What does your horse see when you’re riding?

Have you ever felt frustrated with your horse for stopping or running out at a fence, even though you thought you were on a perfectly decent stride? Well, you might not be so quick to judge if you could see – or more accurately not see – the fence like he does. Your horse views the world very differently to you, and understanding his point of view is key to developing a successful partnership.

Your horse’s vision

Horses have two types of vision…

• monocular A very wide field of vision that enables them to see separately out of each eye. For example, your horse uses this type of vision to keep an eye on his surroundings and identify potential threats
• binocular A relatively narrow field of vision directly in front of the horse’s head that allows him to see using both eyes. For example, your horse uses this type of vision to assess distance to, and height and depth of a fence

In comparison, humans have exclusively binocular vision, and a much greater ability to distinguish finer details. A horse needs to be 50% closer to an object in order to pick up the same level of detail as the human eye. Imagine a fence that’s 20 metres away and how different it looks to your horse compared to you – no wonder his reactions can be different!

Did you know?

A horse’s vision is sharpest at around seven years old. Before this time, his vision isn’t yet fully developed, and after it begins to decline.

Seeing eye to eye

So, why do horses stop, run out and spook so regularly? Well due to having near on 360°  vision, a jump makes up a much smaller part of his visual field than it does yours – simply put, it’s less ‘significant’ for him. You may also wonder why he’s spooking at something he’s quite clearly seen before. But if he’s seeing it with monocular vision, or at a different distance, it could appear very different to him although you know it’s identical to last time you saw it.

Not only this, but around two metres from an upcoming fence, it enters his blind spot and completely disappears from view. This is why it’s so important that you build trust and ride confidently, because at the point of take-off your horse is taking a huge leap of faith.

Want to find out more about your horse’s vision? Pick up May Horse&Rider, on sale 21 April 2022, to continue reading.