Horses can learn to use symbols boards for communication with humans They could indicate if they wanted a blanket put on, taken off or stay same Learned the task after training for 10 to 15 minutes a day over two weeks
Until now, talking horses have only existed in fiction.
Instead of directly communicating, riders have to interpret whinnies and neighs with their own intuition.
But now scientists have trained horses to communicate precisely using symbols.
Horses in an experiment have been shown when they feel cold and need a blanket by pointing with their heads to a symbol – a horizontal black line. If they wanted their blanket taken off they pointed to a vertical line and for no change, a blank symbol. Stock image
THE CLEVER HANS EFFECT
The researchers took precautions to guard against the possibility which is known in horse training circles as the 'Clever Hans' effect.
A horse called Clever Hans won world-wide fame for being able to answer maths questions asked of him – which he would answer by stamping his feet the correct number of times.
It was later shown that his trainer was subtly indicating the number of times he needed to stamp his feet.
The study's authors say that unlike with Clever Hans, there was no 'right or wrong' answer for the horse as it would be rewarded with a carrot for whichever choice was made.
Also, the horses' heads and ears were focused on the symbols in front of them, and the choices were made without hesitation.
Horses in an experiment have been shown when they feel cold and need a blanket by pointing with their heads to a symbol – a horizontal black line.
They were also able to communicate two other possibilities: that they wanted their blanket taken off - a vertical line, or 'no change' – a blank symbol.
The research in Applied Animal Behaviour Science found 23 horses in the trial learned the task after training for just 10 to 15 minutes a day over two weeks.
The horses were taught to associate putting the blanket on and off with the symbol by being rewarded with slices of carrot.
And the researchers found the selection of the symbol was not random, but was dependent on the weather.
Horses opted for a blanket when the weather was wet, windy and cold.
Cecilie Mejdell, of the Norwegian Veterinary Institute and colleagues carried out the study.
To test whether the horses had learnt the meaning of the symbols, they were let out of their paddocks for two hours, to become fully aware of the weather.