2026-01-19 14:09:44
Horses are able to smell human fear.
It has long been thought that dogs were the only animals that could sniff out human emotions but a new study has found horses can sense when a person is fearful.
Experts from the University of Tours in France discovered that horses became more reactive when they were exposed to scent samples from humans experiencing fear.
The animals had elevated heart rates and were more hesitant to approach handlers compared with reactions triggered by scents linked to positive emotions.
In a similar manner to dogs, horses involved in the research detected chemical signals that are released in human sweat during states of emotion.
The scientists suggest the equine ability is tied to survival, as horses need to notice signs of danger in their environment.
Dr Lea Lansdale, of the university, said: “This study shows how closely connected animals and humans are.
“Unconsciously, we can transmit our emotions to animals, with quite important effects on their own emotions in return.”
For the study, the experts placed cotton pads in the armpits while they watched either frightening or happy video clips before putting the pads near the nostrils of 43 female horses.
Some of the animals were exposed to clean pads for comparison.
The findings demonstrated that the horses exposed to smells from frightened humans reacted more strongly.
The animals were more easily startled, had higher heart rates and were less likely to approach or touch a person.
The researchers said: “The fact that different species appear to respond to each other’s emotional chemosignals is interesting, as emotions have previously been viewed as mainly internal states that serve to regulate individual behaviours and produce signals that inform conspecifics of danger or resources.
“The fact that these signals transcend species boundaries suggests that they could also play a role in interspecific interactions, especially between humans and domestic mammals.”
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