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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 19, 2026

Development of an in vitro model system for studying the interaction of Equus caballus IgE with its high-affinity receptor FcεRI
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How do horses (Equus caballus) learn from observing human action?

Kira Bernauer1, Hanna Kollross1, Aurelia Schuetz2

  • 1Department Equine Economics, Faculty Agriculture, Economics and Management, Nuertingen-Geislingen University, Neckarsteige 6-10, 72622, Nürtingen, Germany.

Animal Cognition
|September 19, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Horses observe humans to learn tasks, but most use this social learning for guidance, not direct copying. They learn where and what to manipulate, then use trial and error to succeed.

Keywords:
CopyingEquus caballusHuman demonstratorInterspecies specific social learningSocial enhancementSocial learning

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Area of Science:

  • Ethology
  • Animal Cognition
  • Behavioral Ecology

Background:

  • Previous research indicated horses engage in social learning from human observation.
  • However, the specific social learning mechanisms employed by horses remained unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the social learning mechanisms horses use when observing human actions.
  • To determine if horses directly copy demonstrated behaviors or utilize other learning strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Sixty-eight horses (3-12 years) were exposed to four human demonstration conditions (Hand, Head, Mixed, Foot) or a control (No Demo) for operating a feed box.
  • Learning was assessed by the number of consecutive successful feeder openings.
  • Behavioral observations focused on how horses interacted with the mechanism and experimenters.

Main Results:

  • A significant majority of horses in demonstration groups succeeded, compared to the control group.
  • Most horses predominantly used their heads to operate the feeder, irrespective of the demonstration type.
  • While some horses showed signs of observational conditioning, many appeared to use social learning for "enhancement," guiding their own trial-and-error learning.

Conclusions:

  • Horses exhibit varied social learning strategies when observing humans.
  • Direct behavioral copying is rare; most horses leverage human demonstrations to identify relevant aspects of a task.
  • Horses primarily use social learning to enhance their individual problem-solving abilities through trial and error.