Anyone who's feared for their life on the back of a horse that likes messing with people can absolutely confirm that they smell your fear, relish it, and will rigorously calculate the optimal route to getting under your skin.
I am still really surprised when I read research that confirms something that I have always accepted as the truth. My grandpa told me this when I was very young. He told me not showing a horse fear did no good. He knew they could sense fear through any pretense you showed. He never mentioned smell but he had observed its effects all the same.
The few times I've been close to them in my life I just stood calmly with them and it does put a horse at ease. Fearing them wont necessarily make them aggressive toward you but it can make them fear you in return and get them agitated.
Unlike humans, most animals don't intentionally retard their sense of smell due to social necessity. You'd be surprised what you actually can smell, that you ignore due to social norms. I can smell when women are pregnant, provided I'm familiar enough to know what they normally smell like.
20 Comments
thebestaquaman@lemmy.world · 41 pts · 223d
Anyone who's feared for their life on the back of a horse that likes messing with people can absolutely confirm that they smell your fear, relish it, and will rigorously calculate the optimal route to getting under your skin.
Septimaeus@infosec.pub · 3 pts · 223d
Kolanaki@pawb.social · 27 pts · 223d
"Are you scared, human?"
"...How could you tell?"
"I can smell it. The piss in your pants. Did you also have asparagus?"
lena@gregtech.eu · 20 pts · 223d
dohpaz42@lemmy.world · -3 pts · 223d
MehBlah@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 223d
I am still really surprised when I read research that confirms something that I have always accepted as the truth. My grandpa told me this when I was very young. He told me not showing a horse fear did no good. He knew they could sense fear through any pretense you showed. He never mentioned smell but he had observed its effects all the same.
The few times I've been close to them in my life I just stood calmly with them and it does put a horse at ease. Fearing them wont necessarily make them aggressive toward you but it can make them fear you in return and get them agitated.
SoupBrick@pawb.social · 16 pts · 223d
FancyPantsFIRE@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 223d
Makes sense, this is why Bad Horse leads the evil league of evil.
Patrikvo@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 223d
And dogs can smell cancer. I'm starting to think researchers are just trying to tell us we stink.
SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 223d
We kinda do, we just cant smell it
HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 222d
I mean, some diseases affect body odor pretty strongly. I can smell the common cold. Might be flu. Dunno.
Grimy@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 223d
They thrive on it.
BenderRodriguez@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 223d
Lembot_0006@programming.dev · 5 pts · 223d
They are not dumb. Most probably more clever than dogs. But yes, the only reason why they don't devour people is the fact that they are herbivores.
DeathsEmbrace@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 223d
Im going to ruin your day and that last statement, are you sure about the herbivore? just give them a baby chick and get back to me
Lembot_0006@programming.dev · 4 pts · 223d
All herbivores will eat some small creature if given a chance. Herbivores aren't vegans.
Breezy@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 223d
Thinking of the video of a deer snatching a bird mid flight and chowing down.
whyNotSquirrel@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 223d
and I smell horseshit!
HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 222d
Is it the urine?
Perspectivist@feddit.uk · 0 pts · 223d
Horses seem to be fearful of just about everything. I wonder how they distinguish between the scent of their own fear and the fear of others.
AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 223d
Unlike humans, most animals don't intentionally retard their sense of smell due to social necessity. You'd be surprised what you actually can smell, that you ignore due to social norms. I can smell when women are pregnant, provided I'm familiar enough to know what they normally smell like.
spittingimage@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 223d
Nice try, horse.