Listening Beyond Words: The Wisdom of Horses

By ADA HAENSEL, M.Ed

In our word-focused world, we often forget that communication extends beyond speech. At Speaking of Horses, our equine therapists demonstrate that profound communication can happen in silence—and true listening involves more than hearing words.

Nature’s Nonverbal Experts

Horses, as prey animals evolved on open grasslands, communicate almost entirely through body positioning, facial expressions, energy, touch, and occasional vocalizations. This sophisticated nonverbal system allows them to coordinate movements, establish social hierarchies, express needs, and maintain safety without speaking.

Their listening involves their entire being:

• Eyes scanning for tiny changes in posture
• Ears constantly rotating to track sounds
• Skin feeling shifts in air pressure
• Nose gathering chemical information about emotions
• Nervous system attuned to energy shifts

Authentic Communication

Perhaps the most profound lesson horses offer is their insistence on authenticity. They respond not to our words or conscious intentions, but to our embodied truth—our actual internal states. A nervous rider pretending to be confident will find the horse responding to their nervousness, not their facade.

For children with communication challenges, this creates a uniquely supportive environment. Horses don’t judge or have expectations for how communication “should” happen—they simply respond honestly to what’s genuinely communicated.

Therapeutic Applications

Our therapy horses demonstrate extraordinary listening skills:

• Phil detects hidden emotional states, refusing to move until riders acknowledge their true feelings
• Blink naturally respects personal space boundaries with touch-sensitive clients
• Whinny matches his movement to riders’ internal rhythms, helping regulate their nervous systems

Lessons for Human Communication

From our equine partners, we learn to:

• Listen with our whole bodies, not just our ears
• Create safety through predictable responses
• Honor silence as meaningful communication

The ultimate gift horses offer children with communication challenges is being truly heard. When a horse responds appropriately to subtle communication attempts, children receive powerful feedback: “I hear you. You matter. Your communication works.”

This creates communicative confidence that transfers to human interactions. As one parent shared: “My son spent years in therapy being encouraged to use his words, but it always felt like he was performing speech. With the horses, he finally feels listened to—even when he’s not speaking.”

At Speaking of Horses, we’re not just teaching children to communicate—we’re learning from horses how to listen effectively. They show us that authentic presence matters more than technique, connection precedes communication, and understanding requires attunement beyond words.

The next time you interact with someone who struggles with traditional communication, try listening like a horse: with your whole body, without agenda, with respect for silence, and with attention to the many ways meaning can exist beyond words.

About Speaking of Horses

Speaking of Horses operates as a nonprofit organization dedicated to making equine-assisted speech therapy accessible to children from all backgrounds. While we accept insurance, including Medicaid, the costs of providing this specialized therapy far exceed typical reimbursement rates. The care and maintenance of our therapy horses, specialized adaptive equipment, facility upkeep, and accommodations like our sensory corner and mounting ramp all require resources beyond what insurance covers.

Our program is made possible through the generosity of donors and community supporters who understand the value of patience, connection, and meeting each child where they are. Consider supporting Speaking of Horses through a donation that helps create the time and space for more children to find their voices at their own perfect pace.

Your contribution directly supports the unhurried, child-led approach that makes these breakthroughs possible. To learn more about supporting our mission or to make a donation, please visit our website by clicking here or contact us directly.

This article originally appeared in the The Plaid Horse and is published here with permission.

There are more informative articles in our section on Health & Education.

Why Did My Horse Just Do That?

Understanding Horse Behaviour and Stable Safety – A Course for Adults on TheHorsePortal.ca

You’re leading your horse to the paddock. It’s a quiet morning, birds chirping, nothing unusual in sight. Then bam !— your horse spooks sideways, nearly knocking you off your feet. You look around, baffled. What just happened?

If you’ve ever asked yourself that question, you’re not alone. And your horse isn’t trying to be difficult—they’re just being a horse.

Equine Guelph invites adult horse owners, riders, and caregivers to join the Horse Behaviour and Stable Safety course, a practical and eye-opening journey into the equine mind and the environments we share.

What’s Going On in Their Heads?

Through engaging online units, you’ll explore:

• Wild vs. Stabled Behaviour: Why your horse still thinks like a prey animal, and often runs first and asks questions later.
  
• How Horses See and Hear: Horses see the world through monocular and binocular vision, which means they have blind spots and a very different depth perception than humans. Combine that with their highly sensitive hearing, and you’ve got an animal that can detect a distant rustle long before you do—but might miss the halter you’re holding right under their nose. Understanding how horses perceive their environment helps you anticipate their reactions and avoid startling them.
  
• Herd Behaviour: Herd dynamics influence everything from where they stand in the paddock to how they respond to you. Horses rely on subtle body language and positioning to communicate dominance, submission, and safety. One horse can move another with the flick of an ear.  Learning how horses interact with each other helps you work with their instincts, not against them.
  
• Horse Handling: Safety around horses starts with awareness. Horses are large, reactive animals, and if you are giving cues from the wrong place at the wrong time it could land you in trouble.  Using techniques that align with their natural behaviour, you will learn how to approach, lead, and work around horses confidently and safely. When you understand their signals and respond appropriately, you build trust and reduce the risk for both of you.
  
