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How Does Music Effect Your Horses Mood?
 By Nikie   •   12th Mar 2011   •   16,542 views   •   23 comments
How Does Music Effect Your Horses MoodThe power of music is definitely an emotional factor in the daily lives of humans. Listening to your favorite song may bring back memories of your childhood or a deceased grandparent, mother or father. You may even use the tunes of your favorite rock band to pump you up right before you enter the arena for your equestrian event. But does music effect horses in a similar way. Can you pump Mozart throughout your barn to assist in calming your horses?

I spent some time researching this question and found arguments for both sides. Some scientists argued that playing background music for your horse will block out the natural environmental sounds. A horse uses sound for situational awareness and a first alert for predators and changes in its surrounding environment.

Playing background music eliminates this sensor in horses, which can increase the stress on the horse.

Imagine yourself in a pasture or horse stall without the sense of hearing. You now must substitute this loss of hearing with sight. This reduces your first alert ability from an immediate 360 degrees to only your peripheral vision.

In contrast, many feel the benefits of music out-way the reduction of environmental noise caused by background music. Horses can benefit from music in situations where they are in stalls for long periods of time where the fear of predators is small. Musical entertainment relieves boredom and can assist in calming a horse in a stressful situation.

Some scientists researched the effects of Mozart on horses and the data revealed a dramatic calming effect. A similar study concluded that when riders listed to music they are much calmer, which transfers directly to the horse and results in a calm horse also.

What is your opinion, music or no music?
Horse News More PB Articles About:  Music,
Horse News More In This Category:  General      Horse News More From This Author:  Nikie
HarleyPeach1  
That's neat. I've heard that it helped before.
  21 days ago  •  9,903 views
 
T E M P E S T  
Great article! I think music is a good idea, especially if you have a feisty horse.
  21 days ago  •  9,931 views
 
Raychel  
That's a cool article! Thanks for sharing =)
  21 days ago  •  9,901 views
 
No Walkin Farms9  
Well calms me down. So I would to think it would also help calm a horse. Great article. I enjoyed reading it.
  21 days ago  •  10,299 views
 
Painted Destiny  
Great article! I always listen to music before a lesson.
  21 days ago  •  10,276 views
 
Ebony Acres  
I think music, at times. When I go to the barn, I might humm Beethoven or sing a lullaby. It calms both me AND the horses.
  21 days ago  •  10,476 views
 
Run Free  
well i ride with music on all the horses seem to enjoy the pop songs i have even seen some 'dancing' (swaying their heads) to songs and getting angry when the radio breaaks and the music stops lol
  21 days ago  •  10,283 views
 
Artista  
Very cool article. There was an article published in California about 6 years ago that showed playing rock and roll to Corn helped it to grow and seemed to shy away infections of the plant. I found that amusing. But, never underestimate the power of music! Hoo-rah!
  21 days ago  •  10,280 views
 
All That Jazz  
Cool article!
I think both my Arab and I would benifit from music :)
  21 days ago  •  10,279 views
 
Candy99  
Awesome article!
  21 days ago  •  10,290 views
 
Fox Trot  
Very interesting...music can do so many wonderful things.
  21 days ago  •  10,305 views
 
athea  
Definitely music!
  21 days ago  •  10,463 views
 
Isadorable  
Great job! I've never known if it was actually good for the horses, or if it didn't effect them at all.
  20 days ago  •  10,297 views
 
Estella Noire  
Intriguing... I'm really not sure.
Awesome article, anyway!
  19 days ago  •  10,279 views
 
Dare to Believe  
Great article!
  19 days ago  •  10,307 views
 
Whispyy  
Great Article. I think the Music Helps.
  19 days ago  •  10,278 views
 
Untamed Heart  
I dont play music to my horse... I sing it! My horse normally just wishes she could close her ears cause I sound like a squaking bird... lol
  19 days ago  •  10,295 views
 
T W I  
Wow, that's very cool!
If I had a horse I would definately try to techniqe out. :)
  19 days ago  •  10,299 views
 
MidnightFlames  
cool... i didnt know that
  16 days ago  •  10,298 views
 
Simplicity  
that is really cool
  13 days ago  •  10,272 views
 
DiamondAndVegas  
I think it helps :)
  13 days ago  •  10,483 views
 
Ghost  
I had a mare that I used to ride that was relatively neurotic--don't know if it had to do with being a trail-ride horse or not (although she was a guide horse) but she would just have these sporatic moments where she'd try to back off switch backs, or trails when the horse in front of her wasn't moving fast enough (Yes saddle fit was checked). I discovered if I hummed, or sang while I rode her, she'd calm down and deal with being stuck dragging the ride. Poor Bambi horse.
  12 days ago  •  10,291 views
 
MoMoz  
I knew someone who did and experiment like this with PLANTS and they found that plants grow larger, faster, and prettier if you play classical music. They had all the same plant but in different rooms with some listening to screamo, some listening to Justin Bieber, some listening to country, some listening to 80's disco music, some listening to classical music, you get the point. The screamo plant died and the classical music plant grew largest. Crazy right?

SO I am thinking it would work for horses. Not the growing part but it would bring out the best in them and help with their performance in the arena. I think music should be played in my barn!!
  5 days ago  •  10,303 views
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