Equine Enstartlement

[caddyman]

It is an excellent thing when people discover mutual interests; it means that the fun can be shared, even if that is the fun of speculative planning only. Shooting the breeze, really, I suppose, but nonetheless, when the information coming in entirely complements that already available, then you know you are on to a winner.

In the while since we discussed this, I have managed to refine the plan even further, and I believe that it will yield results in the field of equine psychological research. I am no expert in these matters, but I would reckon that very little research has been undertaken into either the thought processes, or depth perception of horses. This, I would imagine, is a field of immense potential academic interest, but one which would yield very little in funding or future returns.

Having had it suggested to me that in that land of dream, where we are all masters of our own destinies and where money is no object, that it would be nice to own a farm and keep retired shire horses, I immediately set to thinking.

Bearing in mind the parameters I have drawn, I pose the question as to whether or not it would be possible to freak out the most placid of horses when their perceptions are sorely tried.

So, along with the retired Shire horses, those most placid of equine giants, my mind turned to Shetland ponies. (Or, at a push, retired pit ponies). If kept together, and just for effect, a few bonsai trees and Canadian Redwoods were added to the mix, would we have Shires thinking themselves to be Shetlands and vice versa?

Would they get confused - "are you small or just a long way off?"

It's something to ponder.

Off for strong-coffee infused NWO editing now; then a short collapse, I think. I am tired, too much activity, not enough sleep.

Comments

[ellefurtle.livejournal.com]

I am STILL giggling about that. But you missed out the origami...although I admit it is hard to slot in....

[thalinoviel.livejournal.com]

Alas, this type of thing is unlikey to faze horses, who are tremendously sensible when it comes to small/ far away, mainly because they just don't have binocular vision.

What you need to freak out even the most placid of horses is an empty crisp packet and a slight breeze. The crisp packet, ideally positioned about 4 feet in front of the horse and slightly off to the left, flutters in the breeze.

This is apparently a dead ringer for a snake, if you're a horse.

They then react in much the same way I do to unexpected spiders, viz jumping back, squeaking, and sidling away. However this is all very much more impressive when you weigh half a ton, wear steel shoes, and have people on your back.

[ysharros.livejournal.com]

I can attest to that - got my ribs cracked because some #$)(*#)( opened a rustly sweet in that way years ago.

Father Ted flashbacks - hee!

[sea-strands.livejournal.com]

Father Ted: Now concentrate this time, Dougal. These
[he points to some plastic cows on the table]
Father Ted: are very small; those
[pointing at some cows out of the window]
Father Ted: are far away...

[caffeine-fairy.livejournal.com]

At the shelter where I used to work, we had a horse called Kizzy. Kizzy had dwarfism. He was a Connemara (Irish Shire Horse). They should be about 18 hands, I think.

He was about four feet tall.

He had Issues.

[snorkel-maiden.livejournal.com]

Horses have interesting depth perception, being that it only works in the horizontal plane. For prairie-dwelling mammals who spend 90% of their time with their heads down eating, this makes perfect sense.

And also explains why a perfectly innocuous bag / crisp packet / twig / shadow / imagined thing is not scary at all in any way, until the horse sees it from a perfect angle and then FREAKS.