A horse’s tail seems to have a language of its own. One minute it’s casually swaying like a metronome, the next it’s swatting with purpose. What do all your horse’s tail movements really mean? Let’s dive in and learn about horse tail swishing, from signs of discomfort to clues about your horse’s emotional state.
Tail Anatomy
The horse’s tail makes up the very end of the spinal column. It has between 15 and 21 vertebrae. Powerful muscles surround the vertebrae and attach the tail to the body. These muscles allow the horse to move the tail up, down, and side to side, both consciously and unconsciously.
Horses’ Tail Movements
Not all animals have evolved tails but for those that have, the tail serves specialized purposes to help individual species survive and thrive. One of the ways in which horses use their tails is for balance and to aid with body awareness (proprioception) when moving. Another is for body maintenance; for example, swatting at biting insects, fanning cooling air over the body, or minimizing heat loss by clamping the tail against the body in cold weather.
A tail’s position or movement also serves as an important indicator of how the horse is feeling or intends to behave. It can function as a discrete signal to other horses, when other body parts might not be visible. Take, for example, a group of horses following one another in close proximity: A tail that clamps down can signal to the horse behind that he’s following too closely and should back off before he gets kicked. Or, a moving horse that suddenly lowers his tail is likely about to slow down or stop.
The tail is good source of information for people as well. When a horse raises or lowers the tail, it changes his overall bearing. In general, the higher the tail position, the more aroused (alert) the horse is, and elevating the tail can indicate an intention to move forward. In standing horses, tail elevation can be seen when horses urinate or defecate or when mares in estrus are engaging in courtship patterns with stallions or geldings.
Pay Attention to Your Horse’s Tail Swishing
Tail swishing describes the back-and-forth movement of the tail. While horses swish their tails to swat at insects, they also perform this action when irritated for other reasons. For example, horses might swish their tails when experiencing physical discomfort, such as colic pain, or irritation in the hindquarters, anal area, prepuce, or teats.
Horses might also swish their tails because of psychological discomfort—when something causes the horse to feel conflict, stress, or distress. A wide range of things might cause horses to feel this way, including:
- A rider giving conflicting cues, such as go and stop at the same time.
- The horse being restrained so he cannot escape or avoid something he finds unpleasant.
- Touching or grooming that causes discomfort.
- Being cued to perform behaviors that are physically or psychologically demanding.
When horses swish their tails in this manner, they are likely experiencing emotions such frustration or anger, rather than fear. While fearful horses might display aggressive behaviors if they feel they have no other way of escaping a frightening situation, frustrated or angry horses are generally more likely to rapidly become aggressive. Kicking, striking, barging, or biting could follow if the handler ignores tail swishing.
When handling or riding horses, we are wise to pay attention to smaller, more subtle behaviors our horses display. The benefits of being an observant horse handling include:
- Being able to more rapidly address underlying physical or painful conditions the horse might be experiencing.
- Minimizing the chances the horse feels the need to escalate to get our attention.
- Decreasing the risk of injury for both people and horses.
- Reducing the likelihood the horse will develop more serious behavior problems.
How To React
If you notice your horse swishing his tail, an excellent first step is to stop anything you might be doing and assess the situation. Is the horse showing any other signs of physical discomfort? Is the tail swishing occurring only in response to something specific being done to or with the horse? What other body language clues can you see that might help you determine why the horse is swishing his tail in this particular context?
By taking a moment to consider why our horses might display certain behaviors, we increase the likelihood that we can address the underlying cause in a humane way that works for both us and the horse. The primary way horses communicate is through their body language. Noting and responding to subtle signs of discomfort can pay dividends into the trust bank relationship we have with our horses.
Related Reading:
- More Than Hair: How Horses Use Their Tails
- From Body Language to Behavior: How Horses Communicate
- Learn to Pick Up on These 6 Subtle Signs of Pain in Horses
Lauren Fraser, MSc, FFCP, has helped people understand horse behavior problems since 2006. With a background working as a horse trainer, an MSc in clinical animal behavior, and more than a decade working as an equine behavior consultant, Lauren’s approach gets to the heart of why horses behave the way they do and addresses issues using low-stress methods. Lauren also guest lectures at universities, presents at conferences, and creates educational programs for horse owners and equine professionals.
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