Training Explained: Signs of Relaxation

Our ultimate goal in training is to have a happy horse that isn’t fearful of humans and excited to participate in our lives. A good way to keep track of this is to monitor the signs of relaxation so that stress levels don’t escalate and become a fear response. Here are some examples to look for:

Low head and neck: When the horse is concerned about predators, they will have a high headset to be able to see everything around them. When their head is low and their top line relaxed, they likely aren’t concerned with anything but rest or eating.

Blinking eyes: A scared horse will not blink much (or at all) when they are leery of their surroundings. Even a little blink could mean they miss the life-or-death moment to run. Long, slow blinks are a sign that the biggest threat is missing an afternoon nap.

Licking and chewing: Relaxed facial muscles lead to loosening of the jaw and saliva production. Often when you see yawning or movement of the mouth, a stressor has been removed, and the horse can fully relax again.

There are many more signs, but these three will usually give you a good idea of your horses’s state of mind.