Horse Senses

... Horses perceive the world differently from humans because their senses developed differently through evolution to cope with different ways of living and surviving. Horses are essentially prey/flight animals. The horse’s senses therefore determine how the world appears to him and how he reacts to it. As the horse’s perception and understanding are very different to ours sometimes their reaction to events and their surroundings seem strange to us. In this book the author compares the horses sensory organs with those of humans to avoid misunderstandings as lack of knowledge can lead to many problems when dealing with horses. The five senses are covered in this book: hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch. Each section explains how the horses’ sense works and then this is related to care, behavior and riding, explaining why some practices are appropriate and why some are not. The behavioral aspect of dealing with horses is emphasized throughout. The author is founder of the Equine Behaviour Forum and author of over 40 books on equine topics. She has an HNC in Equine Sciences and Management, is a Classical Riding Club Gold Award Holder and classical trainer, an equine shiatsu practitioner, and an Associate Member of the International Society for Equitation Science. This book is useful for all horse owners, horse breeders and trainers who wish to gain a better understanding of how the horse’s senses function, and for veterinary students and practitioners.
Highly informative, insightful and illuminating this book is a must-read for all those seeking a deeper understanding of the horse; both behaviourally and scientifically. Whilst taking a National Diploma in Horse Management {2 year course} @ an agricultural/ equine college, I found this book indispensable and a really useful guide. Covering anatomy & Physiology and all the main senses this book combines both the physical functions of the horse alongside his behaviour and natural/ innate instincts, so as to present a clear and vivid image of why the horse acts and his body functions as it does. I would recommend this book to those taking BHS Stages 1, 2 and 3 as it is packed full of facts and detailed diagrams that will aid your learning and understanding of the horse.
...however all horse owners, breeders and veterinary students will find this book an invaluable source and a most interesting, incredibly fascinating read too! Hearing, sight, taste, touch and smell are all linked to how the horse's body functions and his mood. Additionally other topics that are touched upon include ~
Feeding the horse and how certain feedstuffs can affect temperament.
Alternative therapies such as Shiatsu t-touch and massage to name but a few
Basic horsemanship and riding {inc. simple jumping, aids etc.}
Effective communication with your horse; physically {touching on natural horsemanship techniques and understanding}.

Wonderfully detailed and touching upon all aspects of equitation, riding, horse care, science and behaviour this book really does have everything! I am so impressed by `Horse Senses' and would greatly urge equine & science students to read this + BHS candidates to also take a look.