Horse Vision - How Do Horses View The World?

Finding out how a horse sees his environment helps us understand why horses behave the way they do in many situations. Many times, horse problems are the direct result of the way the horse perceives and reacts to a certain situation and because horses see the world differently than we do, it's important that you understand these differences so you are in a position to make allowances for them.

Reflection in a Horse's Eye by digizen

There is some controversy surrounding the eyes structure of horses. Horses were thought to have ramped retinas, meaning their eyes don't form a true arc making the retina closer to the lens, but now it is believed that this may not be the case. Horses eyes are structured for grazing while being able to see approaching predators at the same time, but this structure becomes a handicap when judging distances and heights. On approaching a jump, you may notice that horses lower their heads then raise them in an effort to appraise the height of the obstacle. When approaching an obstacle, the horse will lose sight of the jump right before takeoff; experienced riders take this into account and allow their horses to raise their heads before jumping.

Horses are also colour blind, they don't see colours like we do and they perceive the world as a mosaic of different light reflections. They do however notice movement instantly and can react accordingly, much to the dismay of the inexperienced rider! Green or inexperienced horses respond to sudden movement by shying or bolting. If something moves suddenly into their peripheral field of vision this will usually cause horses to bolt.

Horses, with their wide field of vision, have only two blind spots: that which is directly in front or behind them. When approaching a horse from the rear you should talk to him to avoid startling him. When riding through tricky terrain it's always a good idea to allow your horse free rein so he can see what's under his feet.

Your horse's eyes are very sensitive to light and this is why young or inexperienced horses seem nervous when you are trying to load them into a horsebox. Their eyes need to adjust to the darker environment of the horsebox so they can see properly. Entering a horsebox is akin to entering a dark cave and your horse's reluctance to do so is what saved its ancestors - caves housed dangerous predators!

Understanding your horse's vision can help you understand why your horse reacts in various situations; a lot of the time inexperienced horse owners mistakenly believe their horse is intentionally acting up when the real reason for their horse's behaviour is related to the his vision and way of seeing the world.

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