What Horses Hear: Understanding Equine Hearing and Behavior by Janet Marlow

Horses inhabit an expansive and finely tuned world of sound—one that shapes their behavior, movement, and emotional state from the first moments of life through their senior years. As prey animals, their auditory system is exquisitely designed for survival: capable of detecting subtle, low-frequency vibrations across great distances while also responding to higher frequencies that signal social communication, environmental change, and potential threat. Every sound—hoofbeats on distant ground, the shift of wind through trees, a familiar human voice—carries information that influences how a horse feels, reacts, and learns.

From foalhood, hearing plays a critical role in bonding, orientation, and safety. As horses mature, sound governs herd dynamics, spatial awareness, and stress responses. In senior horses, hearing continues to anchor memory, routine, and emotional regulation, even as sensitivity may shift with age. When sound environments are mismatched to equine hearing, the result can be anxiety, startle responses, resistance, or shutdown—often misinterpreted as behavioral problems rather than auditory overload.

Readers will gain a deeper understanding of equine auditory perception and its direct impact on behavior, physiology, and welfare. This book bridges science and practice, offering research-based insights and practical guidance for creating sound-healthy environments in barns, clinics, training facilities, and homes. Whether you are a horse owner, veterinarian, trainer, or equine professional, What Horses Hear invites you to listen differently—helping you understand the world through your horse’s ears and build trust, calm, and connection through sound.