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Where
are you?
I’m over here!
Horses turn
their ears
separately
to listen to
different
sounds at the
same time.
Horse
Talk
They have
a lot to say!
By Leslie Wyatt
Did you know that
horses talk? Well, they
do, and you can learn
to understand “horse
talk” if you pay really
close attention to the
horses you see.
When horses live in the wild,
other animals try to eat them, so
a lot of horse talk is about staying
alive. Even now, when most
horses live on farms, they watch
for danger. For this reason, never
walk behind a horse. If you
surprise it, the horse might
mistake you for a mountain lion
or wolf and give a dangerous kick.
What’s That Sound?
By watching the ears of a
horse, you can get clues to what
it’s hearing. A horse can turn each
ear in a different direction. For a
wild horse, this trick is important
for survival. The horse can hear
something sneaking up behind it
while also checking out a
threatening noise in front. When a
horse lets its ears down, it’s
feeling safe and relaxed. Though
these actions may be natural
responses and not deliberate
communications, they help you
know what the horse is thinking.
© Highlights for Children, Inc. This item from classroom.highlights.com is permitted to be used by a teacher free of charge for classroom
use by printing or photocopying one copy for each student in the class. Highlights® Fun with a Purpose®
The leader
of the herd
teaches
younger
horses how
to behave.
When Horses Speak Up
Sometimes, though, horses are
not just reacting to the world
around them. They’re sending
definite messages. For example,
they know they are safer when
they’re with other horses. If they
become isolated, they neigh, or
“whinny,” calling for company.
They’re saying, “Where are you?
I’m over here!” Domesticated
horses use the same sounds to
stay in touch with other horses.
If a horse snorts, it’s not
usually trying to communicate
anything. It’s just clearing dust or
grass seed out of its nose. But if it
snorts while holding its head high
and staring at something, it’s
saying, “That looks dangerous.
Get ready to run!”
When two horses meet, they
put their noses together and smell
each other’s breath. It’s their way
of asking, “Are you a friend?”
Horses also “blow,” exhaling
loudly through the nostrils, when
they encounter a strange object or
situation. They are asking, “Is this
safe?”
Horses nicker, too. Nickering is
a quiet sort of sound, sometimes
just a fluttering of their nostrils.
This friendly noise means they’re
feeling secure and saying, “Glad to
see you.”
wilderness or the back pasture,
one horse is the leader. In the
wild, horses live in herds, with all
members watching for danger.
The “boss hoss” is usually an
older female, called a mare. She
watches for threats and teaches
younger horses how to behave.
However, others may want her
job. When that happens, she pins
her ears back against her head
and may even bite or kick to get
What’s
that
tail
telling
us?
“I’m swishing flies.”
challengers to back off. She’s
using body language to say, “Hey,
I’m in charge here!” All horses
know that the one who makes
others move is the leader. Horses
relate to people that way, too.
That’s why experienced riders
direct their horses’ movements,
and not the other way around.
Horses have a language all
their own. Now you know a bit of
what they might be saying!
“I’m relaxed.”
“I’m playful.”
“Boss Hoss”
In a herd, whether in the
© Highlights for Children, Inc. This item from classroom.highlights.com is permitted to be used by a teacher free of charge for classroom
use by printing or photocopying one copy for each student in the class. Highlights® Fun with a Purpose®