looking hardly - horse get scared

Question

hard eyes   hello ma'am, why horses get scared and feel uncomfortable when a person looks with hard eyes like this in the image i have attached?

Answer
Rohit,

Great question!

There is more on this subject included in Sally Swift's Centered Riding books.

Horses are prey animals and we are predators. Our eyes are in front of our faces, like wolves. Horses recognize this. If I am working with a horse who has been abused or who is frightened, I will keep my eyes unfocused or even look away.

However, if I have an aggressive horse who wants to get in my space, or bite or kick, I will use "soft eyes: on purpose.

Mitzi