The fear factor
Oct 21, 2021
3 minutes
HORSES are renowned as fearful animals. They have the largest amygdala - the “fear centre” in the brain - of any species, relative to their body size. As they are big, powerful animals, it is not surprising that their rapid fear responses are the cause of many horse-human accidents.
From a scientific perspective, fear starts with the cognitive awareness that a stimulus is a potential threat. The amygdala processes this information, allowing the animal to alter his behaviour to avoid potential harm.
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