2006-09-11 07:43:28 · 16 answers · asked by torirowe 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
I'll preface this with the fact that I love horses. They are the most amazing animals.
WIth that said, though, they do not have great memories. They are instinctual animals and their memories involve the things that are important for survival, mainly.
The things that they will remember most are
1. traumatic things like beatings or very bad injuries (including the smell of the people that inflict these things or the general place where they were injured)
2. repetition - i.e. you feed them a treat everytime they do a specific thing, they will remember that that specific thing will get them a treat. This is the idea behind training a horse in most any discipline, repetition, reward or punishment.
3. Yes, they will remember a person who is kind and loving to them. The horse that I rode for many years as a teenager knew the sound of my voice when I stepped onto the farm. He'd whinny like crazy. What a great feeling! I miss Wally (he passed away 4 years ago).
2006-09-11 09:15:32 · answer #1 · answered by J B 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Horses do have good memories. Especially when refers to negativity such as abuse. Horses will familiarize themselves with humans. If a horse was beaten by male figures, they will shine away or even strict at males (aka: female horse only). Or they would develop behavior issue's if something triggered a familiarized situation.
They are able to recognize and acknowledge their environment.
A horse who has endured an area in an environment where a bad situation took place, they will usually be upset. Ex: My mare fell on top of me at a embankment by a park 2 miles from the stables. After getting out of the hospital and going through intense therapy. I was able to ride and I took her to that spot. Every time we rode by that exact area, she would be upset and rather go around the location.
There is a "3 second rule" of if your horse does something "wrong" need to "punish" with in that time or the horse will "forget". Technical, the horse doesn't forget. But with time passing by, the horse won't know exactly what that "punishment" was for. Just like if a kid drop grape juice on white carpet and the parent punished the child 10 mins later, even though she watched him do it. It doesn't make sense since the kid could of done a lot of other things during that 10 min period.
2006-09-11 16:20:37 · answer #2 · answered by Mutchkin 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, horses have good memories which is why you have to watch what you do (and say!) while around them. My Morgan gelding used to LOVE to trot fast. When he would speed up I would make a AHH noise and also put more of my weight in the saddle to slow him down. After awhile all I had to do was say AHH! and he would immediately slow down.
They also remember places VERY well. If you get lost while riding trust your mount!
My horse could tell the difference between vehicles. He was never hard to catch when the farrier showed up but the vet truck was another story!!
2006-09-11 08:04:27 · answer #3 · answered by msnite1969 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. They have an excellent memory. I have a mustang who is about the sweetest guy on earth. When his previous owner stopped by to see him (He's our local sherrif) the horse balked and snorted at him. At this the Sherriff replied "he remembers, him and I had a couple of go arounds with a 2X4..." I asked the sheriff to leave...
2006-09-11 07:57:51 · answer #4 · answered by joythegreat 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes they have a very good memory thats why they have vices and fears of certain things my horse Kelly was beak when she was younger she is a lot better now but still to this day when you raise you hand she spooks and takes off and its been like 10 years since she was beaten
2006-09-11 09:23:10 · answer #5 · answered by sleepnsweetheart 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, there are many documented cases of a horse remembering something or someone after twenty years.
2006-09-11 10:44:37 · answer #6 · answered by skyeblue 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
horses have a good memory and can recognize friends, both human and horse.
2006-09-11 07:49:54 · answer #7 · answered by DanE 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YES! Mine know the vet truck when it pulls in.
I also had a mare who was seperated from her sister for 10 years, when I bought the sister it was like old home week, they knew each other instantly. No fighting, no squealing, nothing but happiness for them both, it was really sweet to see that.
2006-09-11 07:49:34 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Horses greet each other by breathing into each other's nostrils.
It is believed that they never forget each other after this. You can breathe into your horses nostrils and he will remember you always.
2006-09-11 13:57:44 · answer #9 · answered by jonesmarty 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, horses are actually very smart. They know when they've been treated right and not treated right.
2006-09-11 08:27:49 · answer #10 · answered by Chanel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