Horse Brain, Human Brain

Education

Teach, Don't Expect

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on December 19, 2025

Too often, we expect the animals and people around us to figure out what we want. This kind of trial and error takes time, induces anxiety, and sometimes leads to harmful mistakes.

Too often, we expect the animals and people around us to figure out what we want. This kind of trial and error takes time, induces anxiety, and sometimes leads to harmful mistakes.

Sport and Competition

Creating an Athletic Brain

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on October 1, 2025

Create the brain you need to govern physical agility and strength in your sport, just as horseback riders do to develop equestrian brains.

Create the brain you need to govern physical agility and strength in your sport, just as horseback riders do to develop equestrian brains.

Animal Behavior

Yes, We Can Talk With the Animals

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on April 29, 2025

Humans have long dreamed of talking with the animals, using spoken language. Yet, the perfect model for cross-species communication already exists between horses and riders.

Humans have long dreamed of talking with the animals, using spoken language. Yet, the perfect model for cross-species communication already exists between horses and riders.

Happiness

Savoring Enjoyment

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on January 29, 2025

A student asked me to help her enjoy her horse. It opened up a world of improvement in all of us.

A student asked me to help her enjoy her horse. It opened up a world of improvement in all of us.

Anthropomorphism

Horse Sports: High Risk, Low Control

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on November 30, 2024

Assumptions about the similarity between animals and humans can increase risk, especially in equestrian sports, where control is low or illusory.

Assumptions about the similarity between animals and humans can increase risk, especially in equestrian sports, where control is low or illusory.

Cognition

The Importance of Difference in Studying Animal Cognition

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on September 10, 2024

Human brains are biased toward the comfort of similarity, but in horses and life, differences are more important.

Human brains are biased toward the comfort of similarity, but in horses and life, differences are more important.

Ethics and Morality

Abuse and the Control of Executive Function

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on July 24, 2024

Punishment is the least effective means of education. It increases fear, hostility, helplessness, stress, and violence—none of which enhance learning. Let's make better choices.

Punishment is the least effective means of education. It increases fear, hostility, helplessness, stress, and violence—none of which enhance learning. Let's make better choices.

Animal Behavior

Horses and Humans: Prey vs. Predator?

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on June 6, 2024

Most people don't like to be considered "predators," but we belong to a species of that biological class. Yet we can interact with prey animals to great benefit.

Most people don't like to be considered "predators," but we belong to a species of that biological class. Yet we can interact with prey animals to great benefit.

Fear

Never Punish Fear

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on April 1, 2024

Without thinking, we often punish fear in small ways—by scolding, humiliating, or trivializing. Instead, teach fear management gradually and methodically in people and animals.

Without thinking, we often punish fear in small ways—by scolding, humiliating, or trivializing. Instead, teach fear management gradually and methodically in people and animals.

Anxiety

Soothing Anxiety or Rewarding Relaxation?

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on February 10, 2024

When training fearful individuals by reward, how can we best distinguish between rewarding relaxation and soothing anxiety?

When training fearful individuals by reward, how can we best distinguish between rewarding relaxation and soothing anxiety?

Coaching

Coaching in Layers

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on February 1, 2024

Coaching an athlete, teaching a student, or raising a child? To ensure successful growth, we must consider the layers of skill, cognition, and emotion at a minimum.

Coaching an athlete, teaching a student, or raising a child? To ensure successful growth, we must consider the layers of skill, cognition, and emotion at a minimum.

Therapy

Equine-Assisted Therapy: You Can't Push a Horse Around

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on November 29, 2023

Horses are so large that human strength is useless. We must rely on emotional intelligence and knowledge-based skills to handle them. Not a bad idea for handling people either.

Horses are so large that human strength is useless. We must rely on emotional intelligence and knowledge-based skills to handle them. Not a bad idea for handling people either.

Animal Behavior

How Horses and Humans See Color

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on October 13, 2023

Color vision differs strongly between horses and humans. Applying this knowledge yields better horse-human performance and fewer injuries.

Color vision differs strongly between horses and humans. Applying this knowledge yields better horse-human performance and fewer injuries.

Animal Behavior

How Horses See the World

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on July 12, 2023

Working in horse-and-human teams, people often assume horses see the world as we do. But they don't.

Working in horse-and-human teams, people often assume horses see the world as we do. But they don't.

Motivation

Racing for Human Motivation

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on June 9, 2023

A Personal Perspective: Horse racing must change to protect equine welfare, but it should be saved for its inspirational effects on human life.

A Personal Perspective: Horse racing must change to protect equine welfare, but it should be saved for its inspirational effects on human life.

Executive Function

Prefrontal Cortex in Horses and Humans

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on April 19, 2023

The prefrontal cortex is for planning, organizing, and strategizing in humans. Do horses have a prefrontal cortex? If not, how do they behave in intelligent ways?

The prefrontal cortex is for planning, organizing, and strategizing in humans. Do horses have a prefrontal cortex? If not, how do they behave in intelligent ways?

Neuroscience

The Neural Dance Between Horse and Rider

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on March 15, 2023

How do horses and riders communicate while performing difficult maneuvers? Body language, the horse's natural form of communication, comes to the rescue.

How do horses and riders communicate while performing difficult maneuvers? Body language, the horse's natural form of communication, comes to the rescue.

Education

Learning About Trust by Observing Horses

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on February 21, 2023

By observing horses and applying their prey behavior to victimized humans, we can come to a deeper understanding of trust.

By observing horses and applying their prey behavior to victimized humans, we can come to a deeper understanding of trust.

Fear

Mastering Human Fear

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on January 11, 2023

Horseback riding requires overcoming significant fear. How do we teach riders to do that, and can our techniques be applied to other activities?

Horseback riding requires overcoming significant fear. How do we teach riders to do that, and can our techniques be applied to other activities?

Intelligence

Natural Curiosity in Horses

Janet L. Jones Ph.D. on December 12, 2022

Do skittish prey brains experience natural curiosity? Absolutely. Curiosity forms the basis for most of equine learning and a lot of evolutionary survival.

Do skittish prey brains experience natural curiosity? Absolutely. Curiosity forms the basis for most of equine learning and a lot of evolutionary survival.