Most folks who have anything to do with horses are already aware of at least 2 movements horses use.  Ear pinning and head snaking. Most of us have a general idea of what these mean.  But those of us that are new to this group may not know what other actions horses use to communicate with each other.

 

Is there a "beginning" or "starting point" where us new folks can begin to learn what the various signals are, and how we might best identify them?

Frank M.

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In general that's why this group was started, to identify some 'calming signals', that's the term Ellen uses for them. One of the calming signals she's mentioned is the lowering of the head to indicate, as I understand it, that the horse wishes to say it is not a threat, does not want to fight...wants everyone to just calm down. Looking away, again as I understand it, means basically the same thing. Ellen is going to be out of town for a little while, I'm not sure how long, but you can find some more information in other discussion topics within this same group that might give you an idea of what some of the horse's body language means. Try the one about personal space.
My horse does both: lowers his head and looks away. For a long time I took lowered head as a sign of being "relaxed", at ease, even falling asleep. Looking way was mis-interpreted as if reacting to being "scolded" with a rather loud "NO!"
Using no and whoa could be a mistake as both sound so similar; leading into some confusion for the horse. I use "QUIT" instead of no. Your understanding of these 2 calming signals has basically cleared up some questions I had about them. Your suggestion to look around at other group discussion topics is well taken. Thank you.
Glad I could help. So many trainers say that a horse turning away his/her head is a sign of disrespect. Ellen has cleared up a lot of that train of thought here; so many of those 'disrespectful' actions are really just the calming signals, the horse trying to get the human to understand they aren't a threat, want to be friends and trying to get the human to calm down. I agree, no and whoa are too similar and would lead to some confusion for the horse. I use quit a lot too, an Aussie friend suggests using steady, said in two distinct syllables and a low voice...I found that works really well too, it somehow has a calming effect on the horse...and the human, lol. It brings the horse's focus back to the human.
Have also heard using two syllables is adviseable. And that head turning away is a sign of disrespect. But i don't fully accept that concept. At this point, I feel that I'm generally on the "same page" at least with you. Thanks again!
Something I learned from my training was no matter really, why they are turning to the outside, try and turn them to the inside...... Steve Boyles, my trainer, has me work on that.... if the horse turns to the outside, get slack in the rope, go for his tail and see if you can turn him back in to look at you... :) without tugging... and, the other thing I learned from John Lyons, which was a positive response to a negative thing..... instead of asking my horses to quit, I go back to asking them to do something correctly..... like if we are walking, and Toby starts to nibble..... instead of telling him to quit, I remind him that we are walking and I say, "lets do this instead.." alot of syllables, huh.... but it works for ME..... I gotta work on myself all the time to remind myself to keep them moving in a positive forward manner.... and to keep my communication consistent.... sarah is so right on huh Frank? I'm glad you are here... I'm learning from everyone.....
Hi Jennifer, Thanks ...
Glad I'm here, too! Lots and lots of different approaches to common horsekeeping questions. I like that. And the discussions just don't "die a quiet death". They go on and on! Also a good point. Eventually, most every one will find what they seek.
Just in case we all don't have a general idea (or even the same general idea!)

What do you think it means when they do the

"head snaking"?
My horse came off the Nevada Wild Horse Range in decmber 2003. He was adopted in July 2004. Therefore, my experience is based on this one single horse. But from what I have seen, heard and read it appears to me "ear pinning" is a warming. That is, "You're getting on my nerves. Be fore-warned!" It may also indicate something to the rear and some distance from the horse is getting his attention.

"Head snaking" also appears to be a warning single. In some videos I've seen it is used by a horse to indicate that he is protecting his territory, harem of mares from advances by another horse. It's done low to the ground, which appears to be an attempt at dis-abling the foe's legs. The adage,"No hoof, no horse" comes to mind.

When I see thse signals, either together or alone, I pay extra attention to the hooves!
congratulations on your wild horse Frank..... congratulations on your adoption!!
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks! Gitano continues to be a real "teacher" to me. I think I have learned more about myself in the past 6 years than the previous 60-plus!
I think these two signals, head snaking and ear pinning, has to be kept separate as topics, since they are used in different circumstances. The head-snaking includes ear-pinning, but not vice verca. The ear pinning is used in many different circumstances, but the head-snaking is used as a very specific message.

The head-snaking is used to move other horses in a herding kind of way. I agree that this will be used to protect someones herd, and is most commonly seen from a stallion moving his herd somewhere, and that will be in instances where he wants to move them away from something / someone. It can also be used by mares, but that is less common.

Two years ago we had an interesting situation here that demonstrated these signals…

We had had one mare with our stallion as a family and now their second foal had been born. We decided that we would have an other mare with them, too. That mare didn't think that the stallion should have anything to do with the foal, and she started to move the other mare and her foal away from the stallion. When talking to the mare and foal she used the "head-snake" and she was very clear in driving them in the direction she wanted.
Head low to the ground, neck waiving from side to side (thus the head-snake name) and ears pinned… moving them from behind like a herding dog would gather sheep.

At the same time she was telling the stallion to get lost and stay away from the mare and foal. With him she used the pinned ears and aggressive signals, but there were no head-snaking movements towards him.

While the head-snaking was force-full and clear, it was this signal she used with the ones she believed she was protecting. It clearly meant something like; "move over there!", but there was no threat as in "I want to hurt you". The signal to the stallion however was more like "move, or I will hurt you", but there wasn't a clear direction as in where he should go; it was more a general "Get the h*ll away from here!" signal.

They all obeyed her and she eventually had them placed in each their end of the field, as far away from each other as the field allowed. It wasn't easy since the other mare (Lebrera) wanted to be with the stallion, whom she knew from the last years foal was a good dad…

Then Caracola (the mare that used the signals I am talking about) placed herself in the middle and stayed there on guard. Whenever Lebrera moved in direction of the stallion she was told with the head snake movements to go to the other side. Whenever the stallion stepped too close, he was threatened with more a head tossing - with the muzzle aimed straight towards him and with the ears flat "Don't even think about it!".

The ears were flat in both cases, but the signals were different depending on who she was talking to.
The responses were also different; the other mare moved from her, but didn't worry about her coming close. The stallion moved from her, and he DID worry about her coming close (and he had good reason).

After a couple of days Caracola decided that they all could be together, but only under her strict supervision. After another couple of days it seemed like she thought he was trustworthy to be around the foal so she let them all be together as a herd.

Caracola's behavior might have something to do with the fact that she had never been with a stallion together with a foal before, and she was possibly unsure about his abilities to handle the situation.

Also, Lebrera came with her from Spain as a foal, so feels a bit like her mother I think; she is very protective of her. In fact, she really takes care of the other mares foals, but never tries to take them away from Lebrera.

She knew the stallion very well from before, she had lived with him as his mare for a year before and had a foal with him, but they never had the deep bond as he has had with his two other "wives", nor did she live with him while she had her foal.

Last, maybe relevant detail, Caracola lived the first four years in Spain in a big herd, with very little handling from humans, so she has a lot of wild horse behavior. She is the one we use for lessons in body language because she is so natural in her responses, we have taken care not to try to teach her our signals, but focused on learning from her. She is so amazingly perceptive and expressive!

This is the only time I have seen this head-snaking signal from any of my horses, including the stallion, in the almost ten years we have had them here on the farm.
I know we filmed this episode, but I am not sure I can find it… the guy filming it didn't do a very good job so we decided that we couldn't use it in a film in any case. If I find it, I will upload it.
Again: just in case we all don't have a general idea (or even the same general idea!)

What do you think it means when they do the

"ear pinning"?

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