OUR DICTIONARY OF HORSE LANGUAGE

I have been referring to messages, sub-messages and vari­ations. These terms of course are rather vague and indefinite. This is because animal communication itself is very indefinite since the interpretation of any message is a personal matter. A message as we define it is an intention, a threat or an enquiry, a feeling or a statement made by a horse. A sub-message is a response to or a development of a message. The term Variation' is an abbreviation of the self-explanatory phrase, Variation from the most common way of conveying a message or a sub-message'. Some mess­ages can be conveyed in a number of different ways, by signs, sounds and various combinations of the two. In our observation of some three hundred horses, we have noted thirty different ways of saying 'welcome', and also about thirty variations on 'where is my breakfast'.

In our dictionary of signs and sounds we have not listed most of these, but for the purpose of this book we have abbreviated the list to the most common ways of saying each phrase. The phrases we have used to convey any particular message have just happened, there is no par­ticular thought behind them, though of course we have tried to convey the feeling of the message by the words and phrases we have used. You will see in the dictionary that some similar messages will be described by two or three different phrases, but you will also see that the context of the message is different and therefore the message itself is different. This applies particularly to messages that are almos_;t sub-messages in that they are developments of an original statement, but since they are at times used alone, we have listed them under messages. Anyone who is interested in equine communication will in any case need to compile his own dictionary and will of course use bis own words to describe each message – he may decide to dispense with the distinction we have made between mess­ages and sub-messages; or include some imperatives or some variations as separate messages. Since each horse will convey his oral and visual messages differently, so each person's dictionary will be laid out differently. But as a guide to anyone who wants to understand his or her own horse I am including a very abbreviated form of my own dictionary. I have made first an alphabetical list of English phrases, noting the number of sub-messages attached to each phrase, and a reference by number to the full trans­lation set out below. Thus, if you want to know how a horse communicates the idea 'I love you' and its two sub-mess­ages, you turn to number 16 below.

1. Welcome. This is used to generalise all calls and signs of greeting used between horses, the most common of which is the whicker of welcome. The strength of the call and the vigour of the movement indicate the degree of imperative. The context, and the carriage of the head and tail, indicate the purpose of the welcome.

2. Who are you? is used by two strange horses on meet­ing. It is an extension of the 'welcome' phrase and is said by sniffing or more usually blowing at each other. The attitude of the two horses towards each other is indicated by the harshness or the gentleness of the blowing' and the carriage of the head and tail. This procedure leads to the sub-messages, (i) I am a friend, said by continuation of the gentle blowing and other friendly movements, or (2) go to hell, a snap or nip by one or other horse, a stamp on the ground with a front foot, a threat to kick, or a squeal.

3. What's this? is used in reference to objects which are close at hand, usually said by a sniff at the object; but a horse may paw the object with his front foot. This gesture leads to the sub-messages, (i) it's all right, shown by ap­proaching and inspecting and then ignoring strange objects, or (2) it's dangerous, shown by moving away, by shying at the object or attacking the danger.

4. Look, used to draw attention to an object and denoted by raising the head and tail and snorting or whinneying to attract the attention of other horses. Similar, and a sub-message to 'look', is (i) what is that, which is said by raising the head high and pricking the ears and looking at a strange object. There is no sound as a secondary reaction to 'what is that'. The horses will either respond it is all right or it is dangerous. Another sub-message is (2) let's go this way. The horse says this by looking in the direction he wants to go and moving in that direction. A second horse responding to 'what is that' will look at the object, and if he recognizes it will say (3) nothing to bother about, or (4) look out, using a snort or a neigh of warning.

5. Come here. This starts as a whicker of welcome rising in the imperative, which may also be shown by shak­ing the head back and forwards if there is no response. The message may be changed to if you do not come here, I will have your guts for garters, which is shown by a threatening movement and will draw the response, (i) all right I am coming, usually said by a low whicker.

6. Don’t go away. This is a whicker or whinney to call a companion back, and varies from a whicker of welcome to the 'where are you' neigh. This is often used also for the sub-messages, (i) where are you going?, or (2) wait for me.

