Can Horses Sense Fear in Humans?

Beginning riders who are less than completely confident are sometimes advised, “Don’t let the horse know you’re afraid.” The would-be equestrian might reasonably wonder how to hide this fear so the horse cannot sense it, and also what the horse might do if it did sense fear.

According to results of a study conducted by researchers at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, horses do seem to read some signals to indicate whether a nearby person is stressed or afraid, at least in certain circumstances. The horses don’t appear to be upset by human fear, however, and actually may respond in a way that seems somewhat sympathetic.

The study was designed to measure the response of horses to humans who were comfortable around them or were emotionally or physically stressed. Horses were put in a round pen that also contained a blindfolded human who was fearful of horses, calm around horses, or had just completed a bout of strenuous exercise. (Horses in the round pen without a human provided a control.) Horses and humans wore heart monitors during the trials. In addition to recording heart rates, the researchers observed the horses’ gaits, how closely they approached the human, and how they oriented their bodies and carried their heads in the presence of humans.

Researchers found horses tended to move more slowly and have slower heart rates in the presence of fearful humans. Equine head carriage was lowest when horses were around fearful people and those who were tired or stressed following exercise. Because rapid movement, high head carriage, and an increase in heart rate are generally interpreted as reactions to fear or excitement in horses, it was felt that being in the presence of stressed humans did not invoke fear or stress in the horses in this trial.

Based on their observations, the researchers concluded: “Horses in the presence of fearful humans, particularly where participants may not be comfortable around horses, should not pose any additional risk provided normal safety precautions are employed.” However, especially when children are present or when anyone not familiar with horses is near these animals, it’s a good idea to keep in mind that horses are strong, quick, and easily startled. Handlers of horses in these situations should make safety their first consideration.