Horsemen have always recognized the relationship between our own emotions and the reactions of our animals. They can “smell fear” and sense when we are sad, but do they share in our stress over upcoming competitions? In 2009, researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences at Uppsala1 recognized that prior research in equestrian sciences focused on how intentional signals, given by an experienced rider during training sessions can affect a horse’s performance. However, unintentional signals may be more important to the human-animal bond. To show that human emotional responses can be translated to our horses, this group performed what is affectionately known as the ‘Umbrella Study’. In brief, a horse and handler were made to walk the length of an area several times; the human was told that on the last pass an umbrella would be opened and closed in front of the horse. The heart rate of both the horse and handler were monitored.
Not surprisingly the anticipation of the opening umbrella increased the heart rate of all handlers, regardless of their experience. The interesting result was that even though the umbrella was never deployed, the heart rates of the horses increased with their handlers. The authors concluded: “thus the heart rate of the horse increased when the person ‘thought’ the horse might be frightened by the umbrella.”
Even without direct cues, these horsemen were able to unintentionally transfer their emotions to their horses.