When we think of communication, we think of talking, or at least making noises. We humans are a noisy bunch, and talking is most often our chosen way of making our thoughts known. Yes, we use body language but it often isn’t conscious. Horses however, are more likely to use body language than make a noise. We know they are expressive with their posture, tail swishes, ears and facial expressions. Here are a few other ways horses communicate noisy and not.
Yawning
Horses are one of the few herbivores that yawn according to BBC Earth. We yawn when we are tired, under-stimulated or taking shallow breaths. Yawning takes in more oxygen, which is stimulating. Horses don’t yawn for the same reason. Horses don’t inhale through their mouths, and they can’t take in oxygen that way. They don’t seem to inhale when they yawn like we do. But still, apparently, horses yawn about once per hour. When a horse yawns, it’s thought that it is releasing tension. My horse yawns when I remove her bridle, multiple times sometimes. So it’s possible that she is releasing tension that she carries while being ridden. In a herd, yawning may be a way of relieving social stress. Environmental stress, such as being kept in a dark stall may make a horse yawn habitually as well.
Sigh
A horse sighs much like we do. They inhale deeply and exhale slowly. Sighing means your horses is relaxed. Your horse may sigh while it enjoys a good grooming or massage, or it might sigh after you’ve warmed it up for a schooling session. Or, your horse might sigh once you take the saddle off. These nose fluttering deep breaths mean your horse is okay with what is happening right now. Sometimes a sigh can communicate boredom - such as a school horse walking over poles for the millionth time.
Snorting
A snort is a more explosive sign. Snorts may mean the horse is scared or feeling energetic. A horse that is puffing, with head high is smelling scents from far away and these may be intermingled with snorts as the horse tries to figure out what it sees and smells. If your horse is full of energy, a snort will tell you he’s ready to expend some of it, so you better be able to keep up. A snort may be a warning to others.
Groaning
Horses can groan for a number of reasons. If I ask my horse to do a schooling figure she actually has to put effort into, she lets out a long, low groan of protest. A horse may give a little grunt of effort as they take off for, or land from a jump. Grunts and groans can communicate pain too, so a horse landing from a jump that has sore feet, back or joints may be telling you he’s uncomfortable. Groaning while producing manure or urine isn’t unusual, but be sure it isn’t a sign your horse is impacted or has urinary pain. Groaning can also be a sign of gastric ulcers.
Squeals
Squeals are loud, sharp noises that indicate excitement. When horses first meet each other, they often posture and squeal. A stallion may squeal at meeting a mare. Or, horses may squeal as they spar in the pasture.
Snapping or Clapping
Foals open and close their mouths when they first meet another horse and sometimes will do it at humans. This may be called yoping, yawing, snapping or clapping. It doesn’t seem to have an official name. The snapping horse almost seems to smile as they chew the air with their necks outstretched. This is an appeasement signal, made to show the other horse they are submissive and accept their superiority. Mature horses that are nervous may do this, to show submission to another horse.
Two breeds are currently holding the highest jump records on PonyBox. The Thoroughbred and Canadian Warmblood's are taking the top spots with vengeance and appear unstoppable. ...
Oliver normally enjoys being groomed by his young owner, but when she noticed Oliver getting restless she wondered at his was unusual behavior. It wasn’t until that she noticed some neighbor kids playing on a frozen pond that she ...
It’s no surprise that the top-winning mare and stallion are also Ponybox’s highest earners. Or, that the highest-winning stable also produces many of the most successful jumpers. Here is a look at the outstanding earners on Ponybo ...
Lots of sports fans pay top dollar to buy seats that put them almost in the middle of the action. But this race fan took getting into the action a little too seriously. It was a lot of risk for an experience that lasted a moment. ...
Take a quick armchair trip to see pastoral landscapes, otter crossings and adorable, furry Shetland ponies! This travel video highlights some of the sights on the archipelago that makes up the Shetland Islands. This is the native ...
As we reach the middle of February 2021 these horses are holding the top spots. A rare breed is making an appearance in the ranks of Best Jump while Friesians are holding many of the top spots in the ranks. ...
Where do you go when your feet get cold. This foolish kitty decided to sink its toes into the plush coat of an equine pal. Or perhaps pal isn’t the right word. It’s quite possible kitty has a future in rodeo. Now, all we need is k ...
Bridgerton is one of the newest Netflix series feeding our binge-watching needs. Set in Regency-era England you know that the characters won’t be jumping and smart cars to get around to their various teas, balls and romantic assig ...
By 
