Horses may learn by ‘eavesdropping’ on humans’ interaction with each other, study finds

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Horses may learn socially by “eavesdropping” on human behaviour, a study has found.

A team of researchers from universities in Germany and Scotland concluded that horses may change their feeding strategies having witnessed human-to-human demonstrations, even if the demonstrators are not present.

The pilot study, led by zoologist and behaviour researcher Konstanze Krueger, involved 17 horses, aged four to 28, at five private yards. The horses...