the discriminations . The ‘ learning to learn ’ phenomenon has been noted in many other studies and is a worthwhile tool in training . Often horses are restricted to performing only within a particular discipline . Racehorses don ’ t jump ; and dressage horses rarely set foot on a trail . These limitations prevent horses from learning about a variety of stimuli and such animals are less able to deal with novel situations . The more positive stimulation horses experience , the more readily they learn in new situations . They are also better adjusted in a variety of conditions and environments .
After 6 months , he had also retained 77.5 % of the discriminations .
Spatial cues seem to be more readily discriminated by horses than any other stimuli . This is supported by observations made by vigilant horse owners of how well horses find their way in areas they have visited infrequently . Horses also react noticeably when objects in their environment are moved . This demonstrates an awareness of spatial surroundings .
It has been experimentally demonstrated that a horse ’ s visual acuity is 20 / 30 on the Snellen scale . ( Human 20 / 20 , dogs 20 / 50 ).
The ease with which horses discriminate visual stimuli makes it easier for researchers to study cognition ; and also to measure perceptual abilities and therefore equine vision . It has been experimentally demonstrated that a horse ’ s visual acuity is 20 / 30 on the Snellen scale . ( Human 20 / 20 , dogs 20 / 50 ).
Experiments regarding colour vision in horses showed that they could discriminate red and blue from grey . Others showed that they could also discriminate between green and yellow . Recent research by Hanggi and Waggoner showed that horses responded to colour in the same manner as some red / green colour-blind humans .
A myth that surfaces repeatedly is that horses cannot recognize what they have seen with one eye with the other eye . Anatomical dissections have proven that the horse ’ s two cerebral hemispheres do indeed have a functional pathway to convey information , and a behavioural study proved that they do have interocular transfer . This study used multiple two choice discrimination tests with one eye blindfolded . Once the discrimination was learned , the blindfold was placed over the other eye . Horses immediately responded to the same stimulus , clearly demonstrating interocular transfer .
Horses often startle at an object they have seen before when approaching it from a different angle . This can be explained by the fact that the shape of the object appears differently when seen from another perspective . Experiments with different objects demonstrated that recognition of rotated objects was good under some but not all conditions .
Generalization
With generalization , a behaviour previously conditioned to one stimulus , transfers to other similar stimuli . Riding school horses regularly utilize this form of learning when making sense of a large assortment of inexact hand , leg and seat cues from riders of varying skill levels . Dressage horses , in contrast , learn to discriminate highly precise cues from their riders . As a result they go through mechanical motions that rarely enhance cognitive skills . A horse ’ s generalization abilities can be enhanced by incorporating variety into their programmes . As social animals , horses are most comfortable in the company of their own kind . Social interactions can facilitate the learning of new behaviour by observing other horses .
The cognitive abilities of horses need to be understood to ensure good husbandry and treatment .
It is as harmful to confine a thinking animal to a dark , dusty stable with little or no social interaction as it is to provide inadequate feed or use abusive training methods . It is certainly in the best interest of both horses and handlers to understand the scope of equine thinking better , and to enrich horses ’ environment . In the not too distant past little consideration was given to why horses behaved the way they did . This limited the provision of adequate care and welfare . More recently , research into equine cognition and perception has made noteworthy advances . This has led to a greater interest in training methodology and management . Even so , we are still a long way from fully understanding what it is to be a horse . More studies are needed to fully understand these remarkable animals and provide them with the best environment and training to suit their and our needs .
44 Plaastoe ! July 2017