What do horses think about?

[Janah]

As title really. I was looking at my boy today, as he was looking out of his stable door and wondered what, if anything, he was thinking of.

I have my boy stabled at home on his own. He is turned out every day in company of others, albeit in the next field. Not ideal I know, but the best I can do for him at present. He looked very thoughtful and I just wondered what he was thinking about. He seems well balanced and happy to come in and go out. Behaves impeccably on both occasions, His field is some 1/4 of a mile away.

Do horses relive the day? Do they look forward to tomorrow? Do they daydream about past outings? Do they really live in the moment, ie tummy full, water, shelter from foul weather?

Idle thinking on my part on a foul day weatherwise and also really wanting to know.

Jane

 

[canteron]

I'm pretty sure mine is thinking up new evasions for the next days schooling session!!

 

[tangoharvey]

Food, in my mares case and very little else!

 

[Grey_Eventer]

God knows what mine thinks about, but he is always observing everything going on so probablyy quite a lot... maybe how much he loves me!?

 

[peek-a-boo]

All the grass on the other side of the electric fence?

 

[Cazza525]

All mine think about is food....and as an afterthought,'Where's my mate gone??'

Definately in that order though.

 

[badgerdog]

What am I eating now, where can I get more food, I need to be near my mates.

 

[somethingorother]

I feel i should add to the food line of thought...

OMG what's that plastic bag/feed sack/tractor/bird/leaf doing... is getting closer...is it moving... is it going to get me...i'm watching it... it moved! arrrrrg!

That's a common one, especially when you're surrounded by Arabs.

 

[wizbit]

lol i often wonder this i think they do think about things, food mainly in my horses case! and having a good old gallop in the field with his friends. but they definately have memories

 

[Django Pony]

I would LOVE to know what goes on in Jasper's head! I've even toyed with the idea of getting a horse communicator out to have a "chat" with him!

Mainly though, I think he thinks about food, especially carrots! lol

 

[Tinseltoes]

Mine thinks about food and he is very observent as too whose around, he doesnt know them,my guess hes thinking hmmmm whose that.lol

 

[BayJosie]

hate to say it, but i honestly dont think horses think about much else except trying to survive, eating, drinking, going to the toilet and reproducing the species.

when they spook it's simply their survival instinct kicking in. i think thats all.

Cause, this is only my oppinion.

 

[Shysmum]

Food, food,food, his best mate, food, food, mum up for supper?, food, food, "raining is it, ho hum", food, food.....

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

Food, in my mares case and very little else!

Sounds just like my mare! Food and very little else, know how she feels, I think about food a lot too!

 

[Munchkin]

1. "What's that, can I eat it?"
2. "What's that, will it eat me?"

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

1. "What's that, can I eat it?"
2. "What's that, will it eat me?"

Brilliant, that so sums it up!

 

[Shysmum]

excellent !!!

 

[Storminateacup]

Sad to say horses dont really think. They live in the NOW, in the moment. They do not have the intellectual capacity that a human or even a predator has to sum things up, work things out or contemplate the past or the future. They do not fear death as they no concept of it. Horses feel, pain, anxiety, and instinctual urges, such as seperation anxiety, maternal feeling, the need to mate. They are flight animals that respond accordingly, they spend time watching the horizon for potential predators so they can flee if necessary. Even with my loveable cob I know that he doesn't let me kiss his nose because he loves me, he does it because he wants attention and eventually attention leads to nice things like food or scratches. Horse do not have the power to contemplate. Look up basic brain biology for herbivores and you will find its pretty low down the scale!