About Horses

For most people, encountering a horse is not an every day occurrence. Here are a few things about horses that you may not know:

  • The horse has almost all-round vision as its eyes are set more to the side of its head than ours.
  • A horse’s hearing is extremely accurate and the ears are able to rotate 180 degrees, which means they can often hear things in the distance that we can’t.
  • Horses have a strong sense of smell, and may react if an unpleasant or unfamiliar odor comes their way.
  • Herd instinct is high which can lead to the horse being reluctant to leave its paddock and its friends.

IF THE HORSE SENSE DANGER:

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  • It may stop dead to look at the object
  • It may snort to see of the object moves
  • It may step sideways or backwards to avoid getting too close
  • In extreme circumstances it may turn and flee (flight instinct) which can lead to lack of control from the rider
  • Even the most quiet and well-behaved horse may jump and fall into the path of an oncoming vehicle.
  • If a vehicle gets too close and startles the horse, it may well kick out catching its hoof or body on the car.
  • Loud or sudden noises can frighten horses: Don’t yell or honk, and if you have a loud radio, please turn it down.

Photo used with permission fromEqui-Ads.com