Are Horses Evolving Emotionally?

Exploring the Neuroscience, Behavior, and Spirit of the Human–Horse Bond

The Thought Provoking Question

Not long ago, a community member in my Skool group asked a question that stayed with me, “𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜?” At first, I paused. Evolution is such a weighty word and we tend to think of it as something that happens slowly, over millennia.

But then I read a piece on how 𝗱𝗼𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, shaped by modern human relationships. That article changed how I saw the question entirely. (Read full article here)

It made me wonder, if dogs can evolve through emotional closeness and companionship, could the same be happening to horses?

In this blog, we’ll explore:

• What science is saying about dogs and emotional evolution

• The changing role of horses in human society

• Real-world examples of horses demonstrating emotional intelligence

• Spiritual reflections on horses as healers and co-regulators

• What this all means for our future with them

The Emotional Evolution of Dogs

Dogs were domesticated over 15,000 years ago, originally for tasks like hunting and guarding. But something incredible has happened in the last century: most dogs are now 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 — sleeping on our beds, comforting our children, sensing when we’re sad.

This isn’t just anecdotal.

In a study by Nagasawa et al. (2015), researchers found that mutual gazing between dogs and their humans 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘅𝘆𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗻 levels in both — the same chemical responsible for bonding between mothers and infants. Dogs, it turns out, have adapted neurologically and behaviorally to seek emotional connection. Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods (2020) call this the “𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.”

It’s not just tameness or utility — it’s 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. Dogs are now being selected for their ability to read emotions, follow eye contact, and remain calm under stress — especially in service dog breeding programs. Some scientists believe we are shaping an entirely new emotional phenotype in dogs — animals genetically predisposed to love us.

The Changing Role of Horses

Let’s contrast that with horses. For thousands of years, horses were tools: plows, wagons, cavalry. They were valued for physical traits — strength, obedience, speed. A "good" horse was one that performed, not one that connected.

But now? Most horses are no longer needed for survival. They are companions, sport partners, therapy animals, teachers, and healers.

• Equine-assisted therapy is growing rapidly across healthcare, addiction recovery, and trauma healing fields.

• Liberty work, groundwork, and energy-based horsemanship are replacing dominance-based methods.

• Horse-human connection is being valued on a 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 level, not just a functional one.

We’ve stopped asking horses to pull us through war and started asking them to walk beside us through grief.

If we are shifting how we choose, breed, and relate to horses — could that be shaping them too?

Real-World Examples of Equine Emotional Intelligence

I’ve witnessed things in the round pen that science hasn’t yet fully explained.

A Veteran and a Mustang

One moment I’ll never forget involved a veteran (will call him Robert). He had survived an attempted suicide, and arrived at one of our HOOVES healing intensives guarded and withdrawn. For the first two days, he stood stiff and silent outside the round pen, paired with a wild mustang named Montana — a horse who had been through his own trauma.

On the third day, something in Robert softened. He shared his story in group work, allowing the grief to surface.

That afternoon, he returned to the round pen. This time, 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝗺, placed his forehead on Robert’s chest, and stood still. No cue. No halter. Just presence.

Robert collapsed into tears. It was not training. It was recognition.

What the Science Says About Horses

While horses haven’t been studied as extensively as dogs in terms of neurochemistry, the research we do have is powerful.

Memory and Emotion

In 2018, Proops et al. showed that horses not only recognize human facial expressions but also 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺. When a horse saw a photo of a person smiling or frowning, and then met that person later with a neutral expression, it reacted differently — more relaxed or more guarded — based on the memory.

Mirroring and Co-regulation

Horses don’t just read emotions — they mirror them. Merkies et al. (2013) found that horses matched the emotional states of their handlers. Anxious humans led to anxious horses. Calm humans led to calm, connected movement.

In therapy settings, this goes even deeper. Gehrke et al. (2011) recorded 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 (HRV) in horses and humans during sessions and found moments of 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 — evidence of co-regulation.

Communication and Problem Solving

Malavasi & Huber (2016) demonstrated that horses use 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 with humans. When faced with an unsolvable task, they didn’t just get frustrated — they looked to the human for help, switching between the problem and the person, much like a dog or child would.

Selection and Environmental Shaping

While most horses aren’t bred as selectively for emotion as service dogs, selection still plays a role.