7. Is anybody about? A loud neigh repeated several times. This has an enquiring note and is used with the head and tail held high. When it is answered – with another loud neigh meaning 'I am here' – the first horse will then use the following message:

8. Where are you? 'Where are you' may thus be a sub-message of 'is anybody about?' When it is used by a mare looking for her foal, or by a horse looking for a friend. 'Where are you?' will be a whinney rather than a neigh.

9. I am here! is a loud neigh used in answer to 'is any­body about?' This will be repeated until the two horses are in sight of each other. This again may be used as a sub-message as in the sequence described in 7 and 8 above.

10. There you are. This is used at a distance in answer to 'where are you?', and is usually a whinney as the two horses approach each other, which will change to a whicker of welcome as they meet.

11. Come on! This is used when two horses are grazing together or resting, and one wants to move away or play. He will indicate this by nudging his companion or dancing round him and nipping him. He may give a whicker or just walk away hoping his companion will follow. He may get the responses (i) oh all right, shown in the reluctant car­riage of his companion; or (2) yes let's – an enthusiastic response – or (3) I'm damned if I mil!, shown simply by a negative response or even by threatening or snapping.

12. Go away! This is a defensive sign and is designed purely to protect. It can be a mild threat, usually made with the teeth or hind legs, possibly only one hind leg. If this is ignored the stronger warning go azuay or I will clob­ber you follows. This is a definite and hostile movement and quickly becomes you have asked for it, which is an attempt to bite or kick the tormentor.

13. Stop it! This is a response to an action by another horse or a human. It varies from twitching the skin to striking with the front leg, kicking or biting. This has a response (i) sorry, shown by a rapid evacuation of the area with an air of injured innocence or (2) / will if I want to, which is shown by intensification of the annoying action.

14. That hurts. This is shown by flinching or twitching the skin and shying away from the aggressor. It has a sub-message (i) my foot hurts, shown by lifting up the foot and limping. Variations include my back hurts, my neck hurts, my head hurts, or anything else, but we have counted this as one sub-message.

15. That is nice! is a response to any action that is pleas­ing to the horse and it appears three times in sub-messages, but it is used as a message in its own right and as a plea to continue. It is shown by an increase of pressure on the partner and is used when two horses are in close contact, maybe accompanied by a grunt of contentment or by breathing out.

16. I love you. We use this phrase to show affection other than maternal or sexual. There are thirty or more way of showing this, the most common being a gentle blow­ing through the nostrils or rubbing with the nose and head. This can draw the response, (i) / love you too, or (2) go away.

17.1 hate you. The signs and sounds used in this case are different from go away, and are of an aggressive rather than a defensive nature. The front legs and teeth will be used, which is a definite sign of antipathy between two horses, and if it draws the response (i) I hate you too, a fight will ensue. It may draw the response (2) I am sorry, as in message 13: the same sorry signs will be used, but they will also include the defensive actions, that is the hind quarters will be presented or a pair of heels may be used on the aggressor.

18. Come and fight. This is a response to a stallion's challenge and is a high-pitched neigh, or perhaps a scream of rage. This is followed by (i) / will pulverise you, which is part of the preliminary manoeuvring and threatening to try and establish a psychological advantage before fighting the battle. After the battle the loser will say (2) / am sorry, I am going. He does this by fleeing with his tail tucked in, and the winner in his triumph, threatens (3) if you come back I will kill you. The stallion will then go to his mares and say (4) did you see that, girls, I murdered him. He may do this by snorting and dancing round his mares, and he may also drive them away to safety. This cavorting signal of sheer triumph may also be used by a mare or gelding who has got the better of another horse or human being.

19. I am king is the bugle note of a stallion, which is either a challenge, or a call to a group of mares. This will be repeated again as he goes towards the mares.

20. Come and get it. This is the horseing mare's neigh in response to the stallion's bugle, and will be used as the horseing mare leaves the group to meet the stallion.

21. You will be quite safe with me. It is the first phrase of love play used by the stallion, and is said by blowing through his nostrils. Unless he gets a definite 'no' from the mare he will continue with this until he gets a girlish giggle, when he will say, (i) / like you. He does this by titillating the mare on her neck and flanks with his lips, and then (2), in a more urgent manner, he will say let's make love by nipping her with his teeth. Next he progresses to (3) come on then, which can be shown by gripping the neck with his teeth, by trying to mount her or by actually mounting the mare. The next sub-message will be (4) which is that was good. After he has served the mare he will dismount and arch his neck and nuzzle the mare, or he may snort, or otherwise show his affection.

