Cognition and learning in horses (Equus caballus): What we know and why we should ask more
Published in 2016
Horses (Equus caballus) have a rich history of relationships with humans. Across different cultures and eras, they have been used for work, entertainment, cultural rituals, food, therapy and companionship and they continue to fulfil many of these roles today. As horses are one of the most commonly trained domestic animals, understanding how they learn and how their relationship with humans and other horses impacts their ability to learn can influence their welfare, training, breeding and management. Since, unlike dogs and cats, domesticated horses evolved from prey animals, the horse-human relationship raises interesting and unique scientific theoretical questions. There is still much to learn about the cognition and behaviour of horses from a scientific perspective. This review explores current research in three related areas of horse cognition: human-horse interactions, social learning, and independent learning in horses. Research on these topics is summarised and suggestions for future research are provided.
Document Types: Scientific review
Animal categories: Equines
Keywords: Learning, Training, Cognitive processes, Human-animal relationships