New study reveals horses‘ ability to plan and strategize

Horses have long been admired for their strength, beauty, and grace, but a new study from Nottingham Trent University (NTU) suggests that these majestic creatures may also be more intelligent than previously thought. Researchers have found that horses are capable of quickly adapting to new rules and strategies in order to receive a reward, challenging the notion that equine brains are not complex enough to engage in strategic thinking.

The study, which involved 20 horses, focused on a treat-based game where the horses were rewarded for touching a piece of card with their nose. In the initial stage, the horses received a treat for simply touching the card. However, in the second stage, a „stop light“ was introduced, and the rules were changed so that the reward was only given if the horses touched the card while the light was off.

Surprisingly, the horses did not seem to be deterred by the changing rules and continued to touch the card regardless of the status of the light. It wasn’t until the rules changed for a third time, introducing a penalty of a 10-second timeout for touching the card while the stop light was on, that the horses quickly adapted their behavior.

Lead researcher Louise Evans noted, „We were expecting horses‘ performance to improve when we introduced the time-out, but were surprised by how immediate and significant the improvement was.“ This rapid adjustment to the new rules suggests that the horses understood the rule of the stop light all along but only followed it when there was a consequence for getting it wrong.

The findings of this study, published in the Applied Animal Behaviour Science journal, have significant implications for horse training and welfare. Dr. Carrie Ijichi, a senior equine researcher at NTU, emphasized that the study demonstrates the cognitive abilities of horses and challenges assumptions about animal intelligence based on human-centric criteria.

„This teaches us that we shouldn’t make assumptions about animal intelligence or sentience based on whether they are ‚built‘ just like us,“ Dr. Ijichi said. The study highlights the importance of recognizing and respecting the cognitive abilities of animals, including horses, and suggests that more humane training methods could be developed based on a deeper understanding of their intelligence.

Overall, the research from NTU sheds light on the remarkable intelligence of horses and opens up new possibilities for improving their welfare and training practices. By acknowledging and harnessing the cognitive abilities of these magnificent animals, we can enhance our interactions with them and deepen our appreciation for their unique capabilities.