"Oh, how clever you are!" Are you also among the many horse owners who change their voice when talking to their horse? A study has proven that it actually improves communication with your horse if you talk to it in a slightly childish, praising tone, also known as baby talk.

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You are not alone if you talk to your horse. And it's no secret that horses do not understand our words, but rather our tone. A term has been coined to describe the way of talking to animals, namely "pet-directed speech" (PDS). PDS shares some of the same qualities as baby talk, spoken in a pronounced high tone and at a slow pace.

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Horses perceive it as something positive when we talk baby talk to them.  

In the study, the difference between talking to horses with PDS (baby talk) and a more adult language called "adult-directed speech" (ADS) was examined.

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The study included a social media survey where horse owners responded affirmatively to using PDS (baby talk) when talking to their horses. At the same time, the use of PDS and ADS was tested on 20 horses.

The study found out that:

• PDS (baby talk) is more effective at capturing horses' attention than ADS (adult language).
• Horses are more inclined to follow instructions when spoken to with PDS (baby talk).

The horses in the study also showed greater interest in looking at the person using baby talk. The same horses also seemed calmer. There was also a reciprocated nuzzling when people who used baby talk scratched the horses. This was not the case with people who used adult language.

It matters that you smile at your horse

When we speak, it is often done with varying emotions and tones of voice. The researchers behind the study believed that baby talk captures the horse's attention because it conveys something about the person's emotional state and intentions.

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The researchers also tested the difference in talking to a horse using baby talk while smiling versus adult language while maintaining a neutral expression. The researchers concluded that horses perceive this and respond positively to relaxed, happy expressions in humans.

Sources:

The Horse: Do You ‘Baby Talk’ to Your Horse? She Hears You
Forskningsstudie af Léa Lansade m.fl.: Horses are sensitive to baby talk: pet-directed speech facilitates communication with humans in a pointing task and during grooming