Equine scientists at Nottingham Trent University wanted to see how the level of arousal in horses—the extent to which they might be excited or stressed for instance—affected their performance in a cognitive task. As part of the study a group of 20 horses was given a choice of two targets, with the correct one resulting…
Many animals have a good sense of smell, but can they smell chemical signals that indicate a person is fearful? In a horse study, published in 2023 in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers had participants watch clips from a comedy one day and a horror movie the next. After the participants watched each video, the…
Scientists in the United Kingdom wanted to learn whether there was a correlation between turnout practices and rates of musculoskeletal injury and disease in horses. They hypothesized that the ability to move at will in large areas would modulate the youngster’s behavior and tissue development, possibly leading to fewer issues later in life. Were they…
There’s a growing social media chatter about research conducted at the Heart Math Institute on shared electromagnetic fields between horses and humans, which purportedly explain why we feel good around horses. Intrigued about the science behind the connectivity, peacefulness, and overall exceptional feeling that horse enthusiasts consistently experience around horses, Research and Equine Psychologist Antonia…
Horses have evolved over time to be trickle feeders, consuming small amounts of forage throughout the day with no prolonged fasting periods. However, feeding some groups of horses free-choice hay can lead to problems such as obesity when the hay is too rich for them. Learn why a horse might benefit from a slow hay…
There are many elements required from both participants in the attainment of harmony, such as clear communication and mutual trust; however, in terms of rider technique, considerable importance is placed on positioning and use of the pelvis. To coordinate their movements, the rider’s pelvis must move in synchronization with the horse’s back in a forward…
Equine pain scales, which include facial expressions, can successfully assess moderate to severe orthopedic (bone/joint) pain in horses at rest. However, they can be less accurate in cases of mild to moderate pain in resting horses. Researchers in Sweden aimed to further explore facial expressions of resting horses induced with mild to moderate orthopedic pain.
Although much of civilization is intertwined with the use of horses, these animals are obviously far more to us than beasts of burden. Research continues today to examine the unique bond between horses and humans and shows that the equine capacity to both feel emotions and perceive human emotions is cited as key to this…
The FEI and the Maison de la Recherche en Sciences Humaine MRSH, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique MRSH CNRS (Human Sciences Research Centre, National Centre for Scientific Research) of the University of Caen in France have entered a partnership regarding an exciting new project. La Bibliothèque Mondiale du Cheval (World Horse Library) is an…
We all know that a horse (like a person) sweats when it gets hot and shivers when it gets cold. But did you realise that this reaction is linked to increased heart rate as well as changes in the distribution of blood circulating through various organs? Understanding this can assist you to monitor and react…