# A twitching tail when performing



## Little Jane

I've recently had a bit of a discussion with a friend about tail-twitching. Specifically, what does it mean when a horse twitches his tail while performing or executing a movement? I've seen this mostly in dressage-type work: piaffes, collected canters, pirouettes, etc. I thought it meant the horse had either been trained with somewhat aversive methods or that the horse wasn't completely mentally OK with the work, but my friend didn't think so. So ... what does tail-twitching mean?

Here is the video she showed me that initially sparked the conversation. Even my non-horsey sister commented that it looked like the horse was uncomfortable. 






Also, was that a clicker he was using in the video? If so, can someone please explain exactly what the trainer was marking with the clicker? It sounded like a clicker, but it seems to be very different from the way dog and cat trainers use it, which is my only experience with a clicker.

Thank you!

Jane


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## Back2Horseback

Thank you for this post, Little Jane! I was planning on asking the same question a few weeks back and forgot...I've been quite curious for some time to understand what the consensus is regarding this issue or perhaps various basic theories if there is no "one perfect answer"...

I've heard, as well, that it is an indicator of one of three things: 
°Discomfort,
°Dissatisfaction with what the horse is being asked to do, either due to said horse being mentally ill-prepared for the task, or physically disliking the task,
or
°Excessive flies/environmental irritants to which horse is hyper-responsive.

Which, if any, or all, are correct, or what other theories do you guys have?

Thanks, OP! Sorry I didn't have any answers, only more questions!


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## ligoleth

There was a thread regarding dressage and tail twitching about a year ago. I don't remember all of it, but another reason is kind of how the horse keeps in "time". Like a metronome or a foot tapping when playing music. 

The clicking I think was trying to stimulate a beat in which the horse can do the piaffe with. Whenever I think of dressage, I think of it as dancing on horseback, almost. 

Another reason could be for balance, also. 

I'm not entirely 100% on these answers, but someone else can explain more easily/correctly than I.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ligoleth

Here, watch this. Sorry, I can't embed. 

m.youtube.com/watch?hl=en&gl=US&client=mv-google&v=knCj92zA0tU
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## upnover

While tail swishing can mean annoyance/discomfort/etc it can also happen when a horse is putting out a lot of effort like performing a difficult movement. Even when they are perfectly happy and comfortable doing it. If you watch some tests you can almost see them swish their tails to the beat of what they're doing. Even some grand prix horses flick their tails when they're really putting a lot of effort into the jump.


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## Copperhead

Agree with everyone else with aggravation and annoyance. It can also mean that whatever you're asking is mentally and physically hard for the horse so it's a small form a protest. Not always negative as some maneuvers are very physically hard for horses, but if you back off every time a horse twitches a tail then not one horse would be trained.

It can also signify concentration on a harder maneuver. Lol I keep editing to add... But generally tail twitching is frowned upon in dressage for reasons being the horse should be fluid without a sign of protest, and tail cranking can be that sign. 
Never heard of a horse twitching its tail to keep time.
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## DancingArabian

Remember that the tail is an extension of the spine. I'm pretty sure that the muscles that make it move are connected to the spine as well. A hard working back can mean an expressive (swishy) tail. It doesn't always mean unhappy horse.

Now on some horses, like my freak, how high the tail is is equivalent to how naughty and fresh he's feeling. He's an Arab so there's always some level of a love of life in him but when his tail is vertical I know I'm in for it.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Little Jane

Thank you everyone for the responses! I'm glad to know that it doesn't always mean negative things. 

Interesting to be using the clicker to keep beat . . . Does anyone have any more insights on his use of the clicker? Is that a common thing to do? When I've seen clickers used before, the click has been used to mark a specific behavior. 

Thank you again!

Jane
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DancingArabian

I know some people who train with a metronome. Same function as a clicker except you're not doing the timekeeping.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Little Jane

DancingArabian said:


> Now on some horses, like my freak, how high the tail is is equivalent to how naughty and fresh he's feeling. He's an Arab so there's always some level of a love of life in him but when his tail is vertical I know I'm in for it.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


My mare is part Arab, and she does this too 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## kenda

Keep in mind that there is also a pretty big difference between the type of tail swishing that could be mistaken for swatting at flies, and the tail that looks like a rear propeller as it helicopters around behind the horse.


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## Little Jane

Back to the initial video I posted, can anyone offer a suggestion as to the horse's intent with his swishing? Is he uncomfortable and upset or just learning?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## upnover

This video is several years old but still one of my favorites.... a great example of a comfortable happy expression with an active tail. 







A horse uses a lot of different parts of their body to express anger and discomfort as well, ears, eyes, head, etc. I think you need to look at the entire horse, not just their tails. My opinion on the video is that the horse is just working hard.


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## amberly

I think it helps then with balance on some things. Like when cat's almost fall over (just and example) then their tail goes up to help their balance.

But I think it might also just be a natural thing when they are doing new or difficult tasks. When I teach my horse new things he swishes his tail a lot. But it is not in discomfort or confusion, he is just processing the information.


