Horses give very clear warning signals if they are not happy. The easiest way to determine a horse's mood is to watch the horse's ears. The horse's ears are very mobile and each position demonstrates the horse's mood.

If the ears are pricked forwards and the horse's head is raised and still, then the horse is looking at something and is very alert. If the ears are forward but the head and neck are relaxed then the horse is happy and at rest. If the ears are pricked but mobile, then the horse is paying attention, listening to the rider and is interested in what is happening around him. If the horse's ears are back then he is not very happy and trying to tell you what he is not happy about. Should the horse's ears be flat back, with his teeth bared and possibly accompanied by head tossing or feet stamping then he is distinctly unhappy about something.

The eyes are another good indication of what the horse is thinking and when the whites of the eyes can be seen it is usually an indication that something is wrong. Horses generally show the whites of their eyes when they are distressed or frightened. Occasionally the eyes seem almost as if they are rolling back in the horse's head and this is usually a sign of extreme fear or worry.

Horses also use body language to portray their emotions. If they feel threatened then they may stand with their bottom turned towards you to protect themselves. If they are scared of something - perhaps a plastic bag rustling in the wind - they will turn their head to look at it but they will keep the rest of their body positioned away from the object so they can easily flee.

Living in the wild, horses have excellent defence mechanisms which they do employ in a domesticated environment. It is usually fairly obvious what a horse is thinking and the best way to stay safe is to trust your extincts.