Social creatures communicate their emotional state through facial expressions, body language, voice and overall energy. Horses are keenly aware of all these signals for emotional communication. Mares are usually the best teachers for equine “language skills” as foals mimic their mother’s conversations from ear positions to head and facial expressions, much like humans and other primates have been shown to do in studies. But with domestic horses forms of communication may also be learned from humans.

Different goals

Humans typically want to communicate with horses to “make them do something”—such as standing still for grooming, accepting a rider or learning discipline-specific movements. Horses, on the other hand, usually want to communicate with people because it is simply in their nature to try to make friends and talk.

Looking to connect

The horse who sticks his head out of the stall, eyes bright and ears forward, when you walk by is initiating a greeting. But if enough people ignore this request for a conversation, then the horse learns not to bother with people. Yes, the horse who bangs the stall door at feeding time makes his feelings heard loud and clear. But other communication can be much more subtle. When people don’t notice subtle communication in our domesticated horses, mental, emotional and physical issues can develop.

Observation and attention

Horses who are interested in communicating with us are talking all the time. They observe humans and try to determine how to get our attention. They often learn that pawing, banging, and making noises in their stalls work. And they determine any attention is better than no attention, particularly when they have something to say.

Have a conversation

Learning and understanding your horse’s rhythms can give you the subject matter and timing to start a conversation with him. For example, horses know when it is feeding time. So use that interest to have a “conversation” about whether your horse likes his food. Synchronizing your communication with your horse’s natural rhythms will allow him to be more interested in what you are saying and more focused on information important to both of you.

Adapted by permission from A Horse By Nature: Managing Emotional and Mental Stress in Horses for Improved Welfare, published by Trafalgar Square Books (2023).