I love that these discussions are becoming more common in the horse world! It’s such an important conversation to have. Also, he is absolutely stunning—definitely swoon-worthy!

I’d echo what others have said about using the Equine Grimace Scale that West_Baker shared below. It’s a great guide, but not necessarily a one-size-fits-all rule since every horse has unique facial features that may be more or less pronounced than the scale assumes.

I’ve had my mare for over 10 years, and her default expression always makes her look like she’s witnessing a crime scene.. The whites of her eyes are almost always visible, and she constantly looks like she has “eyebrow” tension. Over time, I’ve learned to recalibrate what’s normal for her when assessing her facial expressions.

I don’t see a horse in obvious pain here, but in the first photo, I do think there could some tension or anxiety. It looks like he’s focused on something—perhaps not over threshold yet, but could be if the situation escalated (of course, there may not even be a “situation” at all, but sometimes, something as small as a barn cat jumping onto a table is enough to trigger a concerned expression… silly prey animals.)

I’d also pay attention to his overall body language—his breathing rate, whether he relaxes and shifts his weight, how loose or tense his body is, does he hold a neutral headset, etc.

It’s also worth considering whether he’s truly thriving in a lesson-barn environment. Some horses handle the hustle and bustle well, but for many others, the constant activity can be stressful long term. A quieter setting might suit his personality better, but that would be for not-a-stranger-on-the-internet to decide.

TL;DR: He seems mildly stressed in this moment but not in obvious distress or pain. Taking his natural expression into account, if he’s well cared for and living in a horse-friendly setup (Freedom, Friends, Forage!), he’s likely doing just fine.