In their study, researchers from Paris examined the ability of horses to differentiate.
The result: you can “read” letters.
A research group from Paris wanted to know exactly: Can horses recognize letters?
Or even read correctly?
In order to investigate these questions, Clara-Lynn Schubert and her scientific colleagues from the University of Pierre and Marie Curie developed a sophisticated test system that did not allow for any coincidences.
The test candidates: five Garrano horses, an endangered breed of pony from northern Portugal.
Horses can "read" letters - researchers are testing the ability to distinguish
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A new study shows that horses can "read" letters.
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© Wirestock/Imago
The horse group consisted of four mares aged between two and 13 years and an eight-year-old gelding.
The oldest mare, named Flore, was blind in one eye.
During the study, the five horses ran in an outdoor enclosure in northern Portugal that researchers had built specifically for horse studies.
The fenced area is close to the Serra d'Arga Natural Park - the natural habitat of the feral Garrano horses.
By the way: According to a study on horse husbandry, researchers found that horses in the wild have more stress than horses in stalls.
In the first step, the horses learned to touch black circles with their noses as soon as they appeared on the screen.
For every correct answer they got a carrot as a reward.
In the second step, the scientists tested whether the animals could distinguish the letters O, B, V, Z and X.
There were two possible answers to choose from on the touchscreen, for example a "B" on the left and an "X" on the right - whereby the four-legged friends were supposed to internalize the "X" as a negative stimulus, so that when it was touched, no horse feed went into the bowl fell.
For each correct answer, the horses also received an acoustic signal in the form of a carillon.
A buzz signaled the wrong answer.
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The ten most unusual horse breeds - and their most important characteristics
A miniature horse is the American Miniature Horse.
This breed is characterized by a fine, elegant body with beautiful proportions.
(Iconic image) © agefotostock/Imago
From mini to maxi: The Shire Horses from England are an impressive sight.
The largest horse breed in the world is also affectionately known as the gentle giant.
With their cool temperament, they are the ideal leisure partner.
(Iconic image) © Horst Galuschka/Imago
The American Bashkir Curly Horses not only have curly fur and long hair, but are also suitable for most allergy sufferers.
Their protein pattern in the skin cells differs from other breeds, which is why they are considered hypoallergenic.
(Iconic image) © Anni Sommer/Imago
The Exmoor Pony bears a resemblance to the archetype of the European wild horse.
Their physique is small and compact.
They are known as an extremely robust breed of horse that grow up almost wild in southern England in the national park of the same name.
(Iconic image) © Miroslav Chaloupka/Imago
The Marwari has one distinctive feature: its sickle ears, which almost touch at the top.
The elegant, Indian breed of horse has a silky coat and long hair. The Marwari has a distinctive identifying feature: its sickle ears, which almost touch at the top.
The elegant Indian horse breed has a silky coat and long hair.
(Iconic image) © Vladimir Sklyarov/Imago
The Jutlander got its name from the Danish region of the same name, from which it comes.
He is one of the oldest European draft horse breeds that can reach a weight of up to 800 kilograms. The Jutlander takes its name from the region of Denmark of the same name, from which it originates.
He is one of the oldest European draft horse breeds that can reach a weight of up to 800 kilograms.
(Iconic image) © Antje Lindert-Rottke/Imago
Robust, intelligent and versatile: The Eriskay ponies are native to the west coast of Scotland.
They are believed to be the last surviving original native ponies.
The breed is therefore classified as Critically Endangered by the Rare Breed Survival Trust (RBST). Hardy, intelligent and versatile: the Eriskay ponies are native to the west coast of Scotland.
They are believed to be the last surviving original native ponies.
The breed is therefore listed as Critically Endangered by the Rare Breed Survival Trust (RBST).
(Icon image) © Ernie Janes/Imago
The Budjonny is a cross between a warmblood and a coldblood.
The horses are rarely represented in Germany, but they are all the better known in their homeland in southern Russia.
Budjonny horses are spirited and extremely tough, as they were originally bred for the Russian cavalry. A cross between a warmblood and a cold blood is the Budjonny.
The horses are rarely represented in Germany, but they are all the better known in their homeland in southern Russia.
Budyonny horses are spirited and extremely tough, having originally been bred for Russian cavalry.
(Iconic image) © agefotostock/Imago
Kinsky horses are medium-sized, light warm-blooded horses that originated in the Czech Republic.
Therefore, they are less common in Germany.
The breed is best known for its golden sheen in its coat.
The so-called cream gene is responsible for this. Kinsky horses are medium-sized, light warm-blooded horses that originated in the Czech Republic.
Therefore, they are less common in Germany.
The breed is best known for its golden sheen in its coat.
The so-called cream gene is responsible for this.
(Iconic image) © agefotostock/Imago
The Mérens are black, stocky mountain horses from the Pyrenees.
They are robust, sure-footed and gentle.
In appearance they resemble the English Fell Pony and the Dales Pony. The Mérens are black, stocky mountain horses from the Pyrenees.
They are robust, sure-footed and gentle.
In appearance they resemble the English Fell Pony and the Dales Pony.
(Iconic image) © Carol Walker/Imago
Horses can "read" letters - they get it right 80 percent of the time
During the successive training sessions, it became apparent that all the horses except the gelding learned to distinguish the five letters of the alphabet and to nudge the screen with their noses.
Their hit rate was around 80 percent.
"The error patterns and analysis of the shape features showed that the curved letters O and B look similar to the horses, as do the straight letters Z, V and X," the researchers noted in the cognitive tests with the animals.
In another study, researchers find that ponies can "read" faces.
There are also parallels to the perception of shapes in other animals.
"The touchscreen system proved to be an objective and innovative way to study cognition in the socially organized group of horses," the researchers concluded.
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