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People can develop true, bonding relationships with horses. And when they do, the horses become “happy,” so to speak, to be near and touched by those people.
A new study by Italian researchers reveals that horses enter a positive emotional state essentially, being more relaxed when they see a familiar human who’s developed a good relationship with them. And that positive emotional state increases when the person gently brushes the horse, said Chiara Scopa, PhD, research fellow at the National Reference Centre for Animal Assisted Interventions, Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Venice in Padua, Italy.
“By defining a ‘familiar human’ as someone whom animals have had multiple occasions to interact with and establish a relationship of a positive emotional valance, we can positively affirm that horses are able to develop a bond with them,” Scopa said.