How do horses show emotions with their mouthā¦
Twitching of the lower lip indicates that the horse is transitioning from a state of being stressed to more relaxed
Licking and chewing indicates a relaxation response
Yawning indicates a relaxation response
Nuzzling or nibbling often indicates a desire to engage and be social
Quick nipping or bitting indicates some sort of discomfort in the form of anxiety or physical pain
Snorting or sighing indiates a relaxation response
Whinning especially with the head up can indicate an increased stress level (a horse with seperation anxiety who is away from their herd will often whinny to them with their head way up when taken to the arena)
A fixed mouth and clenched jaw indicates a higher level of stress
The Eyes
Pay attention to those eyes as they make up the foundation of horse facial expressions!
A horse has large eyes with a wide field of vision that encompasses approximately 250 degrees, enabling it to see far out to each side, as well as whatās behind it.
Did you know that a horse can see a different sign with each eye? Is it any wonder that the horse is supersensitive to movement or surprises coming from any direction?
Horses also donāt have the same neural pathways that humans do connecting the two sides of their brain. This means that they process visual information coming in from the left eye seperately from that coming through the right eye. This is why we have to do everything on both sides with horses. A horse thatās always saddled on the right might spook when saddled on the left.
How do horses show emotions with their eyesā¦
Showing the whites of the eyes can indicate a higher state of stress
Rolling of the third eye lid indicates a relaxation response
A lack of blinking indicates a higher level or stress or a horse thatās more shut down
Looking in a different direction than the head can indicate a higher state of stress (this is especially true if a horse turns their head away from you but their eyes are still on you
The Ears
Watch those ears! Have you ever noticed how your horse swivels its ears? No matter what the horse is doing: eating, drinking, dozing, or just leaning against the fence, the ears are always in play, monitoring the world and listening for that quiet sound that indicates danger is near.
How do horses show emotions with their earsā¦
Fixated ears can indicate a higher state of stress especially when coupled with puffing of the body, a raised head and widening eyes
Flicking ears back and forth indicates changing focus and a state of relaxation
An ear flick towards you indicates a connection with the rider
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