Horses Never Forget Human Friends
ByA new scientific study reported by Discovery News verifies that horses are closer to people who treat them well and the study praises the use of treats and words. Those who have read The Soul of a Horse will understand why that gets a big Yippee! from me, and I’m sure from trick trainer Allen Pogue as well. A full chapter in Soul (The Big Red Circus Ball) is devoted to these subjects. We have known for some time that the findings regarding treats and words are true but so many preach “Never use treats” and even “Don’t talk to your horse” that’s it’s really nice to hear what you believe and know to be true verified in a scientific manner. I can’t wait to tell Cash about it :)
The study strongly verifies that horses are not only closer to people who treat them well, they are more willing, and remember them positively forever. Even after long separations. Yes! Relationship first!
The text of the article follows. It’s a good read and super reinforcement those of you knew it all along but grow tired of the hammering from naysayers.
Joe and Cash, talking it over
Horses not only remember people who have treated them well, they also understand
words better than expected, research shows.
By Jennifer Viegas
Human friends may come and go, but a horse could be one of your most loyal, long-term buddies if you treat it right, suggests a new study.
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.
The bond with humans likely is an extension of horse behavior in the wild, since horses value their own horse relatives and friends, and are also open to new, non-threatening acquaintances.
“Horses maintain long-term bonds with several members of their family group, but they also interact temporarily with members of other groups when forming herds,” explained Carol Sankey, who led the research, and her team.
“Equid social relationships are long-lasting and, in some cases, lifelong,” added the scientists, whose paper has been accepted for publication in the journal Animal Behavior.
Ethologist Sankey of the University of Rennes and her colleagues studied 20 Anglo-Arabian and three French Saddlebred horses stabled in Chamberet, France. The scientists tested how well the horses remembered a female trainer and her instructions after she and the horses had been separated up to eight months.
The training program for the horses consisted of 41 steps associated with basic grooming and medical care. For example, the horses had to remain immobile in response to the verbal command “reste!” which is French for “stay.” The horses also had to lift their feet, tolerate a thermometer inserted into the rectum and more. When a horse did as it was instructed, the trainer rewarded it with food pellets.
With tasty rewards, the horses “displayed more ‘positive’ behaviors toward the experimenter, such as sniffing and licking,” the researchers wrote. Horses do this as a sign of affiliation with each other, so they weren’t necessarily just seeking more food.
The scientists added, “Horses trained without reinforcement expressed four to six times more ‘negative’ behaviors, such as biting, kicking and ‘falling down’ on the experimenter.”
Nevertheless, after the eight months of separation, the horses trained with food rewards gravitated towards the same experimenter. The horses also seemed to accept new people more readily, indicating they had developed a “positive memory of humans” in general.
“From our results, it appears that horses are no different than humans (in terms of positive reinforcement teachings),” according to the researchers. “They behave, learn and memorize better when learning is associated with a positive situation.”
While people often train dogs in this way, also using verbal commands, Sankey and her team point out that “the majority of horseriding training is based on tactile sensations — pressure from bits, movements of riders’ legs, weight change in the saddle.”
Since “horses are able to learn and memorize human words” and can hear the human voice better than even dogs can, due to their particular range of hearing, the scientists predict trainers could have success if they incorporate more vocal commands into their horse training programs.
Jill Starr is president and founder of Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue, a non-profit that provides refuge, training and adoption placement for otherwise slaughter-bound wild mustangs and domestic horses. Starr told Discovery News that she’s observed horses responding well to verbal commands… and agrees that horses are loyal, intelligent and have very long-lasting memories — of both good and bad experiences.
Starr said, “Horses can be very forgiving, but they never forget.”
Note added 7/11/11:
One fantastic reason to jump into Kindle right now is that Amazon has lowered the price on the Kindle version of The Soul of a Horse Blogged – The Journey Continues to $4.99! Imagine. 175 of Kathleen’s amazing photos in living color! Tons of live video and resource links that you can touch and watch instantaneously. See the horses and moi actually demonstrating what you’ve just read about. Right there on your phone or other device. And the icing on the cake, at least according to those who’ve consumed it, is that you’ll have an entertaining, enlightening, and fun read as well. All for only $4.99.
It’s a brave new world indeed :).
Who Needs Hollywood – Kindle on Amazon – $4.99
The Benji Method – Kindle on Amazon – $5.99
Includes an hour-and-a-half of training video with Benji and Joe
All of our books are also available in NOOKbook format on Barnes & Noble, but Nook appears to have issues with video links, at least some of them, so for now if you’re downloading free apps I’d stick with Kindle.
I hope y’all enjoy! And please tell us about your experience. joe@thesoulofahorse.com
Joe
[...] is a really good article Equine Never Forget Human Friends, [...]
I will also attest to the fact that after you have taken care of a critically ill horse… your bond is deeper and life-long. It defies description but the closest I can come is what I like to call “ultimate trust”.
