Rearing Horse with a Windblown Mane coloring page

About this coloring page

A rearing horse is one of the most dramatic sights in the horse world. It shows up on statues, coats of arms, movie posters and even car logos, but to the horse itself, standing up on its hind legs is a form of communication.

In wild herds, stallions rear when they square off over mares or territory. Rising up makes them look bigger and lets them strike with their front hooves. Young colts rear while playing, too, practicing those moves without anyone getting hurt.

A domestic horse may rear out of fear, pain or confusion. An ill-fitting saddle, a bit that hurts, or a scary situation the horse cannot run away from can all trigger it. Rearing under a rider is genuinely dangerous, so good trainers look for the cause, such as a sore back or teeth problems, before working on the behavior itself.

There is also a controlled version in classical riding called the levade, in which the horse balances on deeply bent hind legs. The famous white Lipizzaner stallions of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna perform it, along with leaps known as airs above the ground.

• rearing horse
• horses
• stallion
• mane
• animals