What a horse’s blink tell us about their mind
- Horses Inside Out
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Subtle changes in behaviour can offer valuable clues about a horse's comfort, stress, learning and welfare, but they aren't always easy to interpret. In this article Dr Andrew Hemmings explores the fascinating link between blink rate, brain function and stereotypic behaviours in horses. He also looks at how research is helping us better understand what our horses may be experiencing and what they can teach us about supporting healthier, happier equine lives.
Looking generally at the field of neuroscience, there are multiple techniques including scans and electrode insertion to learn how precise brain structures are functioning. For most horse lovers, invasive neuroscience is out of the question and so for the past 15 years, Andrew has been developing welfare friendly methods for learning more about brain function in horses.
Dr Andrew Hemmings is Associate Professor of Equine Research Leadership at Royal Agricultural University (RAU). Andrew’s research into equine behavioural neuroscience began with post mortem brain analysis focussing on the neurotransmitter dopamine, and it’s links to stereotypic behaviour. More recent work is centred around non-invasive behavioural and cognitive indicators of brain activity for use in the living horse.
Andrew has pioneered the use of blink rate assessment to gain further insights into the functioning of dopaminergic systems. A technique that's now used throughout the equine science community. Long-term research goals include development of brain-focussed indicators of equine welfare status, cognitive profile, temperament and even predictors of competition performance in equine athletes.
Horses Inside Out is delighted that Andrew will one of the key note speakers at the 2027 Conference: Wellness and Welfare. He is well known for his engaging and fascinating presentations, helping horse owners, therapists and equestrian professionals gain a valuable insight into current findings that help maintain and improve the welfare of horses.
It's All About The Dopamine
The neurotransmitter dopamine is probably the most important neurotransmitter as far as behavioural control is concerned. The primary sites of dopamine release are two structures of the midbrain, known as the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) and Substantia Nigra (SN). Both of these areas produce and transmit dopamine into two forebrain structures known as the ventral and dorsal striatum respectively.
Dopamine transmission underpins a variety of behavioural and cognitive processes such as the initial learning of simple tasks, fine motor control and the mediation of automatic behavioural responses known as habits. Finally, dopamine is also released in response to both pleasurable and stressful stimuli.
The Links to Blinks
Extensive research in humans, non-human primates and rodents reveals that as dopamine levels increase in the brain, we also see a rise in eye blink rate. For example, drugs such as amphetamine and cocaine that are associated with increased dopamine, bring about a dose dependant increase in blinking. Therefore, Spontaneous Blink Rate (SBR) may be used to predict dopamine levels in a range of species.
So far at the RAU they have used SBR to tell us more about:
Temperament
Stress levels
Cognitive function
Crib-biting and weaving
Cushing’s Syndrome (Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction)
This topic will be covered in much greater detail by Andrew at the Horses Inside Out Conference 2027: Wellness and Welfare.
However, to pick on one of these areas and give you a little more insight, studies at the RAU of a group of 100 horses, SBR was positively correlated with anxiety and negatively correlated with docility. There are options therefore to use SBR in equine temperament assessments, maybe even in pre-purchase vet examinations. Temperament is after all at the top of the list when we are considering a buying a horse.
What Does The Future Hold?
Counting blinks, whilst being welfare friendly and cheap to apply, it can be quite time-consuming for the poor person who has to stand in a stable with a clicker counter and stop watch. On this basis, Dr Emily Orchard (RAU PhD student) has been using AI tools to count SBR from video footage alone. This could mean there's an opportunity to remove the human observer from the equation! Again, if you are keen to learn more, it would be lovely to see you at the next conference.
There has been quite a bit of research done on blink rate, so if you would like to learn more here's some suggested reading from Andrew:
Making Lives Better for Horses That Perform Stereotypic Behaviour
Think about the abundance of high performing humans, who are top-flight athletes or entrepreneurs but at the same time might have certain behavioural ‘quirks’ or sometimes view the world slightly differently due to things such as dyslexia or ADHD. Taken together, behavioural differences and high performance very often come in the same package.
When viewed from an equine standpoint, behavioural conditions such as crib-biting or weaving are still viewed negatively by many horse owners. This can mean that these horses are not allowed at certain livery yards, or if they are crib-biters or weavers may be stabled in isolation, or could be subjected to harsh management strategies that seek to physically prevent the behaviours. However, if you have ever owned or known a stereotypic horse, you will no doubt be aware that they are very often top performers, if we can appropriately channel their talents.
Time for a Rethink?
Research work conducted at the RAU revealed crib-biters and weavers learned a simple button pressing task far quicker than non-stereotypy equivalents. However, as these tasks progressed, crib-biters found it harder to unlearn and adapt, whilst weavers remained flexible in their cognitive strategies.
What does this mean for training in the real world? Both crib-biters and weavers will pick up new things quickly, but we must be careful not to over train cribbers as habit formation may result.
In a very recent study led by Dr Loni Loftus from Edinburgh University in collaboration with the RAU, it was found that in a group of 1587 racehorses, the Timeform rating (a commonly applied measure of racing success) was higher in horses that perform stereotypy. Therefore, maybe it's time for a rethink in the way we view these behaviours? If this positive performance message can be disseminated within the equine industry, perhaps we can make the lives better for these animals.
What’s New in Stereotypy Research?
At the next Horses Inside Out Conference: Wellness and Welfare (20 - 21 February 2027), Andrew will be bringing us bang up to date with the stereotypy research from within his group. For example, for the first time ever, a fully automated cognitive testing system has been used to tell us more about the potential learning differences between crib-biting and weaving horses.
Using this device, RAU PhD student Dr Emily Orchard has revealed subtle differences in accuracy, along with compulsive and impulsive behaviours in these horses. As ever these findings will be related to the real-world landscape of training, management and welfare status of horses that crib-bite or weave.
Here's Andrew's suggested extra reading if you want to learn more about stereotypy research:
Also, to further your knowledge of the horse's brain take a look at our on-demand recorded online seminar with Andrew, Training the Brain. It Covers the anatomy of the brain, how it works and how this knowledge can be applied to handling, training, welfare and management.
It also includes a interesting insight into stereotypical behaviours and an online brain dissection, which is a must see for all equine professionals.
For anyone who hasn't been to one of Andrew’s talks, you will be treated to a fascinating insight that's underpinned by the principals of brain function and behaviour. He always takes the audience through the anatomy and function of the relevant brain areas, in an engaging, practical and easy to understand manner.
Tickets are available now for the Horses Inside Out Conference 2027: Wellness and Welfare. Book before 31st October 2026 and you will save with our 35% off early bird offer!
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