I am convinced that some horse’s have a fantastic sense of smell. Rio is always dropping his head as we pass over horse poop and getting a smell but if it is his own he doesn’t even seem to notice it.
While riding down the highway, something I am doing alot of lately because of the bug when ever a horse trailer passes and it can be totally closed his head comes up and he starts picking up the pace if it is going in our direction or swinging his head to the side if going the oposite way.
But that is minor to the little game we play.
He can be out in the field a couple of hundred yards away hidden from my view and all I have to do is appear and he comes running and calling.
Today with a barn party going on I came in a strange car with 2 other people and as soon as we got out of the car, Rio being out of site sudden came running and calling, he had absolutely no way of knowing it was me in that car other then smell. I went to the house party for a while and then left the party to go to him. Again out of site, no way of seeing me and as I approached the barn he came running again, calling as he came.
To sneak into the barn un-noticed is becoming impossible. I want to practice my whistle to call him but he comes before I have a chance.
I am convinced his nose is that of a dog and my smell he recognizes and I represent good things, riding, treats, feedings. He comes running.
Is he ever a talker:lol::lol:
Anyone else feel there horse has a fantastic sense of smell???
My horse loves beer. I can’t even remember what turn of events led to that discovery.
However, he’s also picky. . .someone at the barn once tried to give him a Bud Light when they found out “that horse likes beer.” Instead, he sniffed the can and turned away without any interest in tasting it.
Yet he goes into happy-mode for Red Stripe, Killian’s, and Warsteiner.
I’m not sure that really answers your question. . .but I find it amusing anyway.
I think mine does. :lol: she’ll track like a dog. When we’re on the trail she always tells me if a snake is ahead by whoofing. She isn’t afraid of them and
this whoof is reserved for “snake ahead” only. Since she doesn’t even slow down I think she thinks they stink.
[QUOTE=JollyBadger;4193623]
someone at the barn once tried to give him a Bud Light when they found out “that horse likes beer.” Instead, he sniffed the can and turned away without any interest in tasting it.[/QUOTE]
:lol:
He’s smart too!
Funny, I’ve actually had this discussion before.
I don’t think my pony had much of any sense of smell. She was blind, so I could hold a treat right in front of her to see a reaction. She only grabbed the air over an apple. Didn’t seem to smell carrots or horse cookies.
My new horse seems to have a keen sense of smell. We can’t ride if there’s a blanket or pad draped over a rail, she’s got to sniff it. She knows if I have a peppermint in my pocket, no need to crinkle the wrapper.
I’ve noticed our foals do the “milking talk” thing with their mouths if you walk by with a mare, but not a gelding. So they must smell THAT difference.
I bet like with people, strong or weak sense of smell (or even caring) is individual to the horse.
Horses have an excellent sense of smell (maybe not as good as a dog, but pretty good). I’ve heard of horses tracking but have never seen it demonstrated. More than one brought it’s owner home “on autopilot” after a hard night in the Age of Horsepower. 
Mine are good enough to smell which pocket I’ve got the carrots in. 
G.
[QUOTE=Guilherme;4194058]
Mine are good enough to smell which pocket I’ve got the carrots in.
G.[/QUOTE]
My guy can also count? Put 3 carrots in your pocket, feed him 2 and tell him they are all gone. See if he beleives you. :lol::lol::lol:
OMG my boy has a ridiculously keen sense of smell.I was on a long straight trail and way,way ahead I saw a cat run quickly across…my boy did not see it as he was checking something out in the other direction.Well anyhow when we got to that spot he stopped and did his heavy puffy sniffing and tracked that damn cat down way in the woods!!He also smells the bear tracks before I see them and dead animals are sought out from a great:lol: distant.I call him my cadaver finder!He’d be a great search and rescue horse.
Smells good to me
My new gelding is always smelling poo… He is like a big black lab on hooves. He walked into the middle of the ring to stop and sniff the barn cat that was watching us ride. He didn’t spook- which is good for him b/c he’s young. But he sniffs everything. If I get his fly spray out, he wants to sniff it before I spray it on him. Before I tack him up, he insists on sniffing the tack. How does he “insist” you ask? He will bend his neck all the way around so he can catch a whiff if I don’t let him sniff it first before I go under the cross ties to put it on him.
The mare is much less scent-oriented. She can still smell a carrot in your pocket- or her favorite, a peppermint- a 1/4 mile a way but she doesn’t stop to smell poo or insist on smelling things.
:lol:I wish she came running in from the field- it is a huge field- but alas I am lucky if she just stands still.
Can someone tell me how to get them to come when you call?
AK
[QUOTE=Arabian Knights;4195495]
Can someone tell me how to get them to come when you call?
AK[/QUOTE]
My guy is out 24/7 these warm months but each night I go over after supper with his grain, I have a mix I make myself and he loves it. He looks forward to his feeding and following his feeding I spend about 1/2 hour brushing him and picking his feet. This is our quiet time together.
Anyway he loves this time of day and if I get lucky, which isn’t very often I give a single sharp whistle and he comes at a good run because he wants what I have to offer. 99% of the time he hears the truck coming in the lane and is already on the run to the gate.
Get in a routine of feeding and within a week or two the horse figures out that you represent good food and will come readily the minute he/she sees you. I also have a carret or apple in my pocket so he also looks for that.
In a few weeks any time you show up the horse comes.
I never miss these times together and we both look forward to them.
Also assosiated with this brushing time is hobbling and he is use to wearing hobbles at this time. sometimes front, sometimes back and sometimes all 4 feet are hobbled
[QUOTE=Sithly;4195578]
There’s a guy in MN who does scent tracking with horses. http://airscentinghorse.com/home.htm[/QUOTE]
I trained tracking dogs for years with the police but haven’t a clue as to how I would go about it with a horse?:lol:
They also have a great sense of hearing. I drive a Ford diesel Truck. My horses are about 2 blocks away in my dad’s back yard. My dad can always tell when I’m coming, because the horses perk up when they hear my diesel start. Two of my neighbors also have Ford Diesels, But the horses can hear the difference between my truck and theirs and only perk up when I start my engine.
I’m not surprised at the keen sense of smell. Since the tip of their nose is one of the two blind spots in a horse vision. Watch them eat. They can’t see what’s under their nose, but they will sort through what they consider good vs nasty grass just by smell.
