Many equestrians enjoy talking to their horses. Though it may seem silly to some, both you and your horse can benefit from it. Talking to your horse is not only therapeutic, but it can also help strengthen your bond. In addition, your horse will enjoy your companionship and find your voice relaxing.
Therefore, the authors conclude, horses normally respond to human facial expressions and voices in an integrated way.
Horses aren't just for humans to show one another affection. Did you know that horses hug too? Just make sure that you're on the horse's good side before hugging them, and remember that if they start licking you or breathing on you it is often because they appreciate your company.
Yes, they do. Very much so. And they have long memories for both the humans they've bonded with in a positive way and the ones who have damaged or abused or frightened them.
Horses Like Humans With Calm and Happy Facial Expressions
Another study conducted by the Universities of Sussex and Portsmouth has concluded that horses are capable of recognizing human facial expressions, allowing them to react differently to those humans who they might perceive as a threat.
They cannot verbalize “I love you” but they can communicate those sentiments through their actions. Not all horses show affection in the same ways though. Here are some things to look for in your horse's behavior to know he loves you.
Horses may stare at you when they want your attention. If you are distracted or out of reach, your horse may stare at you to get you to focus on them. If there's a barrier such as a fence between you and your horse, they may stare at you since they can't reach you to nudge you.
These recommendations usually involve making the horse move in some manner: backing up, moving their feet forwards or backwards, circling in the roundpen, changing direction online until 'respect' is shown, and so on.
Horses can read human emotions, too, often in uncannily accurate ways; alerting us to our sadness or nervousness, sometimes before we've even consciously registered it.
Horses do bond with humans and their relationship with soldiers was likely stronger than those developed prior, considering the highly emotional environment. Currently, most horses are companion and therapy animals, meaning humans greatly value their relationships.
Horses will often show affection to humans as they would to other horses. Horses show their affection through grooming, nuzzling, rubbing, resting their heads on you, and even licking. Learning their body language will help you understand when they are showing affection.
Affection in Horse Terms
Kissing and hugging are human ideas of affection. Horses do “spar” (play fight) and bite at the lips, but that's even more of a reason not to kiss them there. Keep your horse's lips away from your lips. You don't want him to think you're playing and be bitten.
Horses exhibit higher heart rates when separated from a human, but don't show any preference for their owners over complete strangers, the team discovered. Swedish researchers started their work with the theory that positive reinforcement training on a horse was more likely to lead to them forming a strong attachment.
Why do horses nudge you? Have you ever been nudged by a horse? Horses use body language to communicate with humans (and other horses), and one of the ways they do this is through touch. Nudging is a way for a horse to get your attention, which can signify affection or impatience.
Your horse has a whinny (also known as a neigh) that is unique and distinct. Within a domestic and wild herd, horses use this sound to call out for each other. They may even use it to get a person's attention. They're basically saying, “I'm over here, where are you…” or “Hey friend, pay attention to me.”
Horses also understand words better than expected, according to the research, and possess "excellent memories," allowing horses to not only recall their human friends after periods of separation, but also to remember complex, problem-solving strategies for ten years or more.
Some horses enjoy having their heads and ears rubbed. Horses often groom each other on the whither, so this would be a good place to try too.
Sharing body contact is one of the main ways horses share affection. Since horses don't have hands to hold or arms to give hugs, gentle leans and even “neck hugs” express their love.
While horses bite humans very rarely, their bites are mostly associated with fatalities. Herein, we report the case of a 23-year old bitten by a domestic horse causing a crush injury to his fourth finger with fracture dislocation of the proximal interphalangeal joint.