How were you taught to tell if your horse is relaxed?

[Crazy4horses2]

This is purely out of curiosity on how other people were taught to tell if their horse/s are relaxed and if you still go by the same method or if you found out something different.

When I first starting riding and working with horses (around the age of 7) my foster mom told me the best way to tell if your horse is relaxed and paying attention to you is if they are licking and chewing. I later learned when I was taking barrel racing lessons when I was 13 that licking and chewing isn’t the only thing I should go by, My riding lesson teacher told me to look at how the horse is standing, how they are holding their head, how they are holding their ears, and their eyes. Ever since then that is what I’ve gone by.

I really am looking forward to what everyone else was first taught and if they still use it or not.

[danacat]

Though my horses are relaxed pretty much 100% of the time – that great big calm sigh they often give, tells me they are super relaxed.

[pony_grandma]

Tail carriage. When just standing I was shown that if you reach under the dock of the tail and try to lift it with two fingers and the horses releases and self lifts without clamping down that it shows relaxation and trust. Also when the horse is trotting if the tail hangs down and relaxed the tail will swing. Nothing more beautiful than a tail swinging softly between the hocks.

[cutter99]

Licking and chewing!

[Abbie.S]

Don’t rely on licking and chewing: it can be and often is a sign of anxiety or a horse that was very recently anxious and is working through letting that go.

Better indicators are ears that are in a ‘V’, tail is quiet and low. Eyes are soft, head carriage is low or neutral. Horse offers to cock a hind leg or switches resting hind legs. Horse is happy to stand still. It’s about the whole picture, not one body part.

Occasional slow licking and chewing is fine, but anything rapid and frequent is a sign of an anxious horse.

[luvmyhackney]

How the eyes look. Most horses get the soft doe eyed look when truly relaxed and blink. Sometimes mine will get so relaxed during a massage his head drops down and he begins to drool and his eyes get so soft, and his ears go limp.

[rockonxox]

Ears, eyes, and relaxed snorting (stretching neck, let out a soft snort… usually matches with the flopping ears). Licking and chewing, not so much signs for relaxation. Licking means, in the guy I rides case, “oooh I love that mint you gave me I want more but licking this wall for the next 20 minutes will suffice”

[Dressage_Strider]

are we talking about under saddle or just hanging around the farm?

cocking a hip, laying down and grazing are obvious signs, but we don’t want a horse THAT relaxed when they are being worked :lol:

Under saddle you not only want to look for, but actually ask for a horse to be relaxed. They are more likely to want to repeat a movement if it brings them joy as well, and if they are anxious during a movement, it can come across as punishment.

So when I am riding, I talk to my horse and reward when they talk back. Exhales, chewing the bit, snorts. I like the ears back, listening to me, tail soft and quiet - not swishing aggressively.

[tabula_rashah]

I don’t think it’s necessarily something anyone taught me- it’s just something you feel.

[cayuse]

Every one of mine has been a little different. I have two that will give out a big sigh and chew.
It is difficult to tell when my welsh pony is tense, he covers it up well, but if you look close it is noticable around his mouth and lips. He gets tight and wrinkly in his muzzle (hard to explain) when he is nervous. When his is relaxed his muzzle is smooth.
I think short quick steps indicate tenseness and a high head. And a hard eye.

[tinah]

@cayuse

Every one of mine has been a little different. I have two that will give out a big sigh and chew.
It is difficult to tell when my welsh pony is tense, he covers it up well, but if you look close it is noticable around his mouth and lips. He gets tight and wrinkly in his muzzle (hard to explain) when he is nervous. When his is relaxed his muzzle is smooth.
I think short quick steps indicate tenseness and a high head. And a hard eye.

my kids’ point does the wrinkly muzzle, clamped lips thing when he’s upset. He’s a pretty stoic guy too, unless its detist time, then he goes full pony.