hammie
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Post by hammie on Nov 14, 2012 17:43:58 GMT 1
I've been thinking about this since Snowstorm first saw himself in a mirror. We went in the indoor school with a friend and her pony, and while the other pony showed a typical horse-to-horse response (squealing and pawing), Snowstorm just seemed curious, and went up to the mirror and kind of kissed it (handsome boy), leaving smeary marks on the mirror.  I joked that he was obviously cleverer than my friend's pony as he recognised himself and the other pony didn't.  Yesterday we were in the indoor school again, and Snowstorm was very keen to go up and have a look at himself, and did the kissy thing again.  So, I've been wondering - what does this behaviour mean? Does he really recognise himself? Scientists seem to think that only a few highly intelligent animals do this. Is he cleverer than his friend? Or dimmer? (Maybe he doesn't think it's a horse at all!) Or is he just friendlier? - can some horses recognise themselves? I found this video www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4WpawTb-c4, but it doesn't seem conclusive to me. - what could a conclusive test consist of? I can't think of one that wouldn't involve food, and they'd smell the food. - why does smell not play a bigger part in general horse/mirror behaviour? Why do some horses act as if it's another horse when it doesn't smell? |
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Post by sophieandmaisie on Nov 14, 2012 19:41:24 GMT 1
I know someone whose horse does this too, LOVES his reflection!
When we first had our arena mirrors installed, I took Maisie in to have a look, and she so was shocked/worried she poo-ed for the second time ever in the arena!! Then swiftly dragged me back to her stable, but second time in, it wasn't a problem. But Bonnie loves looking at herself, keeping her attention up that long side is a challenge haha!
Is he a friendly horse in general? maybe he recognizes it is a horse, so it going to meet it? I don't know how you would test a horse to see if it knows itself?
Very interesting thread I hope!
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Post by KoLaTo on Nov 14, 2012 19:47:59 GMT 1
Some are most definitely more intelligent than others, i have a mirror in one stable, the pony whose stable it is loves his mirror and will stand nose touching it for hours, he talked to it a lot when he first saw it, he still hasn't realised it is his reflection......
However when before it was fitted we walked down the field with it, my mare walked over, looked at it and immediately moved round to look behind it and casually walked off as it was obviously a mirror........
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hammie
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Post by hammie on Nov 14, 2012 20:13:51 GMT 1
I've been trying to think what Snowstorm does when he meets a strange horse, but it has been a while now since this has happened. He is quite dominant (he was fairly timid when I got him as a 4 year old, but has moved up the pecking order in the last two years!), so although he's pretty friendly with his pals he will certainly chase them off fand boss them around if he feels like it. I guess he doesn't often feel threatened though (not by proper horses anyway, Shetlands are another matter ). "he talked to it a lot when he first saw it, he still hasn't realised it is his reflection......" Ha ha  |
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Post by shan on Nov 14, 2012 20:26:31 GMT 1
I wondered about this too. I bought a mirror for Sandy's shelter as she wouldn't go in it without me... she was really interested in it, and next day was found sleeping in her shelter in the straw (awww!) But I heard from the girls in the next field that they heard 'banging' from inside the shelter a few days later, and there were scrape marks up the wood under the mirror, I wondered if she'd got 'marish' with the reflection and been kicking out at it.
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Post by zack&buffysmum on Nov 14, 2012 21:15:40 GMT 1
I tried a mirror in Buffy's stable (before I moved her to the field shelter arrangement) as she was really not coping with being in a stable at all, but if anything it seemed to make it worse.
Her first reaction when she saw it was to go straight up to it and press her face up to her reflection, while 'growing' several inches. Then she started pooing for england!
I went in with her and that seemed to reasure her, but she just stuck to me like glue and stayed away from it.
Obviously I couldnt stay in there with her permanantly so after about 15 or 20 minutes I tried leaving her alone with it for a short time.
I came back in less than half an hour to find that she was wet with sweat and had completely trashed her stable.
So I took it out and never tried it again.
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Post by misty on Nov 14, 2012 21:19:17 GMT 1
 Rosie just likes admiring hersef ;D |
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Post by Mellymoo on Nov 14, 2012 21:42:40 GMT 1
Jos loves to look at himself in mirrors. Never does anything else but have a look!
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Post by specialized on Nov 14, 2012 21:47:09 GMT 1
Most of ours will admire themselves in their stable mirrors, some fall asleep with their noses pressed against, and they generally make them calmer. One alpha mare has to keep dashing across and swearing at it!
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vivf
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Post by vivf on Nov 18, 2012 10:22:12 GMT 1
We have a mirror in our stable, which had been left by previous owners. Rico used to just stare at himself. But now he positions himself so that he can see who is walking down the yard without having to walk over to the door to look out!
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Post by shan on Nov 18, 2012 12:07:09 GMT 1
Lol Specialized & Vivf ;D Who could blame Rosie for admiring her reflection? She's gorgeous!
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Post by julz on Nov 18, 2012 17:55:14 GMT 1
Horse at the RS where I worked many years ago.. (that makes me sound old  ) loved the mirror... to the extent that riders had to really push him past the mirror or he would stop and pose at himself in the mirror.... If he were a mare he would have been named Vanity.... |
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hammie
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Post by hammie on Dec 9, 2012 22:14:34 GMT 1
Just to add, I've decided it's not like he's looking at another horse. We've been in the indoor school couple of times this week, and he is just too fascinated. With another horse he would go up and sniff and greet (we don't let him though when ridden, often ends in tears!) and then be easily persuaded away to get on with his work. But the fabulous horse in the mirror is far more interesting than that. And it was really hard to get him away... you come face to face with the mirror on the right rein, and it was really hard to get him to go round the corner, he just kept heading straight for the mirror to have another look. My daughter took him in there on Saturday and we went over the mirror, and I patted his real nose, and his reflected nose. Who knows what he thought! Then for the first 5-10 minutes she had real trouble keeping him away from the mirror corner, he just kept circling back so he could stand and gaze.... Another livery, on the other hand, said that when the mirrors first went up it took her horse 3 months to stop fighting herself! |
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madmare1
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The Gruesome Twosome
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Post by madmare1 on Dec 9, 2012 22:34:25 GMT 1
Crystal couldn't care less, she knows she is gorgeous, and being a smart mare, I think she recognizes herself. Inaya is a bit of a poser......she will stop and look at herself given half a chance! Prince is a softy, he kisses his reflection...
I do know one arab gelding who his owner refuses to hack out on..as he is SOO vain he will stop to look at himself in the reflections in car windows, wingmirrors ect!!! Takes an hour to do a circuit that should take 20 mins!
Friends Haflinger mare is scared if the mirrors, she kind of jumps as though to say 'oh another pony, and it's heading for me....where did that come from?'
Emma xx
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Post by Francis Burton on Dec 11, 2012 17:47:25 GMT 1
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I joked that he was obviously cleverer than my friend's pony as he recognised himself and the other pony didn't. 
) loved the mirror... to the extent that riders had to really push him past the mirror or he would stop and pose at himself in the mirror.... If he were a mare he would have been named Vanity.... 
