馬の話し方101：馬のボディランゲージを理解する方法

In this one time class, students will learn about horse body language from a professional trainer. As a trainer, I teach kids to put the first ride on horses that have never been ridden, so I have a lot of experience teaching kids about equine body language in a situation where comprehension really matters! 

I will share my screen and use photos, videos, and sound clips to show students horse behavior and psychology. One of my favorite parts of class is showing students an animation that compares a horse face and a human face side by side. The eye brows, eye lids, lips, and head tilt are all animated to help better understand the articulation of horse facial features.

We will see photos of horses that are...
Content
Peaceful
Anxious
Stressed
Angry
In Pain
Sleepy
Curious

In order to better understand horse body language so that we might use these skills with our horses, we will look in detail at the following:

Facial Expressions: 
- Eyes wide
- Wide nostrils
- Pinched nostrils
- Ears back 
- Ears forward
- Ears split
- Blinking eyes
- Head low
- Head high
- Drooping lip
- Half closed eyes

Noises: 
- Chuffing
- Sighing
- Squealing
- Trumpet/Bugel
- Neigh
- Nicker (guttural)
- Nicker (starting high and ending low)
- Blowing out

Awkward Horse Body Language:
- Rolling the lip up 
- Yawning
- Sneezing
- Full body shake
- Itchy horses
- Horses rolling

Unhappy Horses and Horses in Pain:
- Squinting
- Grimacing
- Braced neck
- Bolting


As a part of the “living history” exhibit at the High Desert Museum, I gave many demonstrations on the behavior and training for wild Mustangs. I’m very passionate about this subject!

I was also Head Trainer at one of the largest horse rescues on the West Coast, managing 125 horses of all ages and breeds, as well as 60 volunteers each volunteering twice a week.

The class photo is me with my daughter and a Mustang I trained. She was 5 when I rescued her and she is 17 now.