising horse tensions to the calming signals horses use to reduce their stress (i.e. chewing, looking away).
One of the big highlights for me was the idea that horses desire to have a voice. They say things through small, expressive signs. Interpreting these signs is not a mystical skill. With attention, anyone who spends time around horses can learn to tune into their unique forms of nonverbal communication. Here’s a link to an excellent video by Carmella Abel, Equine Helper.
Sadly, I learned that some horses have learned not to communicate. This may be the result of hard training or uncomfortable environments. So, when you go to the barn look for that softened eye and the restful, cocked back leg and give your happy horse a hug!
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