A relationship without mutual trust is not a relationship at all. When a horse trusts you, it results in one of the most beautiful and magical relationships you can have with an animal. Without a horse’s trust, it can be the most frustrating. Here are the signs that your horse trusts you.
The Signs That Your Horse Trusts You:
- Your Horse Comes To You
- Your Horse Puts Its Head On You
- Your Horse Approves Of Your Touch
- Your Horse Listens To Your Instructions
- Your Horse Isn’t Reluctant To Leave The Herd Or Barn
- Your Horse Lets You Stand On Both Sides
- And More…
Not every breed of horse or individual horse of a breed will show you the same signs that it trusts and loves you. Horses have different personalities, and they can use small ways to show that it trusts you or big displays indicative of your trustworthiness. If you want to know if your horse trusts you, be on the lookout for the following signs:
1. Your Horse Comes To You
Horses are animals that sense when something or someone is right or trustworthy. When your horse greets you when you call, or better yet, when they hear you approaching and come to you without prompting, it’s a definite sign of love and trust.
There’s no better sight than a horse running from the pasture to the fence or stall door when they sense you are coming. A horse that doesn’t move as you approach can also be interpreted as a sign of trust, as the animal trusts your presence. If your horse constantly follows you around, it’s a trustworthy sign.
“If your horse says no, you either asked the wrong question or asked the question wrong.” – Pat Parelli.
2. Your Horse Puts Its Head On You
Want to know what a horse’s trust looks like? It’s a beautiful sight, a special moment, and a sign that your horse trusts you 100%. When a horse rests its head on you, it’s giving you a horse hug. Everyone should experience such a moment once; it’s that spiritual.
“If you have gained the trust of a horse, you have won a friend for life.”
3. Your Horse Approves Of Your Touch
Touching a horse on its head and neck without the animal appearing uncomfortable or choosing to run away is a sure sign that the equine is starting to trust your touch. Generally, a horse’s ears are extremely sensitive to human touch.
Rubbing a horse’s ears from a young age is recommended, as the act will eventually lead to the horse looking forward to a good old ear rubbing, a sign that the horse is super trusting of you. Never twist a horse’s ears to control them, as this act can lead to trust issues, putting a tack on problematic, and a horse that doesn’t like anyone touching their ears.
“A horse doesn’t care how much you know until he knows how much you care.” – Pat Parelli.
4. Your Horse Listen To Your Instructions
Not everyone enjoys being boxed into a category or labeled in life, but there are no two ways; you are the leader in the relationship with your horse. A sign that your horse trusts you is when it follows your commands happily, whereas they might not follow the same instruction so happily when coming from another.
An example of mutual trust is when you ask your horse to lift a foot, instructing him to keep his leg in the air. Considering that a horse is a prey animal whose response is fight or flight, they allow you to nullify their flight response when they allow you to take care of their feet. It’s also a sign that your horse trusts you enough to take care of its feet.
Being the leader in a horse-owner relationship is not about barking orders and expecting the horse to obey at all times. Being the leader entails building a relationship with the horse that includes mutual respect, trust, and lots of love and will take time to develop.
A horse that follows your instructions when trying out something new or when faced with an intimidating scenario is a horse that trusts you enough to have the required faith that you are not trying to injure them. There’s no better feeling when a horse trusts you fully, in any circumstance.
“You cannot train a horse with shouts and expect it to obey a whisper.” – Dagobert D. Runes.
5. Your Horse Isn’t Reluctant To Leave The Herd Or Barn
As prey animals out in the wild, horses largely rely on their herd mates for safety and trust each other in keeping the herd safe. If your horse is reluctant to leave the paddock and their friends when you fetch them, it’s called being herd bound or barn sour, and it will be anxious for the whole experience until being returned to the “safety” of the herd and barn.
When your horse happily leaves the herd and barn behind to spend time with you, it’s a massive sign of trust. Your horse trusts you to keep it safe, and if it’s appearing super-relaxed, low head, chewing, licking, and standing still when you brush them, you are on the right track. Riding a horse that fully trusts you is a different experience from one that is herd bound.
“We have almost forgotten how strange a thing it is that so huge and powerful and intelligent an animal as a horse should allow another, and far more feeble animal, to ride upon its back.” – Peter Gray.
6. Your Horse Lets You Stand On Both Sides
A horse’s emotional center is linked to what he sees with the left eye. If your horse tries to keep you on its left side, it means the horse is still a little stressed with you. When your horse allows you to stand on either side, it indicates that they are comfortable with you.
“We will never have to tell our horse that we are sad, happy, confident, angry, or relaxed. He already knows – long before we do.” – Marijke De Jong.
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7. Your Horse Nudges You
Horses show their love and appreciation in quirky ways. One of these endearing acts is nudging; some believe it is the equivalent of a human kiss. Any loving relationship is typically built on trust, so if your horse offers you a gentle nudge now and again, know that he trusts you. A lick and a lip after a nudge also signal love and trust.
“My horses are my friends, not my slaves.” – Reiner Klimke.
8. Your Horse Breaths On You
A unique way that your horse will show you that it trusts you, and respects your leadership, is when it blows out breath on your face. Horses use this method of communication to show affection and love. Blessed are you if your horse breaths a gentle air breeze from its nostrils onto your face; it’s a sign that you are part of the horse’s “family.”
“When you find that the horse is compelled and interested in you, something in you changes. That can be healing or move you deeply.” – Buck Brannaman.
9. Your Horse Is Relaxed When Spending Time With You
If your horse exists in a relaxed state when you are near, for example, half-closed eyes, lower lip hanging, or when it relieves a hind leg, these are all signs that the horse is relaxed and trusts the space it’s in. If your horse appears comfortable and relaxed when it’s only the two of you out in the field, then you know that trust is present.
Another sign that a horse is relaxed is when it lets out a big sigh, licks its lips, and lowers its head. Should your horse be laying down when you approach them, and it doesn’t make an effort to stand up, you are in the trust zone.
“I call my horses ‘divine mirrors’—they reflect back the emotions you put in. If you put in love and respect and kindness and curiosity, the horse will return that.” – Allan Hamilton.
10. Your Horse Nibbles Your Head And Shoulders
Grooming plays such an important part in building a bond with your horse. Horses groom each other in the wild by nibbling at each other’s necks, backs, and withers. It’s how they say, “I like you,” and when your horse grooms you back, it regards you as a trustworthy friend. When your horse starts to nibble your head or shoulders, rejoice, and see it as confirmation that you share a strong bond.
“The horse is a mirror to your soul.” – Buck Brannaman.
11. Your Horse Vocalizes Its Happiness
A dog wags its tail; a cat purrs, and a horse will “neigh, nicker and whinny” when he wants to greet and express that he’s happy and eager to see you. Horses make different sounds when communicating, each sound conveying a different emotion.
A horse’s neigh (the loudest sound a horse generates) is a greeting, and a gentle nudge often follows the neigh. A nicker (low pitched guttural sound) is to convey that it’s happy to see you. A whinny is a higher pitched neigh, expressing excitement.
“An old adage says that a good rider can hear his horse speak and a great rider can hear his horse whisper.” – Elizabeth Latts.
Conclusion
Horses are social animals that use numerous ways to communicate love, trust, and happiness. The bond with a horse that trusts you is beautiful, magical, and deeply spiritual. The above signs show how a horse “speaks” to human owners, letting us know and feel that it trusts us.
