Subtle horse behaviour: learn to read what they are trying to say

past. These include being easily startled nervous bargy behaviour not wanting to pick their feet up reluctance to go forwards or refusing to be caught.
While being ridden
Missing stress signs before and when riding can lead to dangerous behaviour such as napping bucking spinning rearing and bolting. Signs a horse isnt happy being ridden are
Hiding in the corner of the stable when tack arrives
Being difficult to put a bridle on
Nipping when the girth is tightened
Not standing still at the mounting block
Freezing or back up
Tilting their head to one side
Showing reluctance to go into an arena or leave the yard for a hack.
Know your horses behaviour
One of the trickiest tasks as an owner is to know if your horse behaving differently from the norm. We all know horses that do things by habit rather than because theyre unhappy. Its important to study your horse often and in all situations. You need to build a picture of whats normal so the subtle signs of stress in their behaviour became obvious.
A good way to do this is by keeping a diary. Notice how your horse reacts when theyre in the field with other horses taken to a new environment like a show or when other people are around him. Watch their facial expressions and body language notice their overall posture and how this changes in difficult situations. Refer back to your notes if you see something you havent spotted before.
Think about the longevity of the horses behaviour too. If they yawn when you approach with tack but are relaxed when you ride its probably nothing to worry about. If the yawning is prolonged and occurs every time you ride then something may be worrying them or causing pain.