Horses are not just wonderful companions: they seem capable of "reading" our emotions. A recent French study reveals that these animals possess an astonishing sensitivity to human emotional signals, able to detect our fear or joy through olfactory clues, confirming a genuine interspecies emotional contagion.<\/p>\n
To understand this extraordinary ability, researchers at INRAE<\/a> , led by L\u00e9a Lansade, devised an original experiment. They collected the body odors of 30 volunteers after they watched films that elicited either fear (horror films) or joy (comedies), using swabs placed under their armpits. These samples were then presented to 43 Welsh mares in three situations: human interaction, the sudden opening of an umbrella, and the exploration of an unfamiliar object.<\/p>\n The results were striking. Horses exposed to fearful scents were more alert, startled more, and kept a greater distance. In contrast, joyful scents elicited more relaxed and curious behavior.<\/p>\n The mares sniffed the new scents for longer, demonstrating their ability to distinguish them finely. Fascinatingly, they preferentially used their left nostril for positive signals, which corresponds to specific brain processing associated with pleasant emotions.<\/p>\n Physiologically, their heart rate increased in response to fear-inducing odors, without a rise in cortisol, indicating an adaptive state of alertness rather than chronic stress. As L\u00e9a Lansade explains, "the smell of fear puts horses on high alert, creating an emotional contagion."<\/em> In other words, our emotions literally cross species.<\/p>\n This sensitivity surpasses horses' already known ability to read our facial expressions and vocal intonations. Their olfactory intuition highlights a natural and powerful empathy, which can be harnessed in animal-assisted therapy or equine therapy. Horses don't simply react; they subtly interpret our signals and adjust their behavior accordingly, contributing to a strong and beneficial emotional bond for both parties.<\/p>\n While this study focuses on fear and joy, researchers plan to explore other emotions, such as sadness or anger, as well as emotional reciprocity: can horses influence our emotions as much as we influence theirs?<\/p>\n Questions remain about the exact nature of this perception: is it an instinct inherited from evolution or a social skill acquired through (unfortunately) domestication? Future research, including other breeds and male horses, will allow us to generalize the results and better understand how to use these abilities to promote shared well-being.<\/p>\n Ultimately, this study shows that our emotions are not confined to ourselves: they can be detected, felt, and even amplified by horses. Horses thus become true emotional partners, capable of strengthening our well-being and enriching our interactions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Horses are not just wonderful companions: they seem capable of "reading" our emotions. A recent French study reveals...","protected":false},"author":8264,"featured_media":433116,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable_msn":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97760],"tags":[97759],"class_list":["post-433113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-animaux","tag-news"],"image":{"medium":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Pourquoi-lintuition-des-chevaux-fascine-les-chercheurs-selon-une-etude-200x113.jpg",200,113,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Pourquoi-lintuition-des-chevaux-fascine-les-chercheurs-selon-une-etude-500x281.jpg",500,281,true]},"custom":{"td_video":"","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Pourquoi-lintuition-des-chevaux-fascine-les-chercheurs-selon-une-etude.jpg","author":{"name":"Ana\u00eblle Gayon","avatar":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Agayon-96x96.jpg"},"categories":[{"term_id":97760,"name":"Animal life","slug":"animaux","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":97932,"taxonomy":"category","description":" The Animal life section of The Body Optimist covers pets<\/strong> and wildlife with curiosity and care: cat and dog behavior, animal welfare, everyday health and safety, responsible adoption, and the insects and critters in our homes and gardens. Our articles regularly draw on advice from veterinarians and research by scientists to help you understand animals better and live alongside them in harmony.<\/p>\n Several common foods are toxic to dogs and cats, sometimes even in small amounts. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, contains theobromine, which their bodies struggle to eliminate. Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. Onions, garlic, shallots and leeks, raw or cooked, damage red blood cells. Xylitol, a sweetener found in some chewing gums and sugar-free products, is extremely dangerous for dogs. Alcohol, caffeine and cooked bones, which can splinter, are also off-limits. For cats, lilies are especially toxic, pollen included. If your pet swallows something harmful, contact your veterinarian or an animal poison control service right away.<\/p>\n We see animals as sentient beings, not accessories. We talk about responsible adoption rather than impulse buying, respecting each species' needs rather than following trends, and watching wildlife from a distance, without feeding or disturbing it. Heartwarming stories have their place, alongside practical tips for life with your companion. Our articles do not replace a visit to the vet, the only professional who can make a diagnosis.