If you have ever spent a few quiet moments standing near a horse, you may have noticed some specific, subtle behaviours. Perhaps, after a period of stillness, the horse lets out a long, dramatic sigh that rattles through her entire body. Or maybe you notice his jaw begin to move, licking his lips or softly chewing, even though there is no food anywhere in sight.
To someone unfamiliar with equine behavior, these actions might seem random, or like simple physical quirks. However, in the equine world, these subtle shifts are highly meaningful. They are clear, outward expressions of a deep internal transition, offering us a beautiful window into how a horse experiences safety and comfort in our presence.
We teach you how to read these signs live and in person at Tula Vida – but we thought it may be interesting to read about before you come…
The language of release
To understand these behaviours, it helps to look at how a horse is built to navigate the world. As prey animals, their survival depends on their ability to instantly mobilise when they feel uncertain. When a horse perceives a change in the environment—a sudden movement, an unfamiliar sound, or even a sense of rush from a human approaching them—their body automatically tightens to prepare for action.
When the horse realizes that everything is completely safe, the body needs a way to let go of that stored preparation. This is where the sigh, the lick, and the chew come in. They are physical mechanisms for discharging tension.
- The deep sigh: Just like in humans, an equine sigh is a literal exhalation of pressure. When a horse lets out a long breath, it signifies that they are dropping their guard. It is the physical manifestation of moving from an alert state into a resting state. Try letting out a sigh yourself now – it shifts things!
- Licking and chewing: When a horse is alert, their nervous system is activated. The moment they feel entirely secure, their system shifts gears back towards rest/digest, and their brains create a release signal causing them to lick and chew. It is a biological sign that their body has successfully returned to a baseline of peace. The repetitive licking, chewing is also associated with endorphin release (pleasure hormone), and some researchers also connect it to the release of cortisol dropping, which can feel physiologically relieving.
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A reflection of the environment
Due to horses being extremely attuned to their surroundings, these behaviors occur in concert with the energy in the area and/or the people who occupy that environment.
As you enter a space with the weight of an overwhelmingly busy week, your body will carry small traces of that pressure such as tension in your jaw or shallow breathing or a fast pace. The horse will immediately notice these physical signs. If you choose to slow your pace and to soften your body’s position, your horse will sense it and you will usually see a response from the horse in real time.
When the horse exhales or chews on something while standing close to you, this is a way of them acknowledging that there has been a shift in the environment. They are assessing and declaring that this space is safe. Their behaviour shows they know there is no more need for them to be on alert.
You might like: What happens when you match your breathing to a horse’s?
The quiet invitation
Identifying these signs increases our understanding of how we connect with our environment. It shows us that communication can be done without elaborate commands and rules, but only when someone has an authentic and calm presence.
It also connects with our previous topic – how our internal state affects others, and our nervous systems are talking to each other.
A horse will offer a deep-breath sigh or come up to you and gently chew to communicate with you, not as a theatrical act but as a real biological response. These signs alone teach us how to relax satisfactorily. Once we know how to see these signs, we can learn to release our shoulders, exhale, and join the herd in true relaxation.
We know that for many people, seeing is believing. Come and learn it in person here!