Can horses feel electricity?

K

Kadi

Member
May 23, 2006
308
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16
Norfolk/Suffolk border
Can horses feel/hear electricity?

The reason I ask is when I hack out in the forest we have to go past a grey box about ther size of a small garden shed which has a fence around it, it has something to do with electricity as it has warning signs on it.

We go pass it at least 2 or 3 times a week and have done for the last 14 months, DP will often gives it a wide bearth or will go past very quickly sideways.

This doesn't happen every time but he does always seem aware of it.

I certainly can't hear anything or feel anything when we go by it.

This got me wondering if maybe it gives off something like a sound or somekind of electrical pulse that us humans can't detect but horses can.

I'd be interested to hear any thoughts.

Kxx
 
One of our regular rides takes us under overhead power cables. In wet weather the cables are buzzing and my horse always speeds up to get past it. The metal part of my chin strap tingles with electricity passing through it and I often wonder if it has the same effect on my horses bit.
 
when i had sasha,she would jump up and over as if there was something under the road,i eventually found out the electricity cables ran under the road just there!! :eek:
 
Horses are very aware of it, my mare is so aware of it she won't go anywhere near an electric fence when it is turned on! Took me a long time to work out why I couldn't get her through the electric fencing gate! I ended up speaking to her old owners and turns out she has always hated electric fencing and can feel as soon as it is turned on! Needless to say she isn;t near any any more.

It could be a noise the box makes that us humans can't hear or he could be like my mare and particularly sensitive to electricity. Or perhaps he doesn't like big grey boxes generally!!
 
Yes horses can sense electricity even if there isn't a noise with it. The hairs around their mouth are very sensitive and it is believed that they pick it up through that.
 
well they can definatly hear it, as ive just found out.:rolleyes:
Ive just got back from a hack and theres a certain place we get to and Amy freezes and refuses to go forward. This has happened a few times now beside a field of sheep. I know shes not scared of the sheep so other than several trees along the side of the field beside the lane i couldnt work out why she kept stopping:confused: I thought it must be something hiding in the trees that i couldnt see.
Then today i figured it out. Again as usual she stopped at this tree and after much persuation she still wouldnt go so i thought right, you can stand here then facing forward, until you get bored and decide to move on. While sitting there quietly like a plonker i was able to hear a tiny 'tick, tick, tick' coming from behind the tree and noticed a stip of wire electric fencing which had some brambles hanging over it making it make this ticking noise.
Im glad ive eventually found out what was bothering her, but theres no way i would of heard it if i hadnt have stood her still as it was so quiet im suprised she even heard it.
Horses hey, what are they like:p
So now ive got the problem of trying to get her past it.. any ideas??
 
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