Visual attention in horses

In horse an attentional state is characterised by an orientation of the look, ears, neck and / or entire body towards a relevant environmental stimulation. We can distinguish visual attention from hearing attention

For visual attention, neck is mobile, horizontal or slightly above the horizontal. We can observe the horse scanning the environment, neck moving laterally. This state of quiet watch keeping should be distinguished from the posture of alertness where neck and tail are raised, with neck, ears and head in a fixed position, indicating an emotional state of greater intensity (see last picture of this document).

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Scientifically, we can quantify visual attention :
•    Either by observation of the horse every 2 minutes, walking quietly in the corridor, durng 3 sessions of one hour spread over the day at quiet moments (apart form meals and lessons) and by counting the number of times the horse exhibits the behavior described above ;
•    Either by a visual attention test : C.Rochais developed the following test : after remaining in the horse’s loose box for 2 minutes without moving, the manipulator projects a green light with a laser on the door of the horse’s box (with repeated circular movements, vertical and horizontal movements of 50cm long) for 5 minutes. Recorded behaviors are : time during which the horse looks at the light (= time of global attention), time during which he stares with fixed eyes, ears fixed and mobile body therefore in binocular vision (=  fixed attention time ) and way of looking (continuous attention or in fragmented sequences). It seems essential to film the horse in order to quantify these different elements correctly.

In order to develop and validate this test, a first study was carried out on 12 mares, twice, 6 months apart. Results indicate very marked differences in attention between individuals. Overall total attention span ranged from 8 to 172 seconds (average=46 seconds) during the 300 seconds of the test. It is very often fragmented (2 to 28 sequences (average=12)) in sequences of 1 to 7s (average=3.7s). The 6-month fixed and global attention values were highly correlated with the initial values.

The same 12  mares were initiated to lungeing for 5 min a day over a two-week period. C. Rochais studied  the relationship between their performances during this learning process and their results in the attention test. The more attentive the mares were during the test, the less spontaneously they went to a higher gait during the last lungeing session, so the more attentive and obedient they were.

Fifteen horses from an equestrian center had a a visual attention test. Moreover, riding teachers answered a survey that enables the calculation of an obedience score and a concentration on work score. A positive correlation was found between the number of fixed attention sequences, the total fixed attention span and the total concentration score calculated from the survey.

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Additionally, C.Rochais showed that the horse’s attention was higher, particularly towards the trainer, in with horses learning a task with food rewards compared to the same task learned with a scratching reward on the withers.

Calm attention towards the environment could be a sign of well-being in the horse. On the contrary, a lack of attention towards the environment is described in depressed humans, in some equestrian center horses adopting a special posture from time to time with immobility bouts of apparent unresponsiveness (termed withdrawn) (Fureix, 2012) and in overused and poorly fed horses (less developed countries).

Over a hundred horses from equestrian centers, C.Rochais showed that the more horses suffered from back disorders, the less time they spent calmly observing their environment.

Visual attention should be distinguished from the alert or vigilant posture exhibited by this horse. How do you recognize a calm state of attention to the environment ? Either you take the time to observe your horse in different situations by looking for the behavior described above, or you can carry out small non-frightening sound, visual or tactile tests and observe whether your horse reacts calmly to these stimuli. These reactions must be distinguished 1) from a total absence or very slight reaction suggesting a state of depression and 2) from a state of excessive reactivity (frequent alertness postures) suggesting a state of anxiety. Whatever the case, these responses need to be modulated according to the animal’s temperament, some animals being intrinsically more fearful than others and more sensitive to sound or visual stimulation.