Horses not only remember people who have treated them well, they also understand words better than expected, research shows.
Many equestrians enjoy talking to their horses. Though it may seem silly to some, both you and your horse can benefit from it. Talking to your horse is not only therapeutic, but it can also help strengthen your bond. In addition, your horse will enjoy your companionship and find your voice relaxing.
Horses can understand and remember words with few syllables. However, their understanding relies on the unique pitch, tone, and length of the voice and other riding aids. And horses are excellent listeners, so it's essential to know their needs and limits when interacting with them regularly.
Are horses really capable of recognizing their owners and their voices? Study results from a team of British behavior researchers suggest that horses really do appear to be capable of matching voices to faces when it comes to the humans they know.
Horses are also sensitive to the way we talk to them, especially to a kind of speech used to speak to companion animals, called pet-directed speech (PDS).
Horses Can Show Emotion
Not only can horses understand the various moods and facial expressions of humans, but they can also communicate their own emotions. While they often talk with their ears and eyes, they show feelings through snorts and whinnies. In general, snorts mean horses are happy or feel at peace.
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.
Horses DON'T form attachment bonds with their owners despite what equine enthusiasts might think - but they do regard humans as 'safe havens' Horses think of humans as 'safe havens' but don't form attachment bonds with their owners - despite what equine enthusiasts might think, a new study reveals.
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 one study, the heart rhythms of horses and humans were analyzed over the course of various interactions with one another. The findings indicated that horses care capable of detecting when a human is expressing and projecting positive feelings towards them and is likely to reciprocate those positive feelings.
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.
It really depends. They may show signs of sadness, much like when they leave a favorite herd mate. On the other hand, if you weren't that close they will likely have no emotional response to being sold. If they do appear sad, it's only time before they get comfortable in their new home and let go of those feelings.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dogs often seem more loyal and protective of their owners than horses. One reason for this that according to history, dogs have been domesticated much longer than horses. Dogs will also willingly defend themselves and their “pack” from danger by standing their ground and even attacking.
In the wild, as well as in domestic care, horses will show affection to one another by sharing breath with one another. Horses will put their noses together and then share the air. This tendency extends to horses showing love to their owners as well.
“Horses generally neigh to attract attention of other horses or of people.” She adds that it can also be “a sign of separation anxiety or a sign of social isolation.
It's not hard for horse people to believe, but science proves it: horses can read our expressions, body language, and sense changes in our moods.
Dr. Antonio Lanatá and his colleagues at the University of Pisa, Italy, have found that horses can smell fear and happiness. While these are just two emotions the researchers identified, further studies may reveal horses can pick up additional emotions from the body odors humans emit.
According to results of a study conducted by researchers at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, horses do seem to read some signals to indicate whether a nearby person is stressed or afraid, at least in certain circumstances.