Horses notice the quality of our look; they perceive the intent with which we approach, as well as the emotion that goes with it. A horse recognizes this and responds appropriately. So go ahead and look your horses in the eyes. Show up in your authentic self and let them know you notice them. This is just good manners anyway.
Also, don't be alarmed if your horse shows a bit of interest in you. It is natural for them to want to see what you are going to do with your body when you approach them. This helps them judge how they should act around you. If you are feeling uncomfortable about the situation, though, call your trainer or someone who knows more about horses than you do. There may be a reason why your horse is acting this way.
For one thing, when working with a horse, it's best to keep your gaze fixed on him. Horses investigate their environment since they are exceptionally attentive creatures. If you're in their vicinity, they're also watching you. When they see you gazing them in the eyes, it sends a message about who is in charge. This is especially important when teaching a horse some new behavior because you don't want him thinking that you are looking at him like he is some kind of toy.
Also, if you look a horse in the eye without smiling, he will think that you are angry with him and will probably avoid you. A smile goes a long way toward winning over even the most skittish horse.
Last but not least, if you look a horse in the eye, he will believe that you are trying to make him do something wrong. Even if you are just talking to him, always look him in the eye when communicating so he knows that what you are saying is for his benefit and not yours.
These things should be taken into account when deciding how to act around horses. It's good practice to keep your gaze fixed on the ground or on another horse while being around them since this is appropriate behavior anyway and will help you get on well with these amazing animals.
Horses and people may form bonds or create trust via touch, riding, grooming, and caring. When you or other people approach them, they may display signals of recognition. The horse may then build a link with you as a result of your trust. If someone new enters the picture, the established bond may be broken.
Horses use physical signs such as headtosses, back flips, and eye rolls to tell people they don't like or don't trust them. These same signals can be used by people to communicate with their horses-for example, if they see a negative sign from their horse, they know not to approach him/her.
Sometimes horses will show recognition of people who have been kind to them. This may be seen in a horse that acts friendly toward a known person after not seeing him/her for some time. Such behavior is called "friendly reminder" and can help horses remember what they are being fed and watered at mealtimes.
Horses also use non-physical means of communication, such as body language and sound, to let people know how they feel about them. A horse's body language can tell you a lot about how he feels about you; observing his reaction when you enter a new room, for example, can give you an idea of how he feels about strangers.
Because their eyes are situated on the side of their heads (rather than in the front like ours), the horse has almost 360-degree vision. They can only see a short distance in front of them and a short distance behind them, which is why one of the safety regulations for working with horses is to talk to them when moving behind them. A horse's field of vision is also quite limited; they can see up to about 20 feet ahead of them and 25 feet behind them.
Horses have two types of eyes: visible and invisible. The visible eyes are located on the sides of the head directly opposite the biting teeth. These eyes let the horse see what is happening around it at all times. The invisible eyes are also called "internal" eyes because they are inside the body cavity. They work much the same way as our own internal eyes by sending signals to the brain through fibers called nerves. The internal eyes allow horses to see in low light conditions when humans cannot see. The horse's perception of time and space is slightly different from that of humans' because events seem to happen more quickly for them and they can see farther than we can.
When a horse sees something it wants to investigate, it will turn its head toward it. If the thing it saw was threatening, then turning its head away from it would be safer. Horses are very sensitive to movement and will run away or fight if threatened.
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