Why you need to know stuff about equines before sitting for them ….which of these things was a surprise to you?
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I didn’t know they are able to see out of one eye at a time and that they night vision is better than a cat’s! This is very surprising to me.
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Yes the one eye thing is very important when training a horse- whatever they learn in one eye isn’t necessarily learning for the other eye. Leading an equine from one side might be safe to do BUT they might prove to be skittish leading from the other side if they’ve not been trained to be led from both sides. Also some will attempt to keep humans in one eye only as that’s what they’re familiar with and will whip around to achieve this. Horses are fascinating creatures.
I share this stuff as part of my personal belief that inexperienced sitters should never sit equines- it’s just too risky.
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Awesome!! This one eye thing is fascinating.
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Really interesting. Thanks for posting @BonnyinBrighton I was taught as a kid that it’s best not to approach a horse from behind, or to talk to them to make sure they know you’re there if you do, but I didn’t realise that they actually have a blind spot directly behind them. Also, given the fact that they mostly see with one eye at a time, it’s strange that we seem to do most things (leading, mounting, dismounting) from the near side (their left side). I think that dates back to when soldiers would have been riding whilst also carrying a sword on their left side, to reach with their right hand. But it makes far more sense for horses – and riders – to get used to these things happening on both sides.
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Thanks for this information @BonnyinBrighton . We do a regular sit where there are horses . We don’t have to care for them as there is a groom that does that .
Although we don’t go into the fields where they are, we do walk on a path that passes them daily when walking the dogs so it’s helpful to be aware of these things .
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