Study shows horses detect fear in humans through scent

Horses can detect human fear by smell. Representational pic/iStock

Horses can detect fear in humans by smell, becoming more wary of people who are scared. Researchers collected samples of odor compounds from armpits of humans and observed how horses behaved when exposed to the odors during tests. Samples were taken from people while they watched a scary video and a joyful video, as well as a neutral sample, and later placed on the nostrils of 43 different female horses. The horses exposed to odor compounds of volunteers who watched scary footage were likely to startle more easily, and less likely to approach people.

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