Equine Body Language

[JW]

Hi there....I know this thread is old, but I just saw it and thought I'd add my 2 cents from my own experience. Licking can also be a sign of relaxation and being happy and content. My horse licks when he sees me and it's not because of submission. He also licks with anticipation when he thinks he's about to be fed.

[rj]

I replied fairly early on in this thread, but I guess there is more still to be said. Horses actually have a sophisticated non-vocal communication system, so to try & simplify it for our own purposes is not really fair.
Only a very few years ago, no-one really took any notice of what horses were saying, we were all far too busy TELLING them, weren't we?!
So our skills of interpretation are not yet fully developed, if indeed we will ever be able to recognise and understand all the complicated little signals which make up the equine language.
That's why the Montys, Mark Rashids & PP's etc have made such a difference to our lives. They have made long studies of the subject and it is their living. I and many other one-horse owners who have to work full time to support our addiction, do not actually have the means or the time to discover all of the fascinating stuff they have learnt, and I am very grateful they are prepared to share it, even tho I am sure they will admit that they too still have lots to learn!
So when a horse 'licks & chews' what else is it doing, & how is it doing it, exactly? I expect there quite a few variations of the same theme, and am now more aware and ready to try and work out what is going on, and respond accordingly.