Wild Thing (15 page)

I ran to her and pressed my cheek against her jaw.

She nickered again. It was the warmest, friendliest greeting in the whole world.

“That’s it!” I said, stepping back to look into her deep, brown eyes. “You’ve just named yourself. Nickers! From now on, we’re Winnie and Nickers!”

Horses communicate with one another . . . and with us, if we learn to read their cues. Here are some of the main ways a horse talks:

Whinny—
A loud, long horse call that can be heard from a half mile away. Horses often whinny back and forth.

Possible translations:
Is that you over there? Hello! I’m over here! See me? I heard you! What’s going on?

Neigh—
To most horse people, a neigh is the same as a whinny. Some people call any vocalization from a horse a neigh.

Nicker—
The friendliest horse greeting in the world. A nicker is a low sound made in the throat, sometimes rumbling. Horses use it as a warm greeting for another horse or a trusted person. A horse owner might hear a nicker at feeding time.

Possible translations:
Welcome back! Good to see you. I missed you. Hey there! Come on over. Got anything good to eat?

Snort—
This sounds like your snort, only much louder and more fluttering. It’s a hard exhale, with the air being forced out through the nostrils.

Possible translations:
Look out! Something’s wrong out there! Yikes! What’s that?

Blow—
Usually one huge exhale, like a snort, but in a large burst of wind.

Possible translations:
What’s going on? Things aren’t so bad. Such is life.

Squeal—
This high-pitched cry that sounds a bit like a scream can be heard a hundred yards away.

Possible translations:
Don’t you dare! Stop it! I’m warning you! I’ve had it—I mean it! That hurts!

Grunts, groans, sighs, sniffs—
Horses make a variety of sounds. Some grunts and groans mean nothing more than boredom. Others are natural outgrowths of exercise.

Horses also communicate without making a sound. You’ll need to observe each horse and tune in to the individual translations, but here are some possible versions of nonverbal horse talk:

EARS

Flat back ears—
When a horse pins back its ears, pay attention and beware! If the ears go back slightly, the horse may just be irritated. The closer the ears are pressed back to the skull, the angrier the horse.

Possible translations:
I don’t like that buzzing fly. You’re making me mad! I’m warning you! You try that, and I’ll make you wish you hadn’t!

Pricked forward, stiff ears—
Ears stiffly forward usually mean a horse is on the alert. Something ahead has captured its attention.

Possible translations:
What’s that? Did you hear that? I want to know what that is! Forward ears may also say, I’m cool and proud of it!

Relaxed, loosely forward ears—
When a horse is content, listening to sounds all around, ears relax, tilting loosely forward.

Possible translations:
It’s a fine day, not too bad at all. Nothin’ new out here.

Uneven ears—
When a horse swivels one ear up and one ear back, it’s just paying attention to the surroundings.

Possible translations:
Sigh. So, anything interesting going on yet?

Stiff, twitching ears—
If a horse twitches stiff ears, flicking them fast (in combination with overall body tension), be on guard! This horse may be terrified and ready to bolt.

Possible translations:
Yikes! I’m outta here! Run for the hills!

Airplane ears—
Ears lopped to the sides usually means the horse is bored or tired.

Possible translations:
Nothing ever happens around here. So, what’s next already? Bor-ing.

Droopy ears—
When a horse’s ears sag and droop to the sides, it may just be sleepy, or it might be in pain.

Possible translations:
Yawn . . . I am so sleepy. I could sure use some shut-eye. I don’t feel so good. It really hurts.

TAIL

Tail switches hard and fast—
An intensely angry horse will switch its tail hard enough to hurt anyone foolhardy enough to stand within striking distance. The tail flies side to side and maybe up and down as well.

Possible translations:
I’ve had it, I tell you! Enough is enough! Stand back and get out of my way!

Tail held high—
A horse who holds its tail high may be proud to be a horse!

Possible translations:
Get a load of me! Hey! Look how gorgeous I am! I’m so amazing that I just may hightail it out of here!

