How do horses see the world?
Our seminars provide exciting insights
Different beings, different perceptions
The perception of the world by humans and horses is fundamentally different. Dr. Petra Hubrich and Peter Menzel offer seminars in which they explain the Brain function and sensory perception of the horse and make it visually tangible for the seminar participants with an innovative horse eye simulator. The seminars are aimed at training facilities, stud farms, horse farms and anyone who owns horses or is enthusiastic about them and wants to understand them better.
Horse and human - two brains - two worlds
In her lecture, Petra Hubrich presents how horses perceive and process sensory impressions and what differences there are to the human brain. She will address the following topics:
- How do the brains of humans and horses differ?
- How do the senses of sight, hearing and smell differ?
- What happens to the perceived stimuli in the brain?
- What is proprioception and what is it used for?
- Concentration, attention, memory.
- How does sleep differ between humans and horses?
- What actually is consciousness?
Petra Hubrich explains that horses have a different priority of sensory perception and completely different information processing processes than humans. Attention processes, emotional processing and sleep structure are also very different. She also addresses the question of whether horses have a consciousness and how it differs from that of humans.
The vision of horses
In his lecture, Peter Menzel will focus on the various aspects of visual perception in horses. Among other things, he explains the animals' sensitivity to light and perception of movement as well as the processing of information in the two hemispheres of the brain. He discusses the following parameters, which can be simulated with his software:
- Total field of vision of more than 310°, panoramic vision, elongated pupils
- Poorer visual acuity than in humans, especially at the sides
- Sharp vision only in the front area (approx. 50°)
- No red vision (dichromasia)
- Stronger perception of contrasts
- Slower adjustment during light changes
The "horse glasses"
After the presentation, participants can use the horse eye simulator to walk around stables, paddocks, riding arenas or horse trailers and get an impression of how the animals perceive their surroundings visually.
The horse eye simulator consists of a special camera that records a 360° panorama and software that processes the recording with various filters. The result is displayed in real time on VR goggles.
By experiencing the horses' behaviour first-hand, it is easier to understand and predict them. The horse eye simulator can also be useful when building stables, designing horse yards or setting up competition arenas, as it can help to identify and minimize sources of visual stress for the animals.
Aim of the seminars
The aim of the seminars is to improve handling and husbandry for the benefit of the horses through a deeper understanding of their perception and the opportunity to experience their visual world through the horse's glasses.
Course of the seminars
The seminars take place on site on your farms, in your facilities or at your events.
First, the theoretical knowledge is imparted in the lecture and then, on the same or the following day, the desired environment can be explored with the simulator in small groups of 6 people each. Depending on the circumstances, 4-6 small groups can take place per day.
Info and booking
Dr. med. Petra Hubrich is a specialist in neurology, psychiatry and psychotherapy and has worked for many years in the field of neuroscientific research. Peter Menzel is a software developer and owner of C.O.M. GmbH.
Together, they combine their knowledge of the brain and vision of horses with an innovative technology: the animal eye simulators developed by Peter Menzel together with Benito Weise (Lüneburg).
For further information on our seminars, please send an e-mail to Our team will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
If you decide to purchase a simulator system after our visit, the price of our visit will be deducted from the purchase price.
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