• Rider/Helmet Safety: Protecting your body and brain
  
• Safe Trailering: To you, a trailer might mean adventure, but to your horse, it can look like a dark, narrow trap. As a prey animal, your horse is naturally cautious about confined spaces with limited escape routes. The sound of hooves on metal, the vibration of the floor, and the echo inside the trailer can all heighten anxiety. This course helps you understand those fears and teaches techniques to make loading more inviting—through calm handling, proper equipment, and thoughtful preparation. When trailering is approached with empathy and planning, it becomes safer and less stressful for everyone involved.
  
• Fire Safety: Prevention and emergency preparedness
  
• Barn and Paddock Safety: Spotting hazards before they become accidents
  
• Returning from Injury: Supporting recovery with patience and protocol

“As a person, looking to purchase our first horse, I can attest: nothing could prepare me better than series of on-line courses offered by the University of Guelph. The knowledge shared by instructors and on-line discussions with fellow students make me feel ready to take on a challenge and become a responsible owner of an equine.” Nadya Scharfenberg, Prospective Horse Owner (Holstein, ON)

With expert instruction, real-life examples, and interactive discussions, you’ll gain the tools to build safer, more trusting relationships with your horse.

View all the Online Courses that are offered.

Whether you are new to horses or have years of experience, this course will help you answer the question: “Why did my horse just do that?”—and more importantly, what to do next.

Our Partners: Esso, Kubota, System Equine, Ontario Equestrian

This article originally appeared on Equine Guelph, The University of Guelph and is published here with permission.

You can find more informative articles in our section on Health & Education.

While you're here, find some perfect items for your horse! Visit our curated Amazon Store.

Sample Lesson: First Trot with Christy Landwehr and Teresa Kackert

Christy Landwehr demonstrates a sample 15 minute lesson on First Trot. This sample lesson is what is needed when you teach a lesson at a CHA Certification. It includes elements of participant role playing as students, how to fast forward to get an hour lesson done in 15 minutes, lesson evaluations and more.

Read more: Sample Lesson: First Trot with Christy Landwehr and Teresa Kackert

New Year’s Resolutions for Horse People

Happy New Year! Do you make resolutions or have goals for 2026? If so, horse owners can focus on resolutions that balance practical care, personal growth, and deeper connections with their equine partners. Here are some suggestions.

1. Prioritize "No-Agenda" Quality Time

• Spend extra time "just because": Commit to spending 10 extra minutes before or after a ride just grooming, hand-grazing, or being present without a specific training goal.
• Bond outside the saddle: Visit on non-riding days to offer grooming, treats, or simple companionship to strengthen your mutual trust. Many owners bring their dogs too!

2. Optimize Health & Routine Care

• Refresh the health plan: Use early 2026 to schedule your horse’s annual vaccinations with your veterinarian, dental checks, and farrier visits on a centralized care calendar.
• Evaluate nutrition: Review starch and sugar levels in your horse's feed and ensure they have access to adequate forage and salt. Is your horse too heavy or lean? Research new feeding programs.
• Perform regular safety checks: Commit to inspecting fencing, gates, and stable equipment monthly to catch hazards like loose nails or rotting posts before they cause injury.
• Prepare for emergencies: Are you in an area with floods, hurricanes, wildfires or other weather related storms? It is extremely helpful to prepare for disasters for both you and your horse.

3. Master Specific Riding & Training Skills

• Fix one bad habit: Instead of "becoming a better rider," focus on correcting one persistent flaw, such as leaning to one side or improper hand positioning. You can try on your own, with a trainer or at a clinic.
• Incorporate "No-Stirrup" work: Don't wait for November. Add five minutes of no-stirrup work to every ride to improve your balance and seat.
• Try a new discipline: Step out of your comfort zone by trying a different riding discipline, like working equitation, trail obstacles, or groundwork exercises.

4. Organize Your Equestrian Life

• Clean tack after every ride: Make it a habit to wipe down bits and leather immediately to extend the life of your equipment.
• Declutter the tack room and trailer: Sort through gear and donate unused blankets or halters to local horse rescues or riding schools.
• Keep a riding journal. Record your sessions, noting successes and areas for improvement to track progress more effectively over the year.

5. Focus on Personal Fitness

• Build rider strength: Enhance your communication in the saddle by improving your own core stability and cardiovascular endurance through exercises like Pilates or yoga.
• Examine your diet: Save (most) sugar treats for your horses. Of course, you can always share apples or carrots with your equine friend!

6. Hit the road

• Explore new trails: There are many great places to explore from the back of a horse. It is stimulating for both you and your equine partner. Make a plan with friends and go on a trail ride!
• Plan a horse holiday: Have you ever dreamed of seeing national parks or riding in another country, enjoying the beaches or the local culture? It’s time to plan for your next vacation!
• Attend a horse show or event: There are an incredible variety of events including dressage, jumping, polo, rodeo and many more! If you don’t have a rig and want to bring your horse, there are many great shippers available and horse motels if you need to spend the night.

7. Donate your time

• Help a horse rescue: Many horses need homes and pitching in at a local rescue or retirement farm is a great way to help.
• Volunteer at a therapeutic riding center: There are wonderful organizations which help disabled people and providing assistance while sharing your love of horses is a fulfilling way to spend time.

Do you have any suggestions? We’d love to hear them! We’ll share them on our social media platforms too om Facebook, X, Instagram and Bluesky!

You can find more informative articles in our section on Recreation & Lifestyle. Take a look at our Curated Amazon Store for our selections in a wide variety of categories!