Does Eye Contact Matter When Catching a Horse?
How horses respond to eye contact from someone who’s trying to catch them has piqued the curiosity of scientists. Animals can interpret direct eye contact from people in various ways, including as a gesture of dominance or aggression. Could keeping eye contact while approaching a loose horse be a strategy for encouraging them to more easily be haltered? Or is avoiding making eye contact altogether the key for a willingly caught horse?
Researchers at University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine tested catching techniques with over one hundred horses and ponies. The same person attempted to catch each of the animals in an open pasture.
For half the equines, the handler avoided looking the horse in the eye while approaching. The other horses were approached while maintaining eye contact. Three weeks later, most of the horses were tested again, but using the opposite method.
This study found that the horses and ponies were no more wary of being caught by someone looking them in the eye. In fact, whether or not the handler avoided eye contact while in the pasture had no influence on how successful they were in actually catching the horses.
Reference
Sarah Verrill and Sue McDonnell. 2008. Equal Outcomes with and without Human-to-Horse Eye Contact When Catching Horses and Ponies in an Open Pasture. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 28(5): 309-312.
Comments
2 Responses to “Does Eye Contact Matter When Catching a Horse?”
What are your thoughts?
Stay Informed
Quickly keep up-to-date with equine research.
Email: Enter your email address to receive free alerts of new articles at Horse Science News.
These were tame horses, used to people looking straight at them. When taming wild horses, which I do by sitting on a pile of grass and waiting for the horse to pluck up courage to approach, direct eye contact does put them off. The more you ignore them the more confident they are in approaching and investigating you.
Approaching a horse you’re not familiar with by retaining eye contact is thoroughly incorrect. Direct eye contact is reminiscent of a willing predator that is intent on hunting the horse. Eye contact would work with a very well mannered horse that is absolutely not afraid of people.