Be sure to stay away from the sensitive areas of the horse like the eyes, ears, muzzle, and belly of the horse. While some horses might be OK with you petting these areas, many are sensitive and won't like to be touched there.
4- Many horses like to be rubbed on the neck, shoulder, hip, or on the chest. Some horses enjoy having their heads and ears rubbed. Horses often groom each other on the whither, so this would be a good place to try too.
Remember, young horses will naturally move away from pressure, so it's incredibly important that your touch is gentle; is subtle, or he will naturally want to move away from it. Eventually, you will want to be able to touch your horse anywhere. It's best to start around the back, neck, shoulders, and withers.
Some report you should use soft eye contact when dealing with horses, meaning you can look at the horse but also keep a wide field of view. Other trainers indicate hard contact is preferred to establish your dominance over the herd.
Horses may stare at you when they want your attention. If you are distracted or out of reach, your horse may stare at you to get you to focus on them. If there's a barrier such as a fence between you and your horse, they may stare at you since they can't reach you to nudge you.
The nose, lips, mouth, and possibly the ears are the most sensitive areas to touch. Although hooves do not respond to touching, various parts of the hoof are able to feel touch. Understanding the degree to which horses are sensitive to touch can be valuable to the trainer.
So how do you get your horse's respect? A horse's respect is earned by moving his feet forward, backward, left, and right, and always rewarding the slightest try. Think about respect from your horse's point of view. When horses are thrown together out in a pasture, it's natural for them to establish a pecking order.
The first rule is always Safety First!
If the horse is startled or scared, the horse will try to run away.
When a trained horse becomes frustrated with the rider, the signs may be as subtle as a shake of his head or tensing/hollowing of his body, or as blatant as swishing the tail, kicking out or flat out refusing to do what the rider asks.
The fight against the horse's worst enemy: the fly.
Whatever movement you're riding, your horse should stay listening to you and not take over. Always have in your mind that you must be in control of each and every step he takes.
In one study, the heart rhythms of horses and humans were analyzed over the course of various interactions with one another. The findings indicated that horses care capable of detecting when a human is expressing and projecting positive feelings towards them and is likely to reciprocate those positive feelings.
Maybe you have a favorite scent that helps you relax: something like eucalyptus, or lilac, or jasmine, or cinnamon. Well, according to a recent study, horses do as well — and it's lavender.
In the wild, horses are most scared of natural predators like lions, wolves, and alligators. Domesticated horses can be scared of any sound they haven't heard before, and it could be as innocent as the sounds of plastic bags, barking, or any suspicious noise in the wind.
Horses not only remember people who have treated them well, they also understand words better than expected, research shows. Human friends may come and go, but a horse could be one of your most loyal, long-term buddies if you treat it right, suggests a new study.
Notice that recognition when you approach a horse; the horse reaches out its muzzle to take in your scent by sniffing you. As with other animals, extending the back of your hand is a good way to let the horse get to know and trust you, and accept your presence as a herd mate and not a predator.
Why do horses nudge you? Have you ever been nudged by a horse? Horses use body language to communicate with humans (and other horses), and one of the ways they do this is through touch. Nudging is a way for a horse to get your attention, which can signify affection or impatience.
Horses stomp to indicate irritation. Usually, it's something minor, such as a fly they're trying to dislodge. However, stomping may also indicate your horse is frustrated with something you are doing, and if you don't address it, he may resort to stronger signals.
Head tilt in the horse is commonly a sign of either central or peripheral vestibular disease. The confirmation of vestibular disease is based on physical findings, including results of cranial-nerve function evaluation and observation of stance, posture, and gait.