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Horse vision

Fascinating article:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/45802534

Looks like horses can spot hi-viz yellow better than humans can. I ride a red bike in orange/blue kit - turns out that a horse sees that as shades of green. Goes some way to explaining how they get spooked perhaps.

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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7 comments

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dottigirl | 5 years ago
1 like

My pony used to shy dreadfully at bright colours. She'd be halfway across the road in a blink of an eye. Fortunately, this was prior to the proliferation of hi-vis. I couldn't take her over brightly coloured jumps as she would shy at those too. Flapping plastic, etc - I could usually predict when she would freak out and be ready.

All the above means I give all horses the widest berth possible. It's usually people who haven't ridden much/at all that go near a strange horse's rear. 

Side note: anyone else notice how much flightier horses get the further away from urban areas you are? In London/Kingston/Epsom environs, even the racehorses were quite chilled. The further out into Surrey, the more unpredictable they were. Had two around here (Mid Wales) the other day that were jumpy as can be at me and my two non-yappy dogs doing nothing in particular.

 

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fenix | 5 years ago
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I once had to hide behind a tree as a horse was so spooked by my classy red white and blue jersey. 

 

God knows what he saw it as - but he wasn't coming past for anything. 

I don't think they're the brightest creatures. 

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Yorkshire wallet | 5 years ago
3 likes

Sheep. OBVIOUSLY!

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hawkinspeter replied to Yorkshire wallet | 5 years ago
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Yorkshire wallet wrote:

Sheep. OBVIOUSLY!

A horse in sheep's clothing?

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Yorkshire wallet | 5 years ago
1 like

I guess horses used to design a lot of cycling kit

//1.bp.blogspot.com/_JL5-1A9KpVc/S7v2rtdNVsI/AAAAAAAAAuE/PwzjEubpTPk/s1600/bad+jersey.jpg)

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hawkinspeter replied to Yorkshire wallet | 5 years ago
2 likes

Yorkshire wallet wrote:

I guess horses used to design a lot of cycling kit

//1.bp.blogspot.com/_JL5-1A9KpVc/S7v2rtdNVsI/AAAAAAAAAuE/PwzjEubpTPk/s1600/bad+jersey.jpg)

So who designs the horse onesies?

 

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hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
1 like

I'm surprised that it's taken this long to figure it out, but I suppose not many people are that interested in seeing things from the horses point of view. Maybe that is why horses always look so sad.

In other animal news, I think my wife just got kicked off a plane (she'd've been better off with a miniature horse): https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/10/us-woman-flight-plane-em...

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