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| Horses recognise human emotions | Horses recognise human emotions |
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| Horses are able to discriminate between happy and angry human facial expressions, according to research. | Horses are able to discriminate between happy and angry human facial expressions, according to research. |
| In an experiment using photographs of male human faces, scientists from the University of Sussex showed that domestic horses "responded negatively" to angry expressions. | In an experiment using photographs of male human faces, scientists from the University of Sussex showed that domestic horses "responded negatively" to angry expressions. |
| The scientists say domestication may have enabled horses to adapt to and interpret human behaviour. | The scientists say domestication may have enabled horses to adapt to and interpret human behaviour. |
| The findings are published in the journal Biology Letters. | The findings are published in the journal Biology Letters. |
| The team carried out their tests at riding stables - presenting large photographs to a total of 28 horses. | The team carried out their tests at riding stables - presenting large photographs to a total of 28 horses. |
| "One person presents the photo while another holds the horse," explained researcher Amy Smith. | "One person presents the photo while another holds the horse," explained researcher Amy Smith. |
| "The main result," she explained, "was that they looked [at angry faces] with their left eye." | "The main result," she explained, "was that they looked [at angry faces] with their left eye." |
| Mammal brains are wired such that input from the left eye is processed by the right side of the brain. | Mammal brains are wired such that input from the left eye is processed by the right side of the brain. |
| "The right hemisphere is specialised for processing negative stimuli," explained Miss Smith. "It's really about the partition of energy - not using the whole brain." | "The right hemisphere is specialised for processing negative stimuli," explained Miss Smith. "It's really about the partition of energy - not using the whole brain." |
| The researchers also fitted the horses with heart monitors, which revealed that angry faces caused their heart rates to rise significantly. | The researchers also fitted the horses with heart monitors, which revealed that angry faces caused their heart rates to rise significantly. |
| Similar results have been reported recently in domestic dogs, raising questions about how living with humans might have influenced animals' abilities. | Similar results have been reported recently in domestic dogs, raising questions about how living with humans might have influenced animals' abilities. |
| While horses might have an innate ability to recognise emotions in each other, their domestication by humans could have caused them to adapt that ability to humans. | While horses might have an innate ability to recognise emotions in each other, their domestication by humans could have caused them to adapt that ability to humans. |
| "It also shows this extra ability of horses," said Miss Smith. "[It shows that] our behaviour around them has an impact." | "It also shows this extra ability of horses," said Miss Smith. "[It shows that] our behaviour around them has an impact." |
| Prof Debra Archer, an equine veterinary surgeon at the University of Liverpool, said that anyone who was around regularly with horses would recognise that their behaviour had a "marked impact" on the animals. | Prof Debra Archer, an equine veterinary surgeon at the University of Liverpool, said that anyone who was around regularly with horses would recognise that their behaviour had a "marked impact" on the animals. |
| "But it's fascinating to see this tested scientifically; it's an interesting insight into the relationship between horse and human." | "But it's fascinating to see this tested scientifically; it's an interesting insight into the relationship between horse and human." |
| Gillian Higgins, an equine anatomist who runs the organisation Horses Inside Out agreed. | Gillian Higgins, an equine anatomist who runs the organisation Horses Inside Out agreed. |
| "When I'm relaxed, the horses will be relaxed. And if someone comes in who is stressed and nervous, they will pick up on that," she told BBC News. | "When I'm relaxed, the horses will be relaxed. And if someone comes in who is stressed and nervous, they will pick up on that," she told BBC News. |
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