Horse Communication

TRANSCRIPT
Horse Communication

NARRATOR:
Horses communicate constantly, expressing their feelings in ways we don’t always notice. Understanding these subtle cues can make all the difference in how we interact with them. Scientists have now catalogued hundreds of equine facial expressions, revealing just how nuanced their emotions can be.

SOUNDBITE - Dr Kate Lewis:
“In the wild they live in really complex societies and that's why they need such a rich repertoire of expressions to be able to communicate with each other.”

NARRATOR:
Certain signals are easy to spot: Ears pointing forward indicate attentiveness, while ears laid back may signal caution… or something entirely different!

SOUNDBITE - Dr Kate Lewis:
“Ears back, we see in both aggression, but also in play. And it's the other movements that you see alongside it that then will help you work out exactly what the context is. So that might be in aggression, they might raise their inner eyebrow or they might flare their nostrils. Whereas in play, you might see the upper lip being raised, the lower lip being dropped. We can’t quite say they’re smiling, but it does look like that!”

NARRATOR:
Experienced handlers know that each horse has its own emotional ‘language’.

SOUNDBITE – Robyn Stubbles: 
“Horses are tricky individuals, just like we are. You know, some horses are quite secretive and quite shy. Others are really in your face and will show you exactly what they're feeling in that given moment, whether you like it or not. So it really depends on the individual. There's no such thing as a group of horses. All of them are different. All of them will tell you in different ways what they're thinking, what they're feeling.”

NARRATOR:
Researchers say this work could be a game changer for anyone caring for or training horses. They emphasise that interpreting behaviour requires observing the entire body. So, if a horse seems annoyed, it’s wise to keep a safe distance from its hind legs!