When 2 animals fight/play, why do they both pause at certain points and then continue fighting/playing after a few seconds?

Question

I’ve noticed this behavior in animals like Rams who butt heads but then both pause for a second before continuing to fight.

In: Biology

Answer 1

Looking for cues, examining each other’s social status as well as body language to see if they should keep playfighting etc. – if someone is being more aggressive than they should be, you need to find out quickly, otherwise you’ll get hurt.