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Home / Equine Research Bank / Open Vet J / Emotional contagion in human-horse interactions: A pilot stu...
Open veterinary journal2025; 15(11); 6050-6058; doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i11.60

Emotional contagion in human-horse interactions: A pilot study investigating the role of stress and body language in emotional transfer.

Abstract: Emotional contagion in human-horse interactions has been widely studied; however, the role of body language in stress transfer remains insufficiently explored. Unassigned: This study examines whether human emotional states, particularly stress and anxiety, influence horses and whether the transmission occurs primarily through body language. Unassigned: A repeated-measures within-subjects design was used. The order of interaction styles was randomized across subjects during 33 HCIs. Participants were categorized as high-anxiety (HA) or low-anxiety (LA) based on State Anxiety Scale scores and heart rate (HR) measurements. HA was defined as a score >40 and HR > 20 bim above resting; LA was defined as a score of 40 and HR 2 bim of resting values. Two interaction conditions were tested: free-style, where participants moved naturally, and constrained-style (CS), where movement and expression were restricted. Heart rate variability and ethogram scores were recorded at baseline, during contact, and after recovery. To evaluate the influence of handler anxiety level and approach style on physiological and behavioral responses in horses, a series of two-way analyses of variances was performed. Unassigned: Horses exhibited significantly higher HRV and ethogram scores for High-Anxiety Free Style interactions than High-Anxiety Constrained Style ( < 0.05), showing an increased physiological and behavioral response when human emotions were freely expressed. However, interactions in the CS condition showed no significant HRV or behavioral differences between the HA and LA groups, implying that CSBL mitigates emotional contagion. Unassigned: Horses do not inherently detect human stress but rather respond to body language cues associated with anxiety. This study highlights the importance of structured handling techniques to minimize stress transfer, with implications for equestrian training and equine-assisted interventions. By adopting controlled, neutral body language, handlers can create a more stable environment, enhancing horse welfare and optimizing human-horse interactions. This research contributes to the broader understanding of interspecies emotional dynamics and the need for mindful equine management practices.
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Publication Date: 2025-11-30 PubMed ID: 41630745PubMed Central: PMC12861504DOI: 10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i11.60Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

Overview

  • This study investigates how human emotional states, particularly stress and anxiety, affect horses during interactions, focusing on the role of human body language in the transfer of emotions.
  • The findings suggest that horses respond more strongly to the body language of anxious humans rather than directly sensing human stress, and that restricting human body language can reduce emotional contagion.

Research Purpose and Background

  • Emotional contagion refers to the transfer of emotions from one individual to another, which has been studied between humans and horses.
  • Previous research lacked clarity on how body language specifically contributes to this emotional transfer, especially about human stress and anxiety affecting horses.
  • The study aimed to examine if horses’ physiological and behavioral responses differ based on their human handler’s emotional state and the style of interaction, particularly whether free or constrained body language influences emotional contagion.

Methodology

  • The study employed a repeated-measures within-subjects design with 33 human-horse interaction (HCI) sessions.
  • Participants were divided into two groups based on their anxiety levels:
    • High-Anxiety (HA): State Anxiety Scale scores above 40 and heart rate (HR) increases more than 20 beats per minute (bpm) above resting.
    • Low-Anxiety (LA): Scores of 40 or below and limited HR increases (2 bpm above resting).
  • Two interaction conditions were tested:
    • Free-Style (FS): Participants moved naturally and expressed body language without restriction.
    • Constrained-Style (CS): Participants’ movements and expressions were deliberately restricted to limit body language cues.
  • Data collected included:
    • Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and ethogram scores (behavioral observations of horses)
    • Measurements were taken at baseline, during human-horse contact, and during recovery after interaction.
  • Statistical analysis involved two-way ANOVAs to determine the effects of handler anxiety level (HA or LA) and interaction style (FS or CS) on horse responses.

Key Findings

  • Horses showed significantly higher HRV and more pronounced behavioral indicators (ethogram scores) during interactions with High-Anxiety handlers in the Free-Style condition compared to the Constrained-Style condition (p < 0.05).
  • This indicates a stronger physiological and behavioral response in horses when human anxiety is freely expressed through body language.
  • When handlers’ body language was constrained, no significant differences in horse HRV or behavior were found between the High-Anxiety and Low-Anxiety groups.
  • Results suggest that horses do not inherently detect human emotional states directly, but rather respond to physical cues in body language that signal anxiety or stress.

Implications and Conclusions

  • Structured and controlled human handling techniques that neutralize or limit expressive body language can reduce emotional contagion from humans to horses.
  • This has practical implications for equestrian training, horse welfare, and equine-assisted interventions, where managing emotional states during interactions is crucial.
  • By managing body language to maintain neutrality, handlers can create a more stable and less stressful environment for horses, enhancing their wellbeing and improving human-horse relationships.
  • The study contributes to understanding the interspecies emotional exchange and emphasizes the importance of mindful, intentional management in equine interactions.
  • Future research could expand on these findings by exploring additional emotional states, varying horse temperaments, or diverse handling techniques.

Cite This Article

APA
Manolăchescu D, Tripon M, Crecan C, Tătaru M, Papuc I. (2025). Emotional contagion in human-horse interactions: A pilot study investigating the role of stress and body language in emotional transfer. Open Vet J, 15(11), 6050-6058. https://doi.org/10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i11.60

Publication

Open veterinary journal
ISSN: 2218-6050
NlmUniqueID: 101653182
Country: Libya
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 11
Pages: 6050-6058

Researcher Affiliations

Manolăchescu, Dan
  • Department of Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Tripon, Mirela
  • Department of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Crecan, Cristian
  • Department of Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Tătaru, Mariana
  • Department of Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Papuc, Ionel
  • Department of Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

MeSH Terms

  • Horses / psychology
  • Horses / physiology
  • Humans
  • Pilot Projects
  • Animals
  • Emotions
  • Male
  • Female
  • Heart Rate
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Stress, Psychological / psychology
  • Adult
  • Human-Animal Interaction

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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