"NeuroScience- The WHY of the horse"
Emotional Memory
​I have been teaching very basic neuroscience for many years as it relates to horses.
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This science applies to all animals as they/we all possess a central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS), which includes the brain, spinal cord and all sensory neurons.
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Neuroscience is an extensive field of science- of which I teach only a small part. We will be exploring just the tip of the iceberg, that which helps us understand “why” horses behave the way they do.
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I teach what you need to know about the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) which includes the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) and Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) and Homeostasis. I also cover Neurochemicals, Neurotransmitters, Dendrites, Myelination, etc.
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We use this information to help treat the psychological issues that arise when horses are kept stressed and “up” in the SNS for long periods of time. I also touch on the neurochemicals that go into learning, stress, and memory.
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The brain itself has no taste, no sound, no sight, no smell, and no feelings. Senses (sensory neurons) bring in all the experiences in from the outside world. The brain sifts through these millions of bits of incoming information and tries to find patterns. It then proceeds to identify, sort, and make sense of the information in order to make the next move- like running from danger, turning to fight, or relaxing when all appears safe for the moment.
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Knowing what is going on inside a horse's brain gives us reliable clues about what needs to be done to bring their emotional state back down to where they can learn, cooperate and perform.