• Therapeutic riding centers choose calm, emotionally regulated horses

• Liberty trainers favor horses that are intuitive and willing

• Breeding programs increasingly prioritize temperament, not just conformation

And then there’s 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 — the study of how environment influences gene expression. Horses raised in emotionally safe, connected environments may be 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 to relate differently than those raised in fear or force (Zayan & Boissy, 2006).

We may not be deliberately evolving horses for emotional depth — but through who we reward, how we breed, and the spaces we create — we are shaping it.

Horses as Mirrors and Spiritual Guides

There’s a reason horses are considered mirrors of the soul. They are prey animals — wired to read subtle shifts in energy. But they are also herd animals — wired to co-regulate for the safety of the group. This gives horses a profound gift: They don’t just respond to what you do. They respond to who you are.

That’s why people break down crying in round pens. It’s not about technique. It’s about 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 — when your body finally tells the truth your mouth won’t say.

And the horse knows.

So... Are Horses Evolving?

Yes. I believe they are — not identically to dogs, but in a parallel path.

The shift from warhorse to therapy horse is not just external — it is internal. As we invite horses into spaces of healing and presence, they are rising to meet us.

Some of this may be behavioral.Some may be biological.Some may be spiritual.

But one thing is clear, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗼. And we are not the same people.

We are evolving together.

Final Reflection

If we are co-evolving with our horses, we are no longer just their trainers or riders. We are their stewards. Their partners. Their reflection.

So we must ask ourselves:

• Are we training horses with the same emotional integrity we ask of them?

• Are we willing to do the inner work so our presence feels safe to them?

• Are we listening as deeply as they are?

Because if horses are evolving to feel more, sense more, and connect more —we are being called to evolve right alongside them.

Join the Conversation

Thank you for taking the time to read this post! 𝗜'𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀, 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀—feel free to share them in the comments below. If you found this blog helpful, 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 it with fellow equestrians who might benefit from these insights. Together, we can build a more compassionate and connected equine community! 🐴✨

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If you're inspired to 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 with your horse and explore more tools for harmony and growth, click here to join our FREE Equine Wisdom Institute community on Skool! It's a supportive space for 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲-𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 on this incredible journey with our equine partners.

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Supporting Research

Gehrke, E. K., Baldwin, A., & Schiltz, P. (2011). Heart rate variability in horses engaged in equine-assisted activities. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 31(2), 78–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2010.12.004

Hare, B., & Woods, V. (2020). Survival of the Friendliest: Understanding Our Origins and Rediscovering Our Common Humanity. Random House.

Hausberger, M., Roche, H., Henry, S., & Visser, E. K. (2008). A review of the human–horse relationship. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 109(1–2), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2007.04.015

Malavasi, R., & Huber, L. (2016). Evidence of heterospecific referential communication from domestic horses (Equus caballus) to humans. Animal Cognition, 19(5), 899–909. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-016-0987-7

Merkies, K., McKechnie, M. J., Zakrajsek, E., MacGregor, H., Bergeron, R., & Hodgen, J. (2013). The effects of emotional congruence between humans and horses during groundwork. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 33(12), 1073–1080. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2013.03.008

Mitsui, S., Yamamoto, M., Nagasawa, M., Mogi, K., Kikusui, T., & Ohtani, N. (2011). Urinary oxytocin as a noninvasive biomarker of positive emotion in dogs. Hormones and Behavior, 60(3), 239–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.05.012

Nagasawa, M., Mitsui, S., En, S., et al. (2015). Oxytocin-gaze positive loop and the coevolution of human–dog bonds. Science, 348(6232), 333–336. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1261022

Proops, L., Grounds, K., Smith, A. V., & McComb, K. (2018). Animals remember previous facial expressions that specific humans have exhibited. Current Biology, 28(9), 1428–1432.e4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2018.03.035

Smith, A. V., Proops, L., Grounds, K., Wathan, J., & McComb, K. (2016). Functionally relevant responses to human facial expressions of emotion in the domestic horse (Equus caballus). Biology Letters, 12(2), 20150907. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0907

Zayan, R., & Boissy, A. (2006). Motivation to interact in social species. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 100(1–2), 229–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2006.04.007