A fascinating new study adds to what equestrians have suspected for years, horses don’t just read our body language, they can detect human emotions through scent too.
The Lowdown
Scientists from the French Institute for Horse and Riding (IFCE) and partner institutions collected sweat samples from humans who had just watched either a scary film or something emotionally neutral. They then exposed horses to these odor samples during structured behavior tests. Researchers observed how each horse behaved and measured stress-related indicators like heart rate and salivary cortisol levels.
Their Reactions
The results were clear, horses exposed to the fear-related human scent were more likely to startle at new things. They were less inclined to approach or interact with unfamiliar objects or handlers. Even when handlers weren’t showing visible fear, the horses’ reactions changed based solely on the odor samples.
As one of the lead researchers put it, horses reacted more strongly to the fear odor even when they couldn’t see or hear the people who produced it.
Why it’s Important
This study isn’t just an interesting factoid, it has practical implications for riders and handlers. Horses are extremely perceptive animals and this research suggests they pick up on subtle emotional cues from humans, including chemical signals we emit without realizing it.
A nervous or fearful handler may unintentionally make a horse more cautious or tense, even if you’re trying to remain calm body-wise.For training, groundwork or competitive riding, being aware of your own stress could help improve your horse’s confidence and performance.
One of the study authors encourages riders to focus on relaxing before interacting with horses, because calm emotions can promote smoother and more positive exchanges.
What About Other Emotions?
The scientists plan to dig deeper into the chemistry behind these emotional scents, including whether horses can also detect positive emotions or even influence human feelings in return.