# Horse Body Language (help me translate)



## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

What he's doing reminds me of what my mare does when she's "telling" me where she wants to be scratched. She loves having her head/cheeks scratched so I'll scratch her head for a bit, then she'll turn one cheek to me "scratch this one, mom!", I'll scratch that one, then she'll show me her other cheek like "hey! you missed a spot!". I think when he's looking back at you he's just requesting that you come back to his head and scratch that.

He looks like a big ol' sweetie!


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## Tokoneki (Mar 28, 2011)

Wallaby said:


> What he's doing reminds me of what my mare does when she's "telling" me where she wants to be scratched. She loves having her head/cheeks scratched so I'll scratch her head for a bit, then she'll turn one cheek to me "scratch this one, mom!", I'll scratch that one, then she'll show me her other cheek like "hey! you missed a spot!". I think when he's looking back at you he's just requesting that you come back to his head and scratch that.
> 
> He looks like a big ol' sweetie!


Thanks! Yeah, now that I think about what you said and watch his behavior, it makes sense!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

man, he's adorable!!! I think his nudging you is asking you to continue what you were doing because he finds it reassuring and pleasureable. He seemed to be fairly polite about it, not like he was using you as a scratching post. He has a really sweet eye. Hve you tried scratching him just between his withers and his shoulders? Watch his face and see if while doing this he makes mouth or lip movements and maybe stretches out his head with it kilted off to the side. these are all signs of pleasure. They are exhibite when horses do mututal grooming.
He is a lovely boy and seems to find peace with you.


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## Tokoneki (Mar 28, 2011)

tinyliny said:


> man, he's adorable!!! I think his nudging you is asking you to continue what you were doing because he finds it reassuring and pleasureable. He seemed to be fairly polite about it, not like he was using you as a scratching post. He has a really sweet eye. Hve you tried scratching him just between his withers and his shoulders? Watch his face and see if while doing this he makes mouth or lip movements and maybe stretches out his head with it kilted off to the side. these are all signs of pleasure. They are exhibite when horses do mututal grooming.
> He is a lovely boy and seems to find peace with you.


Thank you! This is reassuring to read, since I only aim to make him happy even though he's not mine  He's a very sweet boy, and as you saw, he stood there without being tied up. So it's nice to know he enjoys our interactions... He does twitch his lip a lot when I'm scratching him. Is this the lip movement you're talking about? Do they only do this when being groomed? Bc a lot of times, he just stands next to me and his lip and mouth and twitchy---then he nudges me! lol


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## lildonkey8 (Dec 12, 2010)

Well, we have a horse, Tiger, who is just like that...literally! You go and start rubbing him and he just looks at you, then when you come back he nudges you and brings his head around


Gorgeous horse, BTW


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## Tokoneki (Mar 28, 2011)

lol! Thanks, he's a handsome boy. And I'm 5'2'' and he towers over me and lowers his head a lot so I can give him some love


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## Hidalgo13 (Dec 24, 2010)

ya I definitely think he's saying: KEEP ON SCRATCHING! in an adorable and polite way.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I love a horse like that. I mean no dissing to mares, but I find that geldings are often a lot friendlier in the way Roman is. Yoou hsould ask about riding him. He might be an awesome ride. When tbds are good, they are wonderful riding horses.


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## SAsamone (Nov 5, 2009)

Gosh, he reminds me so much of my Texas....he's not on a lead, so if he didn't like what you were doing, he'd walk away. He wants attention/food whatever, and he has a very kind eye. You're just fine in his eyes


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## Tokoneki (Mar 28, 2011)

tinyliny said:


> I love a horse like that. I mean no dissing to mares, but I find that geldings are often a lot friendlier in the way Roman is. Yoou hsould ask about riding him. He might be an awesome ride. When tbds are good, they are wonderful riding horses.


His joints crack and pop a lot, I've boarded there since November and I've never seen him be ridden :-( So idk how he'd do or if it would hurt him to ride. And yeah, I've noticed that too. I own a mare myself, but every gelding I've come across is social and sweet, to an extent. Roman is exceptional <3



SAsamone said:


> Gosh, he reminds me so much of my Texas....he's not on a lead, so if he didn't like what you were doing, he'd walk away. He wants attention/food whatever, and he has a very kind eye. You're just fine in his eyes


Yeah I figured he'd walk away if he didn't like what I was doing, as you saw he was not tied up or forced to be there. Thanks!


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Artie does that too, he just wants you to keep scratching him . Man, he is a sweetie!


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## palominolover (Apr 28, 2010)

Yeah I'm thinking he's saying that he enjoys what you are doing =) When he looks at you like that he's saying that he trusts you =) He's a handsome guy.


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