Researchers from the University of Lincoln in England have found that horses can produce facial expressions that denote frustration and disappointment.
Drs. Claire Ricci-Bonot and Daniel Simon Mills note that horses live in a complex social system and are able to communicate using subtle visual signals, including eye direction, ear direction and facial expressions. However, the negative emotional state of a horse is often not recognized and much of lay person's understanding is not based on scientific evidence.
The study team wanted to identify possible facial markers of emotional states. They used 31 male and female horses that were between two and 23 years old.
The horses were taught to anticipate a food reward in a standard barn setting. Feed was placed in a bucket covered by a clear cover, which was slid back after 10 seconds to allow the horse access to the feed. Once the horses understood the device and expected feed after 10 seconds the scientists created a three-phase study:
-Phase One was where the horses anticipated the reward, which resulted in a positive emotional state
-Phase Two was where the horses had to wait for the one minute, then were given the feed reward
-Phase Three was where the horses were given access to the bucket, but no food was available
All phases of the test were recorded and analyzed using the Horse Facial Action Coding System (EquiFACS), an objective system for coding facial movements and behaviors.
The researchers found nine actions and behaviors that differed significantly between the two situations they predicted would induce frustration (waiting on the reward) and disappointment (receiving no reward).
When the horses had to wait longer for the food reward, they showed more of the whites of their eyes, rotated ears, and were more inclined to turn their heads to one side, which was interpreted as frustration. When they were offered the empty bucket, they tended to lick, lift their nostrils and make chewing motions more than in other phases, which researchers interpreted as signs of disappointment.
The scientists found that disappointed horses had a tendency to lick the container and that frustrated horses were more likely to bite the feeder. They also found that females were more likely to blink than males in the disappointed phase.
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