22. (Go away) we are good girls here. This can be shown by a very aggressive action indeed towards the stal­lion. The lead will be taken by a very strong rnare pro­tecting the virtues of the rest of the herd from a rather immature stallion. This response may then change to (i) the girlish giggle, which is used in response to the stallion's 'you will be quite safe with me.' This is a squeal by the mare, and she may also wave her hind leg, and may lead to (2) what are we waiting for? This is usually the phrase of a highly sexed mare, who will make water and stand with her hind legs open and her tail raised; or she may open and close her vulvula or stand with her vulvula slightly open. But mares are as unpredictable as women in their response to the male, and in her love play the mare can change very quickly from saying 'go away I am a good girl' to 'come and get it, what are you waiting for'. It all depends entirely on the mare. She may use all three messages as separate mess­ages or start with 'go away' and use the other two as sub-messages. When the love-making is over she may say (3) that was hard work. She will say this by grunting, puffing and blowing and complaining thoroughly. She may say (4) is that all? by simply shaking herself and walking away to graze, or (5) she may say that was nice, let's do it again. Here she will whicker and try to initiate further love play.

These events, with any luck, will lead after eleven months to the birth of a foal the following spring, and the need for a further group of messages for use by the mare in the care of her foal. The first of these is:

23. Mummy loves you. The mare does this by nuzzling her foal and blowing gently through her nostrils. If her foal is frightened she will reassure it and say (i) you will be quite safe. She will do this by pushing the foal into her flank on the other side of danger.

24. Come and drink. She does this by a low whicker or whinney, moving one leg slightly sideways and offering the udder to the foal. If she does not want the foal to feed, she will say sub-message (i) there is none there, pushing the foal away with the upper part of her hind leg or her stifle joint or her nose. If the foal is naughty she will say:

25. Don't do that. This is different from the normal 'stop it' used between two horses, because 'stop it' will be said when two horses are in close proximity, and usually by signs. But the mare may warn her foal from a distance, usually in a sharp whinney while she threatens it with her head. This is followed by mummy warned you! raising the tone of voice and increasing the vigour of movement. If the foal is still disobedient she will say, right you have asked for it and punish the foal, usually by nipping it. The foal itself will use a lot of the adult messages, but will have two of its own:

26. 7 am thirsty. This is shown by nuzzling the mare's flanks and trying to get to her udder. When the foal is threatened by a bigger horse it will say: 27.1 am only small. He says this by holding his head and neck out straight, sometimes holding the nose up slightly and moving the mouth as if sucking. When he does this it is most unlikely that another horse will hurt him.

28. / am frightened. This can be shown by a snort or a neigh, and if they are in a confined area the horses will lean against each other and gain reassurance from the group.

29. Let us get the hell out of here, is said with a snort or a neigh with the head and tail held high ready for flight, which in turn will draw a response of 'yes, let's', or 'nothing to worry about'.

30. Help! This is a scream of fear and is seldom heard. I have heard it only once but it is unmistakable.

31. Oh my God! This is a scream of pain and is only uttered by a horse suffering unbearable pain. Again it is quite unmistakable.

32. Don't worry, is used by a calm horse to steady a frightened one. It can be conveyed by a whicker, by offering protection to the other horse with the body or merely by reassuring bodily contact.

Another group of sounds is concerned with herd dis­cipline. There is a definite social order within the herd, descending from the lead mare to die yearlings, small foals being usually disciplined by their mothers. Even in dom­estication this herd discipline will still be observed within a group. The senior member of the herd takes precedence in feeding, watering and moving, and may demand her rights with the threat:

33. 7 cm? boss. This is said to an inferior within the group, usually by threatening with the head and teeth. The boss will also say go back, by swinging the head and threat­ening any inferior that tries to pass her. Next comes either 7 will bite you or 7 will pulverise you which involves driv­ing the inferior away with her teeth and front legs. If the second horse is a social equal, it will respond to the state­ment 'I am boss', by saying (i) no you are not. This expressed either by ignoring the threat altogether, or by threatening the other back. Similar messages are used in other situations – for example, go back, I mil kick or 7 will bite may be used when the boss horse is feeding and an inferior horse approaches. In this case a threat to kick may be made.

