Cowgirl - Hears

You’ve probably noticed your horse moving his ears around in an attempt to track down a sound. Learning about how your horse hears can explain a lot about why he does certain things. Hearing is one of his senses that would ultimately help him survive in the wild. These six facts will help you understand your horse a little better!

  1. The main purpose of his ability to hear is to detect noise, locate the sound, and determine its identity.
  2. They have a better hearing range than humans. Horses can hear in the range of 14 Hz to 25 kHz, while people can only hear from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. This allows them to experience low to very high frequencies.
  3. The ear of a horse has 10 different muscles that allows it to turn 180 degrees. Your horse may direct his ears according to where the sound is coming from.
  4. The shape of their ears acts as funnels. The outer portion captures the noise and directs it to the ear canal.
  5. Horses are responsive to the pitch of our voice. They can detect low volumes, so there’s no need to shout at them. They can also identify a stern, confident tone.
  6. Sounds have the ability to frighten or soothe a horse. A new, unfamiliar noise can quickly get a horse elevated or concerned, while a gentle, yet confident handler can easily soothe a fear-stricken horse.

Now that you understand how your horse hears you can become a better horsewoman. Always notice the direction of your horse’s ears and whether his attention is on a certain location. Make sure to speak to him calmly, but confidently! And never forget that he is a prey animal with survival instincts.