Clamped-down tail—
Fear can make a horse clamp its tail to its rump.

Possible translations:
I don’t like this; it’s scary. What are they going to do to me? Can’t somebody help me?

Pointed tail swat—
One sharp, well-aimed swat of the tail could mean something hurts there.

Possible translations:
Ouch! That hurts! Got that pesky fly.

OTHER SIGNALS

Pay attention to other body language. Stamping a hoof may mean impatience or eagerness to get going. A rear hoof raised slightly off the ground might be a sign of irritation. The same hoof raised, but relaxed, may signal sleepiness. When a horse is angry, the muscles tense, back stiffens, and the eyes flash, showing extra white of the eyeballs. One anxious horse may balk, standing stone still and stiff legged. Another horse just as anxious may dance sideways or paw the ground. A horse in pain might swing its head backward toward the pain, toss its head, shiver, or try to rub or nibble the sore spot. Sick horses tend to lower their heads and look dull, listless, and unresponsive.

As you attempt to communicate with your horse and understand what he or she is saying, remember that different horses may use the same sound or signal, but mean different things. One horse may flatten her ears in anger, while another horse lays back his ears to listen to a rider. Each horse has his or her own language, and it’s up to you to understand.

American Saddlebred (or American Saddle Horse)—
A showy breed of horse with five gaits (walk, trot, canter, and two extras). They are usually high-spirited, often high-strung; mainly seen in horse shows.

Appaloosa—
Horse with mottled skin and a pattern of spots, such as a solid white or brown with oblong, dark spots behind the withers. They’re usually good all- around horses.

Arabian—
Believed to be the oldest breed or one of the oldest. Arabians are thought by many to be the most beautiful of all horses. They are characterized by a small head, large eyes, refined build, silky mane and tail, and often high spirits.

Bay—
A horse with a mahogany or deep brown to reddish-brown color and a black mane and tail.

Blind-age—
Without revealing age.

Buck—
To thrust out the back legs, kicking off the ground.

Buckskin—
Tan or grayish-yellow-colored horse with black mane and tail.

Cattle-pony stop—
Sudden, sliding stop with drastically bent haunches and rear legs; the type of stop a cutting, or cowboy, horse might make to round up cattle.

Chestnut—
A horse with a coat colored golden yellow to dark brown, sometimes the color of bays, but with same-color mane and tail.

D ring—
The D-shaped, metal ring on the side of a horse’s halter.

English Riding—
The style of riding English or Eastern or Saddle Seat, on a flat saddle that’s lighter and leaner than a Western saddle. English riding is seen in three- gaited and five-gaited Saddle Horse classes in horse shows. In competition, the rider posts at the trot and wears a formal riding habit.

Gait—
Set manner in which a horse moves. Horses have four natural gaits: the walk, the trot or jog, the canter or lope, and the gallop. Other gaits have been learned or are characteristic to certain breeds: pace, amble, slow gait, rack, running walk, etc.

Gelding—
An altered male horse.

Hackamore—
A bridle with no bit, often used for training Western horses.

Halter—
Basic device of straps or rope fitting around a horse’s head and behind the ears. Halters are used to lead or tie up a horse.

Leadrope—
A rope with a hook on one end to attach to a horse’s halter for leading or tying the horse.

Lipizzaner—
Strong, stately horse used in the famous Spanish Riding School of Vienna. Lipizzaners are born black and turn gray or white.

Lunge line (longe line)—
A very long lead line or rope, used for exercising a horse from the ground. A hook at one end of the line is attached to the horse’s halter, and the horse is encouraged to move in a circle around the handler.

Mare—
Female horse.

Morgan—
A compact, solidly built breed of horse with muscular shoulders. Morgans are usually reliable, trustworthy horses.

Mustang—
Originally, a small, hardy Spanish horse turned loose in the wilds. Mustangs still run wild in protected parts of the U.S. They are suspicious of humans, tough, hard to train, but quick and able horses.