Face the Trainer: A Misunderstood Behavior

Brandy and I are playing

Some trainers expect a horse to face them directly and look at them with both eyes, on the premise that this is a respectful sign the horse is giving the trainer his full attention. It’s not. This is a human idea, and not even all human cultures agree on it. For horses, looking away is a sign of deference. It is also a Calming Signal, a behavior that means a horse is feeling stress or tension and wants to defuse the situation. For a horse, looking directly at someone has two significant, but different meanings with unmistakably different body language.
1. It’s a threat. Horses do it when chasing, herding, or facing a fight.
2. It’s a sign of being comfortable with someone. No sensible person wants to provoke the first, and you can’t “train” the second. If a horse has not offered to look at you with both eyes, he will only become less comfortable if you insist on it. In the photo above Brandy is facing me directly by choice. She is comfortable with me, and with the see saw game we are playing together.
References:
A Practical Guide to Horse Behavior: The Equid Ethogram by Sue McDonnell, PhD
Language Signs and Calming Signals of Horses: Recognition and Application by Rachael Draaisma
Calming Signals: Horses Managing Stress by Lynn Acton