Ever noticed your horse twitching or flicking its tail during exercises and wondered what it means? In episode #8 of How Horses Communicate, Belinda Bolsenbroek sheds light on the valuable insights that equine muscle twitching and tail/head movements can provide about your horse's physical and emotional well-being.
Problem: Understanding and addressing the signs of discomfort or stress in your horse is crucial for maintaining their health and performance. Muscle twitching, tail swishing, and head movements can indicate underlying issues that need attention.
Belinda begins by exploring the significance of muscle twitching as a key indicator of what’s happening within the horse's body. Horses have exceptionally developed superficial muscles that not only help them shoo away flies but also release tension and draw attention to areas requiring therapeutic focus.
The alignment of the spinal column is essential for your horse's comfort and overall functioning. Any discomfort or stress in alignment often triggers a response from the horse, such as head shaking or tail movement. Belinda explains that physical discomfort often manifests as emotional tension, linking body and emotions intricately.
Solution: By understanding these cues, horse owners can take proactive steps to alleviate their horse's discomfort, leading to better performance and a stronger bond.
Tail movement is another significant source of information. A gentle swish or side-to-side movement might indicate tension release, a positive response to training, or a reward. However, constant tail swishing, particularly in a rotating motion, signals severe stress or pain, requiring immediate action to prevent further discomfort.
Head movements also play a crucial role in communication. A subtle head flick or shake after a challenging task can indicate tension release, providing the horse with relief. On the other hand, continuous head flicking or tossing suggests stress, discomfort, or anxiety. A horse exhibiting up-and-down head movements during exercise may be showing signs of dysfunctional movement and disconnection from its surroundings.
What you'll learn:
Benefits:
Tune in to this online course to learn how to interpret your horse’s body language through our comprehensive training modules. Engage in interactive learning to better understand and support your equine companion, ensuring they are comfortable, healthy, and ready to perform at their best.
Belinda Bolsenbroek is an international authority on the Art of Classical Equitation in which the historic relationship between horse and human is expressed as a spiritual connection between two beings. Belinda harnesses the wisdom of the Old Masters, combines that wisdom with the science of biomechanics and shapes them both into a clear and defined practice that allows you to take your horsemanship to the next level.
Horses have stood at man’s side for over 4,000 years.They are our most noble companions and the ancient relationship of trust, honour and passion endures to this day.From the heroic war horse to the steady plough horse, our shared experience stretches back through the ages and is passed down to us through our genetic memories, our most prized ancestral gift.With Belinda’s guidance, you will discover this ancient inheritance and the pure joy that comes from a deep connection with your horse and look forward to the day when you become an ambassador, educator and an inspiration to others.
Empower yourself with Belinda as your coach - Belinda Bolsenbroek Academy.Now is the time to take the opportunity to invest in yourself, develop your skills and succeed.No matter how long you have been riding, whether you are an old hand or new to the art of horsemanship, there is always more to learn.As you gain greater insight into a topic, the more you learn, the more likely you are to recognise how much there is still to learn.
We also donate 25% of our profits to charity
.svg){kind=icon}
