Discover the Surprising Intelligence of Horses: A Breakthrough Study
Horses are far smarter than we ever imagined. Recent research conducted by scientists at Nottingham Trent University in the UK has unveiled that horses can understand and accurately perform certain simple tasks.
In this groundbreaking study, 20 horses aged between 11 and 22 years from the Brackenhurst Equestrian Centre were asked to tap their muzzles on an A3-sized laminated card when a signal light turned off. A correct response triggered a whistle sound, followed by a reward.
Initially, most of the horses struggled with the task, often tapping the card randomly without noticing whether the signal light was on or off.
However, when the researchers introduced a new rule, where horses were penalized for incorrect actions (tapping the card while the light was still on), the results were astounding. The penalty involved a 10-second delay before the horses could continue playing or receive their reward.
Remarkably, the number of errors decreased sharply, and it seemed that all the horses quickly grasped the consequences of their actions.
The researchers suggest that horses might have understood the game from the start but simply didn’t care. This finding indicates that horses possess a much higher level of cognitive processing than previously believed. They can instantly adapt their strategy and behavior when there’s a risk of losing something.
This approach requires the horses to think ahead and stay focused on their goals. They demonstrate a clear ability to concentrate on what they want to achieve and master the necessary steps to reach their objectives.
Louise Evans, co-author of the study, pointed out that while most animals need to repeat a task multiple times to gradually learn, horses improved their performance immediately after the rules changed. The equine brain can analyze strategies and weigh options to pursue the final goal.
“Horses may not be natural geniuses, and they are often considered average in their thinking abilities,” said Evans. “But this study reveals that their cognitive abilities are far more advanced than we previously thought.”
