Does the horse know that he wins the race, if he does how we can compensate him?

Question

Does the horse know that he wins the race, if he does how we can compensate him?

Answer 1

I believe they know when they have won. I groomed a horse (Clarinet King) who after he won would be a real handful. We would always hand walk 3 days after the race and when he won he'd be clamoring to get out of that stall first thing and when he lost  the next morning you wouldn't even know he was in the stall. He was pretty special though a real one of a kind. He knew when he stepped into the dressage ring (he was a gelding who ran until age 12 who I bought and reschooled in dressage) that he was "on show" and he knew when we won there as well as he would carry himself around the farm when I rode him the week after the show like he was hot stuff (which he was). He was once filmed for a spot on TVG Network and they gave me a copy of all the film shot and you could literally see him preening when I rode him close to the cameraman.

Answer 2

yes, i saw a horse at Del mar win the race, and during

the gallop out after the race, the horse took a mis-step

and the jockey don pierce was tossed off...the horse

modus di'vendi ran all the way back to the winners

circle and waited for her handlers to take her in the

winners circle without her rider.....yes they do know

when they win...give them a cube of sugar on the way

back to the barn......

Answer 3

It varies with the animal.

To keep it simple :-

Each have their own genetic interpritations and also their learned interpritations.

(i.e. an artist is often born to it, but how they speak and react is mainly a learned behavour.)

Genrally they all get a feeling of completion, for some it is winning, others just doing the task correctly (i.e. which is like getting 200 out of 100), and as one of the other answers says "king of the castle feeling".

I am sure you can find other anologies for the different types of "success" comprehention.

I am sure if you wanted, you could write a book about it.

As for rewarding :-

Simple look after your animal at all times (it is a friendship / partnership or a "life relationship" -  to get the most, you have to both give and receive at all times).

Keep it simple, wholesome and reliable (it's a partnership).

"Treat others as you expect others to treat you".

Do not spoil it.

When you know your animal, you will know what is right for your animal.

Because every animal is a complete entity, a whole package, a simple thank you can mean more than a £1000 !

If it is not your animal, then a "tip bit" normally always goes down well. But always speak to the person in charge.

But believe it or not, with any animal that can comunicate and interact to reasonable level with humans, sometimes just to look into any animals eyes and speak FROM YOUR HEART with TRUE EMOTION, gets through.

So in quick summation -

1) Yes i think all get a varied "sensatin of good acheivement".

2) Genrally the simplest reward is the "tip bit", but every animal is different !

Answer 4

Good question. I believe they do. There was a famous racehorse (might have been Man 'o War) who would have nightmares the night after he lost a race.

As for a reward, I don't know what a horse would want. Possibly a day off in the field, since most racehorses only get out of their stalls to run.

Answer 5

I believe horse know lots of things about what happens during a race.  Horse take a long time to learn things but once learned they retain them for an even longer time.  Including when another horse is better then they are and vice versa.

I've told this story before about the Sprint Champion Precisionist who was retired to stud.  It was found that he was infertile and was brought back to the track more than a year after his first retirement.  In his first race back, he dumped the jockey right out of the gate, lead the entire race and leaped into the air (hinds back, fronts forward) absolutely at the finish line.  I saw the replay on tv and it was amazing.  

Yes, he knew where he was and what had just happened (it didn't matter that he did it riderless).

Answer 6

Horses have no concept of winning or losing, but they do enjoy attention and praise.

When I worked for Darley a few years back Dubai Millennium was at stud.  I remeber talking to his stallion man who told me that the horse had a way of standing in the middle of the yard preening himself as if to say "I look fabulous, who wants to take a photo?"  He was a gorgeous horse.

Horses have very few demands of us: a warm dry place to sleep, good quality food and cool water to drink.

Answer 7

she horse?

Answer 8

I don't know if a horse knows, but watching them in the winners circle makes me believe they do.  They stand proud, they pose, they seems to want to have the groomers or walkers praise them.  

Sometimes when they are coming to the winners circle they look like they know they won.

We watched a maiden horse the other day, who finally won. the horse looked lie it was confused to be in the winners circle, kinda like hey thats not my routine.

I have to believe they know and they adore the extra attention they are showered with.

Answer 9

You can tell the ones who have the heart in them. If you see them running on the back stretch and another horse pushes up by a nose, the competitive horse will give it all he has got. They do know when they win.