34. Gangway! This is said by a boss horse by pushing through a herd and laying about the others with his head. On the other hand the sub-message (i) Excuse me, is used; by an inferior horse trying to pass a boss horse.

There is another group of signs and sounds which have been developed by horses through their contact with man. Many of these deal with feeding. The first and possibly oldest of these is easily understood:

35. Where is my bloody breakfast? This is shown in a multitude of ways, from the whicker of welcome to a bang on the food bin. Each horse-owner will know how his horse does it. The sub-messages are several, (i) I want water is often (2) 7 want hay may be said by walking to the hay rack looking disgusted. When he has been fed (3), the horse will say thank you, usually by using the whicker of welcome or saying / love you and showing affection. He will of course indicate whether or not he likes his food and will say (4) this is nice, by eating his food greedily with bits falling out of his mouth; or if you are feeding him tit­bits he will say (5) give me some more, by whickering and nuzzling at your pockets and nudging you to remind you he is still there. If he does not like what you give him he will say (6) that is horrible by spitting it out and wrinkling his lips and making ugly faces.

Whereas 'where is my bloody breakfast' is used by horses accustomed to being fed regularly, a horse which has never been fed will also say:

36. I am hungry, or thirsty. He will say this by whicker­ing when he sees you, and putting on the appearance of being empty and miserable. Sub-message of this is (i) I am wet, which is very similar and said by standing in the rain with head down looking very miserable. If a horse has to go out into the rain he will say (2) this is horrible by turning his head away from the rain and going into it with reluctance and disgust. He can also say (3) 7 am cold, by shivering and again looking miserable.

When you are riding a horse there will be a continuous contact and interplay of messages. We will ignore the messages used by man to convey his wishes, as these are a matter of taste and training; and we have also dealt with a lot of the signs used by the horse already, because they are also used by horses between themselves; but they also use them in communicating with man. The first sign specific to riding, however, is:

37. Come on then, said by whickering and dancing round a little to show his desire to go out and enjoy himself.

A companion left behind will shout:

38: Do not leave me behind. This is said with a neigh or a whinney arid the horse may try to demolish the stable door in his anxiety to follow his companions. Once you have started your horse may be saying:

39. 7 am enjoying this, which he does by dancing about or walking along with his head and tail held high and gen­erally showing his enjoyment. If he is feeling particularly well he will show his joie de vivre in an unmistakable way – 7 feel fine – by cavorting around and giving a little squeal or pretending to buck.

40. Let us go! is said by dancing around and reaching for his bit and showing a general desire to go faster. A sub-message to this is (i) yes let's, shown by an enthusiastic response to a request or an order to do something. After his work he may be tired and he will say this too in an un­mistakable way:

41. I am tired. He will communicate this by the way he carries himself. The sub-message is (i) not again, which he says by his reluctance to repeat an action. Of course not all horses are willing and keen, and at times they may refuse to do what they are asked to do and say:

42. / cannot, by refusing to do wahtever it is. The sub-message (i) / will not differs from 'I cannot' only because you know quite well that he can do it. So if you can make him he may give in by saying:

43. / suppose I will have to, and he will show his reluc­tance in much the way that Shakespeare described the school-boy 'creeping like snail unwillingly to school'. But before he capitulates he may well threaten:

44. / will buck. He points his ears sideways and arches his back and makes as if to buck. There are similar mess­ages / will rear, said by throwing his head up and lifting his front feet off the ground, and I will kick or I will bolt.

45. That tickles, he says by twitching the skin and pos­sibly waving a leg, stamping or squealing.

46. Scratch here, is shown by rubbing where the itch is. If he is with another horse, he will scratch the other horse with his teeth to show where he wants to be scratched.

Finally, here is the last message. When you turn a horse into the field he will say:

47. It is good to be free! And joie de vivre is something every horse expresses in his own individual way.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Date: 2015-04-20; view: 724