Do Horses have Affection for their Owners?

.Humans tend to project their feelings on animals. This is referred to as anthropomorphism. Many riders and horse owners do feel a bond with their horses, including myself. So, is this anthropomorphism or is there something more? I have never doubted that animals experience emotions that are equivalent to those experienced by humans. Emotional reactions are very functional to all species in terms of their survival. Evidence of anger, fear, the bonding with others, love and so many other emotions are clearly visible when observing the behavior of both domestic and wild horses.

Licking
Photo by Bethany Pastorial

Academics who evaluate animal behavior have concluded that horses have the ability to read the emotional state of the humans around them in a way that is every bit as good and perhaps superior to that of dogs. When I first heard this, I was a little skeptical. It is clear that there are big differences between those two species. Dogs make much more eye contact and tend to engage humans to a greater degree. They also, being smaller and easily house-trained, have more access to human dwellings. Horses on the other hand are able to view humans around them without seeming to make direct eye contact, are happy to be left alone, and do not typically enter human dwellings.

I am not an animal behavioral psychologist and can only offer up anecdotes. Scientist are not primed to see anecdotal evidence as valid. I get that, but we all tend to trust what we have seen and experienced.

I will tell a story. Late one evening my wife was alone and schooling her Thoroughbred over fences in an indoor riding hall. In the course of this her mare refused a jump and my wife fell off, but was able to get up and dust herself off without any injuries. At this point the horse was loose in the arena dragging her reins and trotting away. For the next many minutes, the horse played cat and mouse with my wife and would runoff whenever my wife got near her. My wife became angry, frustrated and eventually burst out crying. At that point the horse quietly walked up behind her and nuzzled her neck and stood there while my wife recovered the reins.

Interacting
Photo by Bethany Pastorial

Often when I am working in the paddock my horses will come right up to me and just stand there looking at me. I am not sure what this is about, but it seems clear that they want to interact with me in some way. My gelding has a curious habit of licking me. It is also true that when a horse wants attention, they will do things to get it. I remember that I was repairing a section of fence and my horse snuck up behind me and grabbed my cordless drill in its mouth and ran off with it. Well that did get my attention. I know part of this may be that my horses are motivated because I am a source of their meals and the occasional treat. You might argue that is all there is. However, I feel there is more to it than that.

Truly Yours, The Accidental Horseman.

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