The 5 senses of the horse
Just like humans, horses are one of the equines that have five senses, including sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. While some of these senses are not as developed as those of humans, others are more so. These senses allow horses to better appreciate their environment and develop relationships with the elements that make up this environment, including humans, especially the rider. Discover in this article, the 5 senses of horses.
The view
The horse's vision extends over 340°, but has two blind spots, just in front of it and just behind it. This is why a horse jumps when you touch the tip of its nose or its rump without warning (watch out for kicks!). The binocular zone is the area where the vision of the two eyes meets and where the horse can appreciate distance and depth and benefit from a 3D view. This type of vision is typical of herbivores and allows them to detect dangers (predators) in their environment.
A horse can see near and far simultaneously (it can graze and monitor its environment at the same time). Its night vision is very good, close to that of a cat for example, but it needs time to adapt to changes in light. Its color vision is close to that of a colorblind man. During horse-drawn carriage rides, riders cover part of the horse's eyes or field of vision with blinders to prevent the horse from seeing behind it and sometimes to the sides. You will find custom-made blinders at La Sellerie Française , one of the best stores selling equestrian accessories.
Hearing
Hearing is highly developed in horses. For example, they can hear a mouse in the straw at 100 m, they can also hear earthquakes before humans and ultrasounds. The horse's ears are mobile and independent, they direct them in the direction of the sound's origin.
The sense of smell
The sense of smell is highly developed in horses and works thanks to the olfactory cells in the nostrils. Smell allows them to find water points, discover new objects, recognize other horses by sniffing droppings and urine, smell the presence of a mare in heat, etc. To greet each other, horses smell the tip of their noses. Flehmen is a characteristic attitude of mammals, during which they use their vomeronasal organ located on the palate to detect pheromones or certain odors.
The touch
The sensitivity of the horse varies according to the areas of the body. The head and back are very sensitive, while the limbs are much less so. The horse's skin flinches when touched by a fly. The hooves are insensitive and form a protection around the foot, which is sensitive and plays an important role in maintaining balance. At the tip of the nose and lips, there are vibrissae, which are long sensitive hairs that should never be cut (even when grooming), because they allow the horse to perceive its environment. Horses like contact with their peers and groom/scratch each other (grooming).
The taste
Taste allows the horse to recognize and sort its food. It must be very careful about what it eats since it does not have the ability to vomit. Naturally, it is not attracted to sweet tastes: it is man who has accustomed it to this.