Montana Horses – The Unique Ability to Sense This About You

When I was growing up, horses were a constant in our lives on the ranch.  Not so much for the pleasure of these magnificent animals, but for their abilities that were essential to how we operated daily.

via GIPHY

I've checked and rounded up cows, delivered salt blocks to troughs across the Highwood Mountains during the summer grazing season; even helped an occasional hunter getting their game animal out of a coulee.  All on a faithful steed.  And we hated each other.  But now I may realize why.

Get our free mobile app

Montana Horses - The Unique Ability to Sense This About You

For the uninitiated, being thrown from a horse isn't fun, despite what any rodeo contestant or ranch hand may tell you.

It will also make you a tad fearful when the time comes to "getting back up on that horse".

READ MORE:  Why Keeping Your D/L With You is Important in Montana

A new study might explain why then, when getting back into the saddle, my horse and I didn't seem to quite jive with each other when introduced initially.  It may have been that my horse could actually smell the fear on me when I approached.

via GIPHY

And as you try and saddle and ride out of the barn at 4am in the dark, nothing screams fun like a horse that has "energy" that early.

Skittish and Increased Heart Rate - Both Me and The Horse

The research comes from the University of Tours in France, and it found that when horses were exposed to human sweat produced during fear, they showed signs of increased heart rates, becoming more skittish, and less willing to approach a human.

When happy scents were presented to the animals, none of those things happened to them.  The reasons deal with hormones in the sweat such as adrenaline and cortisone.  They signal danger in undomesticated animals, triggering survival mode and to be wary.

Looking back on my times riding, I probably owe my old horse Buck an apology or two.  Hope the grass is always green in the pasture 'ole buddy in that big pasture in the sky.