Horses

Human parents often adopt a specific style in which they raise their children. These different parenting styles represent variations in the dimensions of demandingness and responsiveness, resulting in authoritarian, authoritative, permissive or uninvolved parenting.

In 2018, one of our studies (e.g. van Herwijnen et al., 2018) found that similar parenting styles exist in dogs owners. One of our main research directions at the moment is finding out whether the same applies to horse owners. Although owners often report being close to their horse, horses do often take a different position in the household than dogs or children do. In horses, we might speak more of differences in training style. Additionally we study horse personality and cognition with different kinds of studies.

Horses are social animals with a remarkable ability to read and respond to the emotional cues of their peers and, in most cases, human handlers. Earlier studies have shown horses’ capacity to recognize and remember individuals, discern emotional states, and adapt their behavior accordingly. We are interested in the cognitive capacities of horses. Can they understand pointing gestures, the same way dogs can? And is there a link between the way a horse understands its owner and the bond they share, or the way it was trained? Are horses trained in a specific way more optimistic, or less fearful?

Are you a horse/stable owner and interested in participating in behavioural research with your horse(s)?

Look at www.dierenwetenschap.com for our current research. We are very happy to come to your stable!