HORSES CERTAINLY DO THINK - to survive in the wild over millions of years they have had to develop the ability to think extremely quickly (although their initial "startle" reflex on becoming aware of dangers such as a predator is more instinct than thinking). Once they have become aware of a potential danger, they must quickly assess the situation, and decide whether or not to run away, or just move to keep the danger outside their personal space.

Some horses seem to show more intelligent thought than others. For example, some work out quite quickly how to undo their stable bolts and escape - a few even learn how to undo the doors of other horses in the barn and let out the occupants. This requires both planning and understanding of the outcome of their action.

The ability to look ahead shows high-level thinking ability, and although horses may not be able to plan and look ahead to the extent that humans can, they understand time and know that certain things will happen at a certain time of day, for example feed times. If a horse is thirsty, it has to think to go to the water source. If it is in a field at feed time, it shows thinking ability by wandering over to the gate and looking expectantly (looking ahead) in the direction from wihch you will come with its feed bucket.

In order, for example, to complete a round of jumps, the horse has to concentrate quite hard, thinking about the various aids its rider is giving it and what they mean - more impulsion, slow down, turn here - and it as to realize that the jump its rider has aimed it at is the one it is required to clear. It then has to gauge its own strides, or perhaps regulate them in accordance with its rider's instructions, and take off into the air in the right place. Only the horse itself can decide, by thinking quickly, just how high to propel itself into the air. This takes considerable judgement, even with experience and practice, and cannot be done without clear thought.