Your horse may do the opposite, turning his head away from you, walking away, or even ignoring you. If the horse isn’t interested in letting you in, he won’t be responsive to what you say.
A horse that doesn’t respect you will rub his head on you, nip to get your attention, or walk in front of you when you are trying to lead him. These are not behaviors he would show to a dominant leader of his herd.
Even a small change like adding the horse’s name to the command changes what the horse hears. “Whoa” and “Whoa, Silver” are different things to the horse’s ears, so resist the temptation to address your horse by his name when giving a command.
Active body language is more assertive, and good to do when you are giving commands. Square your shoulders to the horse, and look him directly in the eye. If you want to further emphasize the need to do something, lean forward toward the horse, and have a stern look on your face. This is a more assertive stance, which lets the horse know he needs to move his feet. When you want the horse to relax, keep your body language more passive. Don’t square your shoulders or look him in the eye. Instead, relax your shoulders and maybe even cock one of your legs. This is a more relaxed stance for you, and lets your horse know he can relax when you tell him to calm down.
Make sure you speak normally around your horses, and avoid only whispering. The only thing that will happen is that your regular voice, or any other voice, will startle the horse and he will react with fear. [9] X Research source
The horse’s tail will be held high if he is alert or excited, or low if he is feeling tired, afraid, or in pain. Be careful if his tail is swishing around, as that is a sign that the horse is irritated, and probably won’t be receptive to you. If your horse is lifting or pawing his legs, that is a sign of frustration or fear. Stamping can indicate a mild threat, or the horse could be getting rid of flies biting his legs. The horse’s whole body is something else to keep an eye on. Nervous horses will either be very tense and rigid, or shaking. If you see a horse doing this, step away for a few minutes to give him a chance to calm down.
Good facial expressions from a horse include having his ears forward or relaxed, eyes open and bright, and their head held high. Some negative facial expressions include your horse’s ears being pinned backwards, as well as showing the whites of his eyes. Watch for your horse having his jaws open with teeth exposed, as this is also a sign of aggression.
Sighing, drawing a deep breath and letting it out slowly, can be a sign of relief or boredom. If it comes while being groomed or massaged, it is a sign that he is feeling good. If it comes while doing exercises, it is a sign of boredom, and you might consider doing something different to keep your horse interested. Groaning can be a sign of pain, either from a rider or activity, or even from some internal stress. Unless your horse is only groaning while going over jumps, like an athlete grunting during a game, check for injuries or other health problems. Nickering, a soft sound made with the mouth closed, is usually a signal of happiness or anticipation. It is a common noise horses make with one another. If accompanied, though, by fearful body language like pacing, flicking ears, and eye rolling, then it means your horse is feeling threatened. Blowing or snorting is a sound of excitement. In general, this is a good sound, though once you start exercising with the horse he should calm down. If he is still snorting, be prepared for him to try sudden movements. Try and calm the horse down with some sudden halts, and other signals that you are in charge. Neighing is a varied sound, so when you horse neighs you’ll need to also carefully watch his body to see what he is thinking. A confident horse will make a bugling sound, and be combined with forward-pricked ears, looking forward, and a slightly lifted tail. A nervous horse’s neigh will be higher pitched, and usually be accompanied by pacing, sweating, flickering ears, and a lifted tail.
