How intelligent
is your horse?
Have you ever wondered how your horse rates in the intelligence stakes? Do you think you own the Einstein of the horse world? Or is your equine companion more like a charming Forrest Gump?
Now you can find out, thanks to a new Horse Intelligence Test designed to help you determine just how clever your horse really is.
The test comprises a series of specially-crafted questions, which will assess your horse’s brain power and confirm whether or not you have a wise Yoda or the new star in the dumb and dumber films.
We asked professional
equine trainer Ben Atkinson -
"How do your teach your horses?"
Slow Down
Imagine the slowest, most boring way you can teach something, then slow it down some more, then a bit more – that’s how you teach it
Clarity
Be clear in your goals for each horse and be clear in how you work towards them.
Consistency
Be consistent when asking for the same movement or behaviour, do not cut corners as you’ll have to keep going around them.
Confidence
If things are clear and consistent, the confidence in your horse and your abilities will grow and ooze out of you.
Is your horse Forrest Gump
or Indiana Jones? Every horse has
its own unique brand of brilliance
Albert Equistein
Does your horse remember those dressage tests instantly? Do they count the carrots in his feed bucket and give you a polite nudge when you’ve miscounted? Your horse point sat the clock when you turn up late at the stables and can throw a tantrum when the banks in the stable are not at least 50cm high?
Does your horse remember those dressage tests instantly? Do they count the carrots in his feed bucket and give you a polite nudge when you’ve miscounted? Your horse point sat the clock when you turn up late at the stables and can throw a tantrum when the banks in the stable are not at least 50cm high?
Indiana Jones
Brave and couragous, your horse is happy to lead the nervous nellies past the scary plastic bag. Yet their intelligence creates intrigue and they can often go into turbo mode in an open field, leap over the ground work poles and there’s no fear when faced with a hedge or a ditch.
The Buddha
Calm and collected your horse is practising yoga in the fields during the day and meditating in the stable at night. They take day by day not phased by change of routine but can get a little stroppy if the stable isn’t feng shui.
Calm and collected your horse is practising yoga in the fields during the day and meditating in the stable at night. They take day by day not phased by change of routine but can get a little stroppy if the stable isn’t feng shui.
Houdini Escape Artist
Do you own a Houdini horse, who knows exactly how to open the doors to get to the buckets of apples? Who can whip his bridle off quicker than you can put your riding hat on?
Forrest Gump
Your horse isn’t phased by much the type that strolls into a show ring and doesn’t take in any of the scary surrounding. Your horse is great for really, really long hacks, just keeps on going and his one love in life is you.
Your horse isn’t phased by much the type that strolls into a show ring and doesn’t take in any of the scary surrounding. Your horse is great for really, really long hacks, just keeps on going and his one love in life is you.
What the behaviourists say about horse intelligence
Samantha Osborne
Equine behavioural advocate
Speaking about the Intelligence Test, Samantha says: “Horses are highly intelligent animals with a remarkable ability to learn and adapt to new situations. Their intelligence is often demonstrated through their problem-solving skills, social interactions, and ability to communicate with humans and other animals.
"Harry Hall’s Horse Intelligence Test is a brilliant and fun way of testing how smart your horse really is"
“One of my horses is really clever and is always trying to snuffle his way into his feed box. Another horse I’ve ridden in the past was also really intelligent and used to open the door to her stable - if any of your horses display this behaviour, they’re definitely leading the pack in the intelligence stakes!”
Samantha continues: ‘’As a horse behaviourist, horse owner and competition judge, I have seen firsthand the incredible mental capabilities of these amazing animals. Harry Hall’s Horse Intelligence Test is a brilliant and fun way of testing how smart your horse really is - why not put your equine friend to the test?”
Why does my horse eat mud?
Dirt is a natural part of the equine diet. It contains minerals in bio-available form that the horse needs for various metabolic functions so eating dirt is quite normal for horses. However, keep an eye on the level of dirt consumption as it could be due to boredom, an upset stomach, or lack of structural fibre.
What does it mean when my horse follows me?
You’ve connected to your horse – this is great news and it’s a huge compliment – they like you! Horses are herd animals and will follow the leader in the herd. If your horse follows you, it’s a sign they respect you and feel comfortable letting you take the lead.
Why does my horse bite me?
Some horses bite with intent and this can be a show of dominance. However, for some horses biting and nipping can be a sign they’re trying to interact with you. If you watch a herd of horses, you’ll soon see that this is how they interact with one another and it’s not always a violent interaction.
Why does my horse curl his upper lip?
This is called the Flehmen response – raising and stretching the neck while curling the upper lip and exposing teeth. Horses, as well as cats, rhinos and hedgehogs have this as a response to help their sense of smell.
Raising their upper lip increases the flow of air through their nostrils which widens the scent openings behind their teeth on the upper palette. Perfumes and lotions on human hands can cause this and stallions will often demonstrate this behaviour when examining a mare to find out if she is in heat. It’s generally nothing to raise concern and is simply your horse absorbing a new smell. Make sure you have your camera at the ready as the flehmen response can be the source of humerous photos.