Watch where you're going!

When leading a horse, always look ahead to where you want to go. Turning around to check on the horse can confuse them, as they’re masters at reading body language. If you face them while trying to move forward, you’re sending mixed signals.

Horses, as four-legged animals, naturally move in a horizontal alignment, while humans, being two-legged, move vertically. Imagine an invisible line extending from your belly button and, similarly, from a horse’s chest. This line represents the direction each of you is facing. When you move, be mindful of where your belly button is pointing, as it signals your intention to the horse. Just as a flock of birds never crosses each other’s paths in flight, horses maintain this same awareness of direction in their movement. While we humans move differently, keeping your body aligned and your "belly button line" clear helps the horse understand where you want to go, promoting smoother, more natural interactions.

As Sharon Wilsie explains in Horse Speak®, “As humans we make so many random movements around horses that they can be at a loss trying to understand us.” Keeping your body language consistent helps the horse understand what you’re asking for!