What are the “blinders” seen over horses eyes used for?
The sense of sight is very important to horses. Like people, horses can see the same scene with both eyes at once; this is called binocular vision. However, the horse can also see separate pictures with each eye; called monocular vision. It is important to know how a horse sees in order to understand why a horse reacts the way it does. A horse’s eyes are set wide apart as compared with a human’s eyes. This wide eye position allows the horse to see areas to each side of its body. This increased side vision helps to protect it from predators it can see danger coming from either side without turning its head. Blinders are useful tools and we have good reasons for using them. Because horses’ eyes are situated toward the sides of their heads, they have limited side vision. Sudden movements can frighten them, causing them to bolt or shy away. It’s hard for horses to see what lies directly ahead, so blinders help a horse focus on its destination. [Wikipedia Definition] Blinders, also known
