It Takes the Herd

08/04/2026

07/20/2026

I guess our new place is kind of comfy…

07/19/2026

Can Horses Smell Human Fear?

Olfaction, or the sense of smell, is one of the most important ways animals communicate, yet its role in emotional communication between different species remains poorly understood.

While previous research has mainly focused on communication between members of the same species, growing evidence suggests that odours may also influence interactions between humans and animals.

This study investigated whether horses respond differently to human odours associated with different emotional states. Cotton pads carrying human scent collected during fear-inducing or joyful situations, as well as unused control pads, were presented to 43 horses during a series of behavioural tests, including suddenness, novelty, grooming, and human approach tests.

The results showed that horses exposed to fear-related human odours displayed stronger fear responses and were less willing to interact with humans compared to horses exposed to joyful or control odours.

Specifically, horses exposed to fear odours touched humans less during approach tests, paid more attention to novel objects, and showed stronger startle responses, including increased heart rate, during sudden events.

These findings suggest that horses can detect and respond to emotional information carried in human body odours. The study highlights the importance of chemosignals in human–horse interactions and suggests that a handler’s emotional state may influence horses in subtle but measurable ways.

This may have important implications for training, handling, and welfare, particularly in situations where horses are exposed to stressed or anxious humans.

Limitations of this study include the restricted sample population, potential influence of the audience horse during testing, and variability in physiological measures such as cortisol and heart rate data, which may limit the strength and generalisability of the findings.

You can read this paper here: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0337948&utm_source=pr&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=plos006&tblci=GiDrS5mTJ_XzTHax8DkDujjbJZYqOzPyW-KIkaNkp1yHjSDShVcooL_9nbyzpLMBMMvvSA

07/18/2026

And we are done! Thanks Costel and Perry!

07/18/2026

One more line of wire to go and then we are ready for the outdoor 4 leggeds to join us!

07/18/2026

Appreciating the guys in my life right now!

07/17/2026

We are on the move! See you soon!!

07/15/2026

Woah. This.

I think we interrupt horses too much.

Not because we're unkind.

Because we're enthusiastic.

A horse finally lies down.

We walk over.

Two horses begin quietly grooming each other.

We reach for our phone.

One horse chooses to stand beside us.

We stroke them.

A curious horse starts investigating something.

We call their name.

A horse looks toward the horizon with complete attention...

and we ask for it back.

I don't think we mean to interrupt.

We're just excited to be part of whatever beautiful thing is unfolding.

I've caught myself doing it countless times.

Then one morning, I stopped.

Eclipse was standing quietly, watching something in the distance.

I have no idea what had captured his attention.

A bird.

A squirrel.

Another horse.

The wind.

For a moment I almost walked over to see if he wanted scratches.

Instead, I stayed where I was.

He never looked at me.

He never asked for anything.

After a while, whatever had held his attention passed, and he went back to grazing.

Nothing extraordinary happened.

Except perhaps this:

For once, I didn't interrupt a moment that didn't belong to me.

The more time I spend with horses, the more I wonder if love isn't always about joining in.

Sometimes it's about quietly protecting another being's experience from our own enthusiasm.

Maybe one of the greatest gifts we can offer those we love...

is the freedom to finish their own moments.

O

If today’s post resonated with you, you’ll find much more in my book, Chosen, Not Obeyed. It’s an invitation to see horses—and perhaps yourself—through a different lens.

📖 Get your copy here: ⁠ https://a.co/d/0dPCSVyv

07/15/2026

This is a brilliant idea and is just next door to us in Pictou (well, just next door for the next few days until we move sadly). Still, a brilliant idea!

🌿 This is your sign…

To slow down.
To breathe a little deeper.
To let go of the stress you’ve been carrying.
To move your body without fear of being judged.

At The Shimmy Shack, there’s no choreography, no expectations, and no pressure to perform. Just music, nature, and a welcoming community where you can move however your body wants to move.

✨ Deep bass. Fresh air. Real connection.

We’re getting ready to open our backyard, and we can’t wait to welcome you.

💚 Follow our page to be the first to know when registration opens and new dance sessions are announced.

Move. Breathe. Feel. Heal.

07/10/2026

Forget it kitten. Brianna don’t play with youngsters