href="#fb3_img_img_df822b55-3598-5dbc-93f3-cd047d462334.png"/>
fig. 3.5
3.5 Ricky’s ear and eye tell me he’s thinking of turning his head over his right shoulder—and then “leaving” me and what we are doing.
fig. 3.6
3.6 Fudge drops his head, not only to look at the downward slant of the ramp, but to help balance himself.
Lowering and Turning Sideways
Because of the position of the eyes on the horse’s head, the horse cannot see clearly directly in front of or behind him. A horse naturally lowers his head to see the ground properly when the footing is uneven or there are obstacles on it that he must negotiate (fig. 3.6). A jumping horse may turn his head slightly sideways so that he can judge the distance and height of the jump. Horses can also see better when they stand still and adjust their head carriage to inspect a strange object, so don’t worry if the horse stops to look at a new obstacle. He’s not necessarily refusing to negotiate it, he’s trying to work out how to do it. He may look at you and the obstacles you present to him in all sorts of funny ways as he lifts, drops and twists his head, but as long as he looks soft and interested, you are okay. (When I discuss catching horses as well as working them completely free, you will see that the position of the head is important in ascertaining whether the horse is thinking of leaving you or ready to be with you—see pp. 32 and 82.)
Ear Signals
The horse’s ears are an obvious indicator of mood. There are many ear positions; just watch the horse, and view them alongside other signals, to learn what they mean.
Ideally, when you interact with the horse he should give you his full attention, but when you are moving through an obstacle course he may split his attention between you and the obstacle in question, with one ear pointing at you and the other on the obstacle. In many of the pictures in this book you will see that the horse has one ear on
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fig. 3.7
3.7 Secret has one ear on me while the other points straight ahead.
fig. 3.8
3.8 Kelston’s ears are softly back, and his head is low in a relaxed, accepting posture.
the handler and the other pointing straight ahead (fig. 3.7).
In any case, “soft” ears indicate a relaxed horse. For example, don’t confuse ears that are flat back (the horse looks like a mole!) with ears that are softly back. The first means, “Get away, I’m going to defend myself,” while the second shows an acceptance of the situation that some call “submissive” (fig. 3.8).
Watching the Eyes
When studying a horse’s eyes, be sure you don’t “glare” into them—until they get used to it, most horses find it very threatening (it’s what a predator does). There are many states that the eye can be in that denote the way a horse is feeling, but I am only listing a few here that are easy to see.
Shape and Quality
All horses’ eyes are not the same. Some are large and round, while others are almond-shaped. The shape of the eye can actually change with the horse’s mood. As he relaxes and becomes sleepy, the eyelid may half close. When a horse is afraid, the eye can open very wide sometimes showing a white ring around the outside of the pupil. (Note: This is not a hard-and-fast rule. Many Appaloosas, for example, have a white-ringed eye and they are not always frightened.)
Observe your horse when he is relaxed and comfortable. What shape is the eye and what can you see in the eyeball? Is there a white ring, or does he have a “dreamy look” of contentment? When your horse is on guard or unsure of something, see how his eye changes. Does it get bigger and does the quality of the eyeball change? A very defensive horse may have an eyeball that looks almost solid in color—I call it a “rat’s eye.” When you do see a change in your horse’s eye, you can
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then decide if it’s something you need to deal with. When in doubt, look at the rest of the horse—his ears, poll and body—and piece the whole picture together to decide what the horse is feeling.
Wrinkles Above the Eye
Look at wrinkles above the eye to gauge anxiety (fig. 3.9). All horses are different so make note of how many wrinkles your horse normally has above the eye when he is relaxed (if any). Again, look when he becomes anxious or fearful and see if there is any change.
What the Mouth and Lips Say
Just like people, the mouth and lips of the horse tell us a lot about his mood. Often you may not see any other signs to help you assess how he’s feeling, but when you look at his mouth, you can tell. A relaxed horse’s lips are soft, even droopy, while tight lips drawn up almost to expose the teeth show fear and tension (fig. 3.10).
Sometimes, when a horse has understood your request and is happily accepting you as a good handler, he will yawn, lick his lips and chew. When he does this, leave him alone for a moment—he’s digesting a thought!
As with other signals, every horse is different, so observe yours when he is happily out in the paddock with his friends or standing relaxed in the stable so that you can begin to see what’s “‘normal”’ for him.
Tail
Observe the horse’s tail to assess his mood. The soft, accepting horse has a tail that lies flat on his hind end, hanging down and swinging smoothly as he moves. A high tail denotes excitement, which means you may have difficulty keeping his attention on you. The opposite—the clamped tail—is often seen as the horse crouches his hind end down prior to kicking out. It’s normally a sign of fear. A swishing tail may or may not denote discomfort: A tail swishing flies rhythmically is quite safe but “angry” swishing from side to side is not—it means the horse is far from happy (fig. 3.11).
Posture: What It Says
about the Horse’s Mental State
The ideal posture for Horse Agility is when the horse is looking at you in an interested way with his ears forward and a relaxed body. It’s okay if he has a quick snooze while you arrange an obstacle or discuss tactics with a
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fig. 3.9
3.9 It is normal for Kelston’s eyeball to have a white ring around it because he is half Appaloosa (it is a common breed trait), but his attention is not fully on me—he is looking at something in front of him. See how the wrinkles above his eye express a slight anxiety about whatever it is.
fig. 3.10
3.10 Ricky’s mouth is tight here, and he also shows fear in his eye