I completely believe that they carry us in their hearts as we carry them in ours…. trust, mutual respect, and caring are the cornerstones to a good equine -human relationship… and a hefty dose of LOVE and devotion…..
Catherine… The thing I rely on heavily (as obviously do you; and Allen does) is relationship first. When that’s in place, treat-mugging just doesn’t happen. Because the horse already respects you as the leader. Cash will stroll up casually and smile big… asking politely for a treat, but if I rub him and say “no”, it’s enough said. And I agree with you completely about clicker training. The clicker is merely a bridge cue telling him quickly that he has done well… but completely impersonal with no relationship quotient at all. And no vocabulary building. I can say “good boy” just as quickly as anyone can click a clicker :)
Another interesting post, thanks Joe!
I’ll admit to being rather anti-treat training as I’ve seen how some horses have become spoilt and will shamelessly “mug” their owners for treats. I also went to a clinic where I saw horses that had been clicker-trained (again with treats as rewards) and was not at all impressed. Another participant said it was like “watching seals perform for fish!” When it came to my turn to work with a particular horse who had been “transformed” by clicker-training it was a bit of a disaster. She was not at all interested in taking directions from me; rather it seemed that she was dashing around trying to figure out the quickest way to get her treat!
That being said, reading “The Soul of a Horse” has roused my curiosity and (when time and funds permit!) I would really like to look into the Allen Pogue training methods. I already have a good relationship with my Welsh Cob, Flyer, and it would be nice to take it further without turning him into a food-fiend. I talk to him a lot, which he seems to like and the effects of this were apparent when I decided to send Flyer away for training in May as I had to go into hospital for a major operation. He had a bit of a tantrum after being loaded into the lorry but then settled right down; the driver told me later that he had really responded to her voice! His trainer also said that he really liked being called a “good boy!” :-)
I think that the best thing I can do for Flyer is to always keep an open mind.
Joe
I’m sure anyone who has loved horses and been involved with them already knew what this study proved.
But then, the golden rule applies to animals just as it does to humans, doesnt it?
They can feel that someone cares. And when someone doesnt.
My boy put up with a steady stream of conversation when I was around – didnt mind the treats either!
Maggie
Before I had my own horses, I leased a wonderful 20 year old QH named Kool. I would sit and talk to him for hours and he would get a carrot after grooming, riding and other chores I made him do. He came to the fence whenever he saw my car pull up to greet me. One day I had my husband’s car, which he did not recognize and he did not greet me until I got out of the car and he saw me.
I still visit him and he licks his lipe in recognition. We kiss and he gets his carrot. I never leave without promising to be back and tell him that I love him and he again licks his lips, understanding.
Thank you Joe for sending this. My experience and wonderful enrichment with my own horses has shown just that, how they are in tune with me without saying much, and if do talk with them, they understand exactly what I say. I use probably about 8 – 10 terms they know. I work for a lady who was Equestrian of the year and she has many horses, some rescued. She had a baby colt born at her ranch last winter during a blizzard. Turns out little baby was very ill with a weak immune system. During this time I was assigned to his care and spent days and weeks with him, to watch over him. The bond that resulted is incredible. I can read his mind and he can read me. When he felt sick I comforted him by rubbing his belly and expressing gestures and words. He learned those and when I walk to his stall and paddock, he knows exactly what I am saying. He now is like a big puppy, trusting humans and anyone that is with me. He is so loving he just puts up his foot for the farrier as if he was at the nail salon.
I am part of my horses’ herd and their acceptance and loyalty is incredible. My daughter rode our little
3 1/2yr. old mare for a short distance thru the woods near our home… because we took all of them for a walk… not riding… then Sarah decided to hop on Nia baby and rode her home bareback, with no bit or bridle.
I walked next to Nia and told her, if you walk slowly and nicely, you will get a cookie… she heard this and slowed down, turning towards me and kept right next to me the way home, and it was amazing. I use the positive reinforcement and very calm affectionate encouraging, as they respond best to this, a partnership and I believe horses are VERY intelligent, if they get the opportunity and us humans take that opportunity to tap into their most amazing potential. It all happens naturally and with no force around here. We have an extremely harmonic relationship with all horses I interact with. Often, I communicate with them better than with people. …
Thanks again for sending that, best to you.
What a great article! It would be a wonderful way to repair mine and Kharizma’s relationship. If only she would take
treats… It’s time to seperate her and Khronic. That’s gonna be one more strain I have to deal with when it comes to our relationship. I never thought I would loose her love and trust but she hasn’t shown any desire to want to mend it at all.
I know my horse responds to verbal praise. She is so much better behaved when I tell her what a good horse she is. I can literally feel the tension leave her body when I praise her when we ride together. And she loves her treats!
Love, love, love this article!!!
This is just GREAT GREAT news! thank you for posting this, its good to know what we are doing is the right thing for our horses! xx