Horse Touch

Horse Touch

Horses, Training and Behavior

Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky The sense of touch is one of the most developed and important for the horse in terms of human interaction. The nose, lips, mouth, and possibly the ears are the most sensitive areas to touch. Although hooves do not respond to...

Horse Smell

Horses, Training and Behavior

Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky Horses have a highly developed sense of smell, and they use their ability to distinguish different odors in their everyday lives. Horses use smell to identify other horses. A mare uses smell to pick out her foal from others in a...
Horse Vision

Horse Vision

Horses, Training and Behavior

Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky Horses have very large eyes with very large pupils. The eyeballs are placed toward the side of the head, giving horses a wider field of vision. In contrast, dogs and coyotes have eyes placed toward the front of their heads, which...
Horse Hearing

Horse Hearing

Horses, Training and Behavior

Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky A horse’s hearing is much keener than ours. They use their hearing for three primary functions: to detect sounds, to determine the location of the sound, and to provide sensory information that allows the horse to recognize the...

Horse Body Language

Horses, Training and Behavior

Understanding the behavior and body language of horses can keep you and others safe while working with horses. This article provides some common body language signs and signals, along with descriptions or translations of each. Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky...