I Spy Through My Pony's Eye!

by Nick Chapman

So, how does my pony view things?

Your pony does not see the world as you do.

All members of the horse family, including ponies, wild ass and zebra, evolved

as 'prey' animals, (they make good eating!) and so over millions of years, they have

developed extremely sharp senses and reactions, helping them escape any predators

wanting to eat them, including our ancestors! This means that your pony is naturally

suspicious of anything unfamiliar to him and if he is frightened or feels that his safety

is threatened, his instinct is to get away as fast as possible. If you are a horse, pony or

zebra in the wild, you don't have time to stop and think; if you're slow to react you

may well end up as someone's dinner!

Evolution, then, has hard-wired your pony to see the world as a potentially

dangerous place and his instinct to take flight is probably as alive today as it's ever

been.

When we understand just how scary some things can appear to a pony, we can

appreciate even more just how amazing it is that they co-operate with us as they do,

and, if they trust us, will even go against their instincts to please us.

Why is my pony's sight so special?

Your pony's eyesight is remarkable and is often the first sense that will alert him to

danger. Just think how good he is at noticing movement in the distance, vital if you

want the advantage of a head-start when you're running for your life! This is thanks to

the size of his eye. Horses and ponies have the largest eye of all land mammals.

Like other prey animals, your pony's eyes are set on the side of his head. This

gives him a very wide field of vision which he can extend even further by bending his

neck. If there is something dangerous stalking you from behind, it pays to be able to

see it as soon as possible.

Your pony does have blind spots, however. One of these is directly in front of

him, another is directly behind. This is why the best way to approach a horse or pony

is slightly from the side, so that you he can see you clearly.

How does my pony see?

Primarily your pony uses what is known as monocular vision, that is, he sees a

different picture in each eye. Like humans though, he also uses binocular vision -

using both eyes to focus on something.

The top part of your pony's retina, (the cells at the back of the eye where

images are formed) is responsible for long-range sight. This is why he will raise his

head to see things in the distance. The lower part of the retina is used to see things that

are nearby and so your pony will lower his head to see something close up

When your pony changes from using monocular vision to binocular vision in

order to zoom-in on something, the object can appear to jump into focus, which is

why he might suddenly shy at something you thought he had seen. By calmly allowing

your pony time to get a good look at something that has spooked him, he will be able

to get it into focus, see that it is of no danger, and chances are, he will quickly settle

down.

Does my pony see in colour?

For a long time it was thought that ponies could only see in black and white, but

research has shown that they are actually able to distinguish some colours.

Can my pony see in the dark?

Ponies have excellent night vision. A pony's eye is also good at making use of fairly

low levels of light such as at dawn and dusk, but is not good at adjusting quickly from

light to dark or vice versa. It makes sense then, that sometimes a pony will baulk

initially when going from a sunny yard into the dark interior of an unfamiliar trailer or

stable.

Always try to see things from your pony's point of view.

If you always try and see things from your pony's point of view, you will come to

understand his behaviour better and through this understanding can build and develop

the closest bond with your best friend.

Copyright © Nick Chapman 2010