<\/p>\n The right choice depends more on your time and lifestyle than on square footage. An indoor cat adapts well to apartment life if it has toys, scratching posts and high perches. A dog, whatever its size, needs to go out several times a day. Rabbits and guinea pigs are very social and do best in pairs or groups, with room to run around.<\/p>\n A healthy pet eats and drinks normally, plays, grooms itself and keeps its usual sleep and bathroom habits. Any sudden change should get your attention: loss of appetite, unusual hiding, new aggression, excessive licking, limping or trouble urinating. If you notice any of these signs, see your vet, and don't wait if you're in doubt.<\/p>\n Don't feed it or force it to drink. If you can do so safely, wearing gloves, place it in a ventilated cardboard box in a quiet, dark spot, then quickly contact a wildlife rehabilitation center or a veterinarian. A healthy baby bird that has fallen from its nest is often better left where it is: its parents usually keep feeding it.<\/p>\n Want to go further? Help protect biodiversity every day with the Green<\/a> section, and create a home where people and pets live happily together with the Decor<\/a> section.<\/p>","parent":0,"count":204,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":97760,"category_count":204,"category_description":" The Animal life section of The Body Optimist covers pets<\/strong> and wildlife with curiosity and care: cat and dog behavior, animal welfare, everyday health and safety, responsible adoption, and the insects and critters in our homes and gardens. Our articles regularly draw on advice from veterinarians and research by scientists to help you understand animals better and live alongside them in harmony.<\/p>\n Several common foods are toxic to dogs and cats, sometimes even in small amounts. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, contains theobromine, which their bodies struggle to eliminate. Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. Onions, garlic, shallots and leeks, raw or cooked, damage red blood cells. Xylitol, a sweetener found in some chewing gums and sugar-free products, is extremely dangerous for dogs. Alcohol, caffeine and cooked bones, which can splinter, are also off-limits. For cats, lilies are especially toxic, pollen included. If your pet swallows something harmful, contact your veterinarian or an animal poison control service right away.<\/p>\n We see animals as sentient beings, not accessories. We talk about responsible adoption rather than impulse buying, respecting each species' needs rather than following trends, and watching wildlife from a distance, without feeding or disturbing it. Heartwarming stories have their place, alongside practical tips for life with your companion. Our articles do not replace a visit to the vet, the only professional who can make a diagnosis.<\/p>\n The right choice depends more on your time and lifestyle than on square footage. An indoor cat adapts well to apartment life if it has toys, scratching posts and high perches. A dog, whatever its size, needs to go out several times a day. Rabbits and guinea pigs are very social and do best in pairs or groups, with room to run around.<\/p>\n A healthy pet eats and drinks normally, plays, grooms itself and keeps its usual sleep and bathroom habits. Any sudden change should get your attention: loss of appetite, unusual hiding, new aggression, excessive licking, limping or trouble urinating. If you notice any of these signs, see your vet, and don't wait if you're in doubt.<\/p>\n Don't feed it or force it to drink. If you can do so safely, wearing gloves, place it in a ventilated cardboard box in a quiet, dark spot, then quickly contact a wildlife rehabilitation center or a veterinarian. A healthy baby bird that has fallen from its nest is often better left where it is: its parents usually keep feeding it.<\/p>\n Want to go further? Help protect biodiversity every day with the Green<\/a> section, and create a home where people and pets live happily together with the Decor<\/a> section.<\/p>","cat_name":"Animal life","category_nicename":"animaux","category_parent":0}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/433113","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8264"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=433113"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/433113\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":433809,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/433113\/revisions\/433809"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/433116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=433113"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=433113"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=433113"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} Fear and joy: measurable reactions<\/h2>\n
An intuition that goes far beyond sight and hearing<\/h2>\n
Towards other emotions and concrete applications<\/h2>\n
What you'll find in the Animal life section<\/h2>\n
\n
Which everyday foods are dangerous for dogs and cats?<\/h2>\n
Our approach<\/h2>\n
Articles to get you started<\/h2>\n
\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
What's the best pet for apartment living?<\/h3>\n
How can you tell if your cat or dog is healthy?<\/h3>\n
What should you do if you find an injured wild animal?<\/h3>\n
What you'll find in the Animal life section<\/h2>\n
\n
Which everyday foods are dangerous for dogs and cats?<\/h2>\n
Our approach<\/h2>\n
Articles to get you started<\/h2>\n
\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
What's the best pet for apartment living?<\/h3>\n
How can you tell if your cat or dog is healthy?<\/h3>\n
What should you do if you find an injured wild animal?<\/h3>\n