...is a reasonably young field of research which aims to “facilitate research into the training of horses to enhance horse welfare and improve the horse–rider relationship”. The field has experienced an enormous upswing throughout the last decade. The part of Equitation Science which covers equine behavior, perception, cognition, intelligence, and emotions corresponds to the field of Biopsychology.
What we have learned about the social behavior of horses, their ability to communicate not only within their own species, but also with a completely different species, the human, is astounding and amazes not only the research community, but likewise the equestrian community. Science confirms what horse enthusiasts always knew - that horses are a highly intelligent, social, and very sensitive species.
In this blog, I will introduce scientific publications and their results and discuss their implications for horse husbandry and horse training. Moreover, I will also share other interesting information about horses and the horse-human relationship including fun facts.
Photo by Agnete E. Kristoffersen
Photo by Kaisa Rundberg
