Horse hearing

You ride a horse, it suddenly gets scared, then freezes in place, raising its head high and turning its ears back and forth, like antennas. Your heart is pounding, you are tensing to hear what it is listening to, but the moments pass in complete silence and you understand that your horse hears what you do not hear.

Understanding how your horse’s hearing is different from yours and how its reaction to sounds is different from yours can provide valuable information about its behavior. This can help you anticipate and possibly avoid the dangerous horse-eater or reduce the horse’s anxiety in such “noisy” situations, such as competitions. Continue reading →