Horses know their name, but not in the same way that people do. Horses recognize themselves and others as individuals, but do not use names when communicating. To horses, their name is somewhat of a cue word. They associate the word with something positive, like food or affection from their owner.
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.
A study in 2010 concluded what equestrians already knew: yes, a horse does recognize “their” person and they can differentiate them from other humans. They do that based on olfactory as well as auditory and visual cues, which means by seeing and smelling us as well as by hearing our voice.
Horses are very social and affectionate animals. They cannot verbalize “I love you” but they can communicate those sentiments through their actions. Not all horses show affection in the same ways though. Here are some things to look for in your horse's behavior to know he loves you.
Other studies have demonstrated that horses can identify human beings. For example, they can associate a voice with the sight of a specific person (Lampe and Andre, 2012; Proops and McComb, 2012).
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.
They may rest their head on you when you're near them or give you a nudge to get your attention. Horses also blow air on each other through their nostrils. If your horse breathes on your face, this is a sign of affection and that they consider you part of their family. Horses also use vocalizations to show affection.
Ultimately, selling your horse isn't going to be as emotionally traumatic for them as it may be for you. The hardest part for them is probably getting used to their new surroundings, rather than saying goodbye. The good news is that time heals all wounds. Your sadness and even theirs will disappear as life continues.
The great thing is, most horses actually love when humans pet them. They will stand quietly for hours as you run your fingers over their soft hair.
But you have to show your affection and bond with your horse in a safe way and in a way that your horse appreciates. Horses don't think like we do—especially when it comes to bonding and showing affection. Human affection behaviors—such as kissing on the lips—don't hold the same meaning for horses.
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.
In some cases, such as with a fearful horse, they may stare at you to try and assess whether you will hurt them or if you are a predator that will eat them. A horse that's being defensive may turn their face to you, raise their head, and stare at you to try and intimidate you.
In fact, horses are some of the most loyal animals you will ever encounter. But why is this? Well, a larger part of it has to do with the fact that they have great memory. When you befriend a horse, they will remember you for the long haul.
Horses can read human emotions, too, often in uncannily accurate ways; alerting us to our sadness or nervousness, sometimes before we've even consciously registered it. As Herman Melville wrote in Redburn, "No philosophers so thoroughly comprehend us as dogs and horses."
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.
Moreover, horses reacted in accordance with the valence of the vocalization, both behaviorally and physiologically (heart rate). These results show that horses can cross-modally recognize human emotions and react emotionally to the emotional states of humans, assessed by non-verbal vocalizations.
It's most likely that horses like or dislike riding based on whether they like or dislike the specific circumstances that occur during and surrounding the activity. Every horse is different. As a rider, your job is to get to know your horse both in and out of the saddle.
As she puts it, "Assuming that there is no difference in riding ability, from the horse's point of view, it does not seem to matter whether the human partner is male or female. Our results make it extremely unlikely that horses have a preference for riders of one sex over the other.
Horses are considered to be one of the most intelligent animals on earth, due to their ability to learn quickly and remember things for a long time. They can also solve problems and figure out how to get what they want. For example, a horse may know how to open a gate in order to get out of a pen or field.
Some horses are kept alone or remain stabled while their stablemates are turned out. Social isolation is known to be a major cause of depression, stress, and unhappiness in horses.
Horses naturally live in herds and a normal horse is never alone by choice. These facts drive the behaviour of horses and cause them to do some of the things that can seem irrational to us – such as panic if they get separated from other horses.
Studies have shown that horses express positive emotional reactions to some humans, and negative emotional reactions to others, indicating that horses are capable of developing a strong positive bond with a human.
Speak in a soft voice to let them know your presence.
As you are walking towards the horse you want to meet, speak to it in a soft voice. You can greet it by saying “hi” and its name. It doesn't matter what you say, as long as you use a soft, gentle voice.
One of the best ways to say thanks to your horse is to give him a nice, long grooming session. Think lots of currying and finding those itchy spots! During your grooming session, condition your horse's coat and tail; it's never too early to start thinking about the next competition season.