OnTheTelephone

My horse doesn't startle that easily but is bothered it would seem, by my cell phone on either vibrate or ring, no matter how quiet.

I could understand the feeling of vibrate being odd, but the noise I don't understand as he experiences far worse at times. Is there something more to it? Is the incoming signal upsetting him-does he have better hearing than me at different ranges?

I keep the phone with me for my work at home business customers to get in touch.

alexis

I know horses are quiet sensitive to many things, is it possible they can feel the waves from the phone before it rings?

aplslch

I know my cell phone can interfere with my computer speakers so its not all that far of a stretch to assume horses can tell the electrical signal as well. They do have larger ears than we do.

OnTheTelephone

But larger ears shouldn't be able to pick up radio waves, unless they had a little chip implanted in them

I don't want to cause them any distress, that's for sure.

rdez

Horses are quite sensitive to start with, so it does make a good deal of sense. If they are that sensitive to pick up on your own feelings, why not cell phone waves too?

Sugar89

What is your ringtone? Horses are generally very alert and new or odd things will often upset them. They may not startle, some will just give things a long stare until they've figured them out. Perhaps he just th inks it's wierd?

charley

I think that besides the fact that horses are extra sensitive to noise they are to feeling as well. Not only does your phone vibrate but when it rings/vibrates you tense up as well. Your body language and vibe that you send off changes because you know that your phone is ringing.

OnTheTelephone

Charley thank you. Honestly I don't think it could be the ring tone because I have tried numerous different tones that my phone has. It makes far more sense what Charley says-that he might be reading my body language changing.

That gives me something to work on, I can try and perhaps control myself a little bit better perhaps. Either way it's a wonderful insight!

Giddyhorsey

Animals I know have sharp instinct, so your horse may be able to sense the cell phone signals even while it is vibrate or silence. Perhaps the signals does something to irritate her.

Rider

This reminds me how keen animals are to radiowaves. I think animals, including horses, have this 6th sense that we humans don't have. They could detect change in the radiowaves and they could foresee danger even before it will strike. I think the cellphone does the same thing by changing the radiowaves and the horse might interpret it as a danger coming.

SaddleSore

You're right you know. Animals hear things better than we do too, so perhaps there is just a small sound made by the phone in advance that alerts the horse.

Either way I think the sensible thing is to turn the phone off when tending to your horse.

OldnGrey

I do believe that horses, as well as many other animals, are very sensitive to minute changes in their environments, and the waves transmitted/received by cellphones maybe just one of them. I think you should allow the horse to get more accustomed to it ringing and the horse might eventually become more comfortable hearing it.

countrygirl

I don't think I would be able to ride my horse properly if I was talking on my cell phone at the same time. That would require an amount of coordination that I just don't have.
I would say if it bother's your horse you should probably leave it at home. If your customer's need to reach you they can leave you a message.

Nan_Beth

It's possible they do emit some ultra frequency sound waves. have you ever left your cell phone next to a speaker that's on? the speaker will emit a little sound right before your phone rings. Maybe the horse hears that?

Roy Rogers

I never ever have my cellphone on while with my horse, but then again I was never that big on cellphone usage to begin with.

The horse has to come first, and I do not need myself to be distracted by stupid cellphone discussions.