Horses, like dogs and other domesticated animals, can be extremely affectionate and respond to many human cues, such as pointing and gaze directions. In the first study of its kind, French researchers have learned that horses that are too dependent on humans might have lower cognitive skills, leaving them incapable of solving their own problems.

"We hypothesized that horses that are more attentive to humans are dependent on humans’ actions for resources such as food to such an extent that domesticated horses are no longer self-sufficient," explained Clémence Lesimple PhD, from the Laboratoire d’Ethologie Animale et Humaine at the Université de Rennes in France.

To test this theory, Lesimple and colleagues used the "chest test," which requires the horse to figure out how to open a wooden chest to obtain a food reward. The team tested 46 riding school horses, each in his own stall, one hour before meal time (to ensure the horses’ motivation towards the food).

Each horse had three chances to open the chest, with each attempt preceded by Lesimple demonstrating to the animal how to open the chest. During each attempt, Lesimple remained standing in a neutral position in the stall. Researchers recorded the total time it took each horse to open the chest, as well as any exploration and frustration or excitement behaviors exhibited