Prob a stoopit q - how do horses recognise eachother?

[TheShark]

I ask because I read something in a sunday magazine this week (don't ask me WHY I read the trash) and the columnist made a comment about her horses fighting.

She said her pony attacked her horse because it didn't recognise it with its new fly rugs on.

So - do horses only recognise eachother by sight? Seemed like a weird thing to say to me as I'd have though horses could also use smell and calls to recognise eachother.

When I turn out, the best friend of the horse I am turning out will often run up to the gate to meet her/him and there is a thick hedge that hides the approach to the gate. They can't see, but they still know...

Your views?

 

[abbieandfiona]

Well my horse hadnt seen a gelding i used to ride out with for over a year and she recognised him straight away, also the other day she saw another horses who she was stabled by and called out to him soon as she saw him.

Wasnt sure what my youngster would make of other mare when she saw her in boett for first time but she didnt care. So i think they need more credit than they are given.

 

[MochaDun]

Horses notice anything different in their environment due to being prey animals so yes I guess a horse wearing a new rug/fly mask etc would make them investigate briefly until they realise by scent that it is a horse they already know. Horses when they greet and go up to each other will sniff and blow at each other's noses.. I was told many years ago if you approach a new horse to let it sniff your hand gently on approach - don't know why.

I know when we have a new horse join the yard the minute it goes through the gate into the field to be turned out for the first time even if other horses are some distance up the field they will come to investigate - they have great eyesight so presume they spot different shape/size/colour from the horses they already know. However smell is definitely used too - mine will sniff other horse's dung both in field left at marking areas just inside the gate and also if on driveway on yard and even when out hacking on bridleway. And I often wonder how in the depths of winter when I'm trudging up the field swathed in endless coats and with a hat on that from a distance he knows it's me...body shape? size?, the way I walk?

 

[Baileyhoss]

years ago at a previous yard, we had a little grey sweetitch sufferer, one of the things we tried was a little summer sheet, with a lycra hood, both happened to be black. He was duly turned out into his usual paddock and the rest of the horses absolutely freaked!. they all turned tail and bolted to the far end of the field, poor sw pony just trotted after them innocently calling wondering why his buddies had taken flight!.

one actually fell through the fence into the woods behind and galloped all the way round the tracks back to the front of the yard. He stood in the yard sweating and trembling until we could catch all parties concerned and re-introduce them properly. poor buggers must have thought the horsy version of the hooded grim reaper had arrived for them.

 

[Annagain]

Sight must play some part in it. My boy's best mate in the field is a 16hh chestnut. When we go anywhere he will whinny to any chestnut over about 14.2" until he realises it's not Charlie!

 

[MissTyc]

Proops et al. 2008 (Proceedings of the National Academy of Science) reliably demonstrated visual and acoustic recognition in horses, integrated across modalities.

 

[Crazydancer]

Also had the rug thing happen - my horse has been living out with 4 others 24/7 for nearly 2 years, unrugged. He dropped his coat quite quickly in May, and then it turned cold again, so I decided to help him out and popped on his lightweight rug. The boss horse (gelding) went ballistic!!! Chased him round the field, set them all off, took about half an hour to settle, and even then my boy was treated like a new horse and not allowed near the others. It took about 3 days to really get back to normal, I'd never seen this before, and was really surprised.

On another occassion I rode over to my friends new yard. Her horse, who had been turned out with mine previously, recognised him, they were both calling before they even saw each other, it was so sweet!