10/02/2022
Please note that all behaviour needs to be taken in the context/ environment in which the horse finds themselves when you see these behaviours. Note that ourselves and OUR behaviour is also part of the horse’s environment. All behaviour needs to be considered in context ie. what happened prior, during and after and what is the horse's history regarding training, healthy/injury and experiences with humans, other horses and various environments, etc.
If your horse is snoozing under a tree and yawns, most likely the horse is not experiencing fear. (Although they could potentially be experiencing discomfort or pain.)
If you've just done or are doing some groundwork, round pen work, ridden work, gone for a hack, or dentistry, bodywork, worming or vaccinations, or even just tying up and brushing your horse, you MAY see these signs and more. The more of these behaviours you see, the more likely that you are seeing a response to fear, stress pain, discomfort or frustration or a combination.
Change our behaviour, the environment, lower our expectations and review our training plans to avoid seeing these behaviours in a training or handling context.
All behaviour has function, it has a purpose for the horse, even if we don’t know what it is or understand it, horses behave in certain ways for a reason. They are masters of subtle communication and we need to learn to read those subtle signs and the big signs as well, not brush them off.
Also consider that if fear as been ruled out, that these behaviours may be caused by the horse's internal environment such as pain or injury, ie. always rule out pain as a cause for certain behaviours.
Photo credit: Pet Professional Guild Australia
Illustrations: Alize V. Muckensturm of Fairhorsemanship