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## Muppetgirl

My horse was/is a tail swisher! It can actually be rather annoying! However the trainer (a personal friend of mine for 10yrs and well proven, also a long time riding friend, so I know how she trains) said he's always thrown his tail around. He does it more in a spin (he's a reiner) however. I had the chiro to him about two months ago.....the swishing has decreased 10 fold. He still does it when I get after him, which is rare......it's better than bucking or rearing!

Also, some horses are genetically wired to be more 'expressive' with their tails


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## DancingArabian

Little Jane said:


> Back to the initial video I posted, can anyone offer a suggestion as to the horse's intent with his swishing? Is he uncomfortable and upset or just learning?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Neither. Look at how tucked under his hindquarters are. He's working hard and so is his back. The muscles that work his back work his tail, and since the tail can move, it does.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Allison Finch

upnover said:


> This video is several years old but still one of my favorites.... a great example of a comfortable happy expression with an active tail.
> 
> ANDREAS HELGSTRAND - WEG2006 Freestyle Final - YouTube
> 
> 
> A horse uses a lot of different parts of their body to express anger and discomfort as well, ears, eyes, head, etc. I think you need to look at the entire horse, not just their tails. My opinion on the video is that the horse is just working hard.


Perfect example of a wonderful horse putting every ounce of effort into her work. The ears tell you this horse is neither in pain or angry. She just put so much effort into her work, her whole body was involved. Such expression is not always a bad sign. If you can't tell when wringing is pain/anger and when swishing shows a horse doing its job with gusto, well.......


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## Little Jane

I love that Andreas Helgstrand video: thanks!

Thank you everyone for you responses.


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## minstrel

Love the WEG video too - cracking horse!!

Just to add, something I was taught many years ago that stuck with me was that you watch for a *stiff* tail, when the horse is working well the tail should be dynamic and swinging with the movement. If a horse is swishing and the tail looks stiff, that could be an indicator of discomfort etc, but one where the tail is really swinging with the movement is just that, movement of the tail vertebrae along with the rest of the spine when the horse is working it's back well.


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## RunningJumpingHorses

My mare was twitching her tail a lot and throwing her head too. I knew she was hurting so we took her to a chiropractor and she was out in her neck shoulders back and hips. I mean EVERYWHERE. She was so bad she had stall rest for 4 days and then only let out in a small pen by herself for another 3 then she could be let out. That's my experience in one way. 

The other is not understanding. My mustang filly swishes her tail when doing ground work and when I'm on her and she's not understanding what I want from her.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## alexischristina

Jackson is a tail swisher when he gets particularly excited. I noticed in a couple videos of us competing, he has a very distinctive snort / head toss / annoyed ears when he's angry or uncomfortable and the tail swishing has never been correlated with any of that. Just when he's being pushed to be competitive, or when he's using his body properly. He's got a very active tail while 'playing' too, so with him it isn't something I associate with 'upset'- one of our other ponies, on the other hand, usually expresses her distaste through her tail.


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## equitate

Two things: the tail is an extension of the spine, so when the spine is used differently the tail moves. That is what I see for the most part here, but when he touches with the whip the tail does switch and that is a reaction to the touch of the skin. In the blu hors Matinee (RIP) vid from Aachen, that mare is reacting to the spurs in the belly. It is interesting that she did not do this in warm up when she was more relaxed, but touches on the belly frequently cause this (esp in mares). She was trained very quickly up the levels and died very young.

And no, it is the voice which makes the sound in the vid.


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## jody111

My mare is known for tail swishing... Leg on tail swish, pretty much anything tail swish - everyone comments on it - and its a classic Kazz pose if theres a swishing tail in the pic... shes not in pain (Trust me its been checked) its just her.... shes expressive in everything she does...

she also pulls faces, does a cute dance on the spot when shes excited (At liberty) and squeals if excited.. its part of what I love about her...


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## franknbeans

Muppetgirl said:


> My horse was/is a tail swisher! It can actually be rather annoying! However the trainer (a personal friend of mine for 10yrs and well proven, also a long time riding friend, so I know how she trains) said he's always thrown his tail around. He does it more in a spin (he's a reiner) however. *I had the chiro to him about two months ago.....the swishing has decreased 10 fold. *He still does it when I get after him, which is rare......it's better than bucking or rearing!
> 
> Also, some horses are genetically wired to be more 'expressive' with their tails


Which is just ONE reason why I am SO against cutting them so they can't swish, which happens in "our" discipline.:-(

It can mean many things and is difficult to interpret when taken out of context, IMO. Depends on the horse and the situation.


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## JustWingIt

Don't have much of my own experience to share here, but I recently read this in a book:

"When a riding horse is working with his back properly engaged, his dock should be carried horizontally to the ground and the tail itself should hang slightly arched and swing freely in rhythm with the movement of his hind limbs. A clamped down or motionless tail that does not swing at the bottom indicates a stiff horse with a tense back. A limp tail which seems to hang with no tone in the dock, indicates very slack back muscles. Asymmetrical muscling along the horses back will result in the tail being carried to one side." 

Just thought I'd share the authors thoughts


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