The Importance of Reading and Understanding Your Horse’s Body Language

Being able to read your horse’s body language and facial expressions are one of the most important aspects of successful positive reinforcement training. Because we are looking for and reinforcing calm and relaxation, it is vital that we know what those emotions look like. Conversely, we need to be able to recognize the very subtle signs of anxiety and stress in our learners before the horse goes over threshold. A horse rearing, shying, or even planting their feet and not moving are signs that the horse is either at or over threshold, but unfortunately, sometimes we miss the subtle behaviors that lead up to that state. In Shawna’s most recent podcast, she teaches how to recognize your horse’s body language and how this can improve your R+ training.