Can equine really talk???

Okay first to the 'nay sayers' ... this is just my own opinion. I'm not saying a horse or mule can come up and say ~~
Well how do you do? How was your day?
Nope, and I'm not talking about what all the clinicians tell you:
'See when your mule/horse starts to lick its lips and drop its head?...'

I'm talking a different language all together.
Really.

And I have had my head examined.

For example, today I worked with a 4 yr old mule that I've been working steady now for about 3 days. Before it was on and off for a year. When I first met Siera I felt something about her. I can't put my finger on it. But it was a feeling.

Maybe I read body language of animals and don't even know it.

Maybe those animals I really 'connect' with...I really connect with for some reason?

Anyway, today was Siera's second day with a rider [me].
Some animals are particularly sensitive. Siera is one such animal. I ask her to do something with gentle force and she normally responds very well.
Sometimes she plants her feet and 'says' no.
Then a small tap of the rope or reins gets a large reaction [but not a blow up].

I rarely speak when riding a green animal. I need to keep my mouth closed so I can use my other senses.

But I do get messages from my mules. Okay not...'Hey buddy, we'd like some sweet feed!' kind of messages.
But subtle feelings.
How did I 'know' today that when I tapped Siera on the butt with the reins because I needed to get her attention back to me...

...that she was not going to blow and buck and fart...snort and breath fire.
Nope, all she did was lunge into this wonderful Paso gate which took us both by surprise.
And I swear when I got off we both looked at each other and grinned.

We had a wonderful working session.
We both understand how to go forward together

turn right,
turn left,
circle,
backup,
and whoa [with a few punts and errors, but nothing to get worked up over!]

I can say that we were both calm and pleased. Siera was pleased enough not to run off into the meadow and join her equine buddies [who were not even in sight].
She stood by me and dropped her head so I could scratch those lovely long ears.

I finally motioned her away with a flick of my hand, and she shook her head and galloped off.

We hadn't 'talked' but we certainly had made some sort of communication.
I'm a happy person tonight.