Most horses do hear and understand your voice; however, they don't pick up on the actual word like a person would. In reality, they hear your tone and various sounds. Some can be trained to identify their name, but that isn't the majority. Sorry to disappoint!
Horses—like many other animals—can learn to react to verbal cues: “Come here,” “back up,” “stay still,” “lift your foot,” “right,” “left,” etc. Although no scientific studies have confirmed horses also learn to recognize the words that form their individual names, it makes sense many of them would, she said.
Horses also understand words better than expected, according to the research, and possess "excellent memories," allowing horses to not only recall their human friends after periods of separation, but also to remember complex, problem-solving strategies for ten years or more.
Horses do bond with humans and their relationship with soldiers was likely stronger than those developed prior, considering the highly emotional environment. Currently, most horses are companion and therapy animals, meaning humans greatly value their relationships.
Horses have excellent memories and can remember certain people after long periods. A recent study completed in 2021 proved horses could recognize and understand human facial expressions and emotional responses. Extensive research has shown horses can maintain memories of humans when they have positive interactions.
Horses aren't just for humans to show one another affection. Did you know that horses hug too? Just make sure that you're on the horse's good side before hugging them, and remember that if they start licking you or breathing on you it is often because they appreciate your company.
A horse may also be very happy to see you if they trot over to you from the pasture when they see you coming. These are two common ways that horses show they are excited and eager to see you. Horses will become very relaxed when they are in the company of someone they love and trust.
The researchers conclude that, assuming a similar riding ability between riders, there is no fundamental difference in a horse's stress responses elicited by male and female riders.
Q: Do horses get sad when you sell them? It depends. If the horse has been bounced around a lot or didn't spend a lot of time with his most recent owner, probably not. If he was with the same person for ten years, he may appear to be sad when he is sold.
Horses may stare at you when they want your attention. If you are distracted or out of reach, your horse may stare at you to get you to focus on them. If there's a barrier such as a fence between you and your horse, they may stare at you since they can't reach you to nudge you.
Horses that are familiar with each other will greet each other by rubbing noses and blowing air into each other's nostrils. A whinny is a signature sound that horses use to call their friends. Horses will tend to graze and spend time together when they have formed a special bond with.
Not only is the research robust that horses will remember us, it is also the case that they probably like us and possibly miss us when we are not there. Horses, as herd animals, are evolutionarily designed to be social, to form bonds with herdmates, and to form particular attachments to specific others.
A recent university study indicates that horses can indeed understand basic human emotions. A total of 28 horses were shown happy and angry human faces, and the horse reactions – both physical and physiological – were studied.
Horses recognize individuals in their current social group.
Individual recognition is widespread across animals; it insures stability of the social group because each member can distinguish between allies, competitors, neighbors, and strangers.
Yes, they do. Very much so. And they have long memories for both the humans they've bonded with in a positive way and the ones who have damaged or abused or frightened them. The depth of the connection depends greatly on several things, not the least of which is the amount of time the human spends with the animal.
A horse's social condition can negatively affect him during turnout or even with regards to whom he is stalled next to, making him grumpy. Some horses have difficulty with changes in management styles; a horse used to a rigid feeding and turnout schedule may have a tough time swapping to a more-leisurely lifestyle.
Horses are known to be social creatures – herd animals by nature that thrive on a group dynamic. While there are varying degrees of friendship needs, from a large field with several herd members to a trio or even just a pair, horses that are on their own, by contrast, can get lonely.
Most horses seem to enjoy companionship and attention from their riders, but some may find being ridden uncomfortable and even scary. It is up to the individual horse to decide whether they like it.
Horses exhibit higher heart rates when separated from a human, but don't show any preference for their owners over complete strangers, the team discovered. Swedish researchers started their work with the theory that positive reinforcement training on a horse was more likely to lead to them forming a strong attachment.
Bottom Line. Horses are social animals and should never be expected to live their lives alone. They greatly benefit from the companionship, mutual grooming, and protection they get from living with their own kind. If you have no other option for another horse, there are other animals that make great mates for horses.
Nudging is a way for a horse to get your attention, which can signify affection or impatience.
Affection in Horse Terms
Kissing and hugging are human ideas of affection. Horses do “spar” (play fight) and bite at the lips, but that's even more of a reason not to kiss them there. Keep your horse's lips away from your lips. You don't want him to think you're playing and be bitten.
A horse may give a series of warnings if they're angry and want you to stay away or go away. If you ignore these, they may bite. A mildly annoyed horse may have wrinkled, elongated nostrils and their ears held slightly back.