Why the long face? Researchers compile directory of horse facial expressions
A new study has identified 17 discrete expressions in horses (three more than chimpanzees) which may give researchers insight into their emotional states
A horse doesn’t have to pull a long face, it has one already. But it can and does look down its nose at you. It can be insistent, if not a nag.
It turns out that horses are expressive, but those who want to decipher their expressions have a few hurdles yet to jump.
But the chase is on. Scientists at the University of Sussex have compiled a directory of facial expression in one of humanity’s oldest four-legged friends. Their Equine Facial Action Coding System (EquiFACS for short) has identified 17 discrete facial movements in horses that may indicate mood or intention or just bafflement.
This is at least three more than the facial expressions identified in chimpanzees. Dogs can get a message across with 16 different expressions. And human faces have 27 different ways of speaking silently, with the lips and eyes and the occasional wrinkled nose.
“Horses are predominantly visual animals, with eyesight that’s better than domestic cats and dogs, yet their use of facial expression has been largely overlooked. What surprised us was the rich repertoire of complex facial movements in horses, and how many of them are similar to humans,” said Jennifer Watham, a doctoral researcher and one of the lead authors.
“Despite the differences in face structure between horses and humans, we were able to identify some similar expressions in relation to movements of lips and eyes. What we’ll now be looking at is how these expressions relate to emotional states.”