A LARGE proportion of the equine athletes competing at the Tokyo Olympics this summer were wearing ear bonnets. As well as keeping insects out of the ears, these muffle the sounds of the arena and therefore improve a horse’s concentration.
But what exactly do horses hear? Research into the topic is revealing some fascinating facts.
Across most mammals, size is related to range of hearing. Larger animals tend to be able to hear lower frequency sounds better and usually cannot hear high-frequency sounds. Humans are somewhere in the middle, with a hearing range from about 20Hz at the low end to 20KHz at the upper end.
Horses are much bigger than us, so we would expect them to be able to hear lower frequency sounds better than we can and not the very high-pitched ones. But horses are an exception to the rule; their hearing range is higher, starting at about 50Hz and going way above ours to 33KHz. They are most sensitive to sounds in the range of 1–16Khz, a much broader extent than most mammals.
The design of equine ears and the ability to turn them in the direction from which the sound is coming also means that a horse can amplify sounds better than us. They can hear ultrasonic sounds (those with a soundwave frequency above human aural capacity), and also very quiet sounds that for us are completely inaudible.
This may have been an evolutionary adaptation to hearing the quiet rustling of a stealthy approaching predator. It does mean that we must be careful about the use of ultrasonic devices around them; ultrasonic rodent deterrent units, for example, are not a good idea in stables, as horses will find them as unpleasant as mice do.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 16, 2021 من Horse & Hound.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 16, 2021 من Horse & Hound.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Rider Denies Doping After Team Loses Olympic Placing - Tine Magnus and the Belgian team said they do not know the source of the drug that caused the positive test
Olympic eventer Tine Magnus has denied ever doping after her Paris ride Dia Van Het Lichterveld Z gave a positive test at the Games. This means the Belgian team, which came fourth, has been disqualified. On 4 September, the FEI said the 10-year-old mare, owned by Kris van Vaerenbergh, tested positive for trazodone, which is listed as an antidepressant on the FEI's prohibited substances list.
Michael Eilberg
The top dressage rider talks to Polly Bryan about the special horse with the potential to carry him back onto the British team, how to be a better coach and using his talent for teaching to help the sport
Schooling success
Combining school and riding can be tricky, but horses can benefit a child's education. Lottie Morgan uncovers some options for horse-loving pupils
How to get a job in hunting
The British Hound Sports Association's apprentice scheme is providing young people with excellent all-round training in the skills required - and many others besides, as Tessa Waugh discovers
Burke's Affair to remember
A fast round delights one rider who comes away with a coveted grand prix trophy and a rankings class concludes with an unusual tie
Derby winner returns for further Hickstead glory
After watching wife Pippa compete at Burghley, William Funnell returns to the scene of his Derby triumph to win the All England grand prix
Derby winner returns for further Hickstead glory
After watching wife Pippa compete at Burghley, William Funnell returns to the scene of his Derby triumph to win the All England grand prix
'I'm grateful to have such a wonderful partner'
The brilliant duo of Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei seal back-to-back grands prix after a dramatic turn of events
Hamlett takes centre stage
Two horses round off their competitive careers with victories, a championship specialist earns her fourth title and a pair with a combined age of 105 prove invincible
'This is the ultimate five-star test'
Mark Phillips on Burghley's highs, lows, challenges and champions