Since horses cannot talk, it can be difficult to discern equine emotions, and some researchers claim that animals are incapable of emoting. Even if they do think and feel, these professionals believe that they don't communicate their emotions outwardly. However, after spending time with horses, it is almost impossible to not believe in horse emotions.
Main Equine Emotions
The primary reason why it is difficult to understand how horses think and feel is that their emotions surface only briefly. Since the equine mind is not as well-developed as a human's, horses are not capable of holding on to an emotion for longer than a few seconds. This makes them very forgiving, but it doesn't mean that humans should not consider equine emotions in handling and training.
The primary equine emotions that humans are likely to witness are fear and excitement. These are linked directly to instincts and are highly visible in all animals. Since horses possess a particularly potent flight response to danger, for example, they exhibit signs of fear whenever they are threatened.
Similarly, equine emotions often include excitement, as horses are active and engaging animals. Excitement can range from a stallion running back and forth in his pasture, calling to a mare in heat, to a gelding who truly enjoys the equestrian discipline in which he is ridden. This equine emotion can be either positive or negative, depending on the situation.
Expressing Emotion
There are several ways to tell how horses think and fear simply by watching them on a regular basis. Rather than talking about their fears, desires, needs and other feelings, they communicate with body language. And unless one watches them closely, interpreting that body language can seem like a mystery.
Horses use all body parts to tell others how they think and feel. One can observe equine emotions by watching:
- Ears
- Eyes
- Tail
- Haunches
- Neck
For example, when a horse is paying attention to something, his ears automatically flick in that direction. When he is scared, his eyes will widen and his tail will tuck. If he's excited, the tail goes up in the air, the eyes get big and the neck brings the head to attention.
Horses communicate irritation very well by kicking, biting, bucking, rearing and calling. Horses will be more likely to make equine emotions known when they are feeling an extreme of one emotion or another, such as rage or excitement.
It is also easy to tell what horses think and feel when they express jealousy. Often, when horses are grouped together in the stable and in the pasture, they will fight over who gets attention. This is especially true with horses that are very comfortable with humans.
Emotions and Safety
Why should anyone care about equine emotions? How does it help a horse owner to know how horses think and feel? Obviously, one cannot have a conversation with a horse in the traditional sense, so it seems silly to worry about how they feel at any given moment.
However, a basic understanding of horse emotions can keep a rider safe. If a horse owner knows how to read equine body language, he or she is far more likely to recognize the signs of impending danger. For example, a horse who flattens his ears and swivels his haunches to face a human is probably going to kick, most likely out of anger or fear.
In other words, it behooves all horse owners to understand equine emotions.
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