Think owls are the only animals that can see nearly 360 degrees around their bodies? Think again. The horse can do the same thing without moving its head! Monocular vision (focusing with each eye) and binocular vision (using both eyes together) combined with high, wide eye placement allows equines to have a very large field of vision.
How a Horse Sees
It’s common knowledge that good human visual acuity is 20/20. The average horse’s vision, on the other hand, is 20/33. Horses can see better when using the “visual streak” – an area in the retina with higher acuity – that is a concentration of ganglion cells. If something looks fuzzy to a horse, the animal will move its head so that the object comes into focus in the visual streak. This is like having built-in bifocals.
Horses use a combination of monocular and binocular vision. Monocular vision is used to see what’s happening on each side of the head. Typically, it’s helpful for spotting predators. Monocular vision allows the horse about 350 degrees of viewing around its body. Binocular vision is best used for movement and looking ahead. The range of this vision works best when the horse looks directly at something – just like when you use a pair of binoculars.
Read more about equine vision at the Animal Science blog on CR4.
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