Articles on Horse Behavior

Horses Selective in Who They Copy

Whether a horse learns new behavior by copying another horse depends upon their social status, researchers in Germany recently discovered.

Hair Reveals Horse Temperament

The location and shape of a hair swirl lying near a horse’s eyes is linked with how the horse responds to handling and to new objects.

When Horses Have Trouble Getting Along

Horses are particularly prone to getting injured in scuffles when there’s a change in stabling arrangements, a study concludes.

Depends On How a Horse Sees It

A study has demonstrated for the first time that a horse’s emotional response to an object influences which eye they prefer using to look at it.

Horses Find Blue Floors Scary

Horses consider certain floor colors more alarming than others, according to researchers in Nottingham, England.

Young Horses Behave Better Around Adults

The age composition of a herd significantly influences how well young horses learn social skills.

Mules Smarter Than Ponies

A study of equine intelligence has confirmed what many mule handlers have long suspected: compared to their donkey and horse parents, mules learn quickly.

People-Friendly Horses Are Born That Way

Inborn temperament shapes how comfortable a horse is with being touched by people, recent research confirms.

Young Horses Learn Manners From Adults

Keeping juvenile horses with just their peers, as often happens, promotes unruly behavior, a French study finds.

Daily Exercise Makes Horses Easier to Handle

Just one hour of exercise a day, regardless of the type, takes the edge off of stabled horses, researchers have found. Their study also examined whether four different forms of exercise-walker, treadmill, turnout and recreational riding-were equally effective in reducing unwanted behavior from horses housed in stalls.

Does Eye Contact Matter When Catching a Horse?

How horses respond to eye contact with someone who’s trying to catch them has piqued the curiosity of scientists.