As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
On The Table Read Magazine, “the best entertainment eBook magazine UK“, The Mind Of A Horse: Science Meets Comics by Dr. Helena Telkänranta combines scientific insights and graphic storytelling to reveal that horses thrive emotionally and physically with companionship, freedom to forage, and an absence of fear and pain, challenging common assumptions about their feelings.
The Mind Of A Horse. Science Meets Comics
For centuries, horse owners have sensed the deep emotional lives of their equine companions—moments of joy, flickers of fear, and tender displays of affection. Science has now caught up with intuition, confirming that animals, including horses, experience intense emotions. However, as Dr. Helena Telkänranta reveals in her groundbreaking book The Mind of a Horse: Science Meets Comics, what horses truly feel might not always align with what we assume.
The Science of equine Well-Being
What does a horse need to thrive emotionally and physically? Modern research points to a few essentials. At the top of the list are the companionship of familiar, friendly horses and an environment free from fear and pain. Close behind are freedom of movement in a diverse space like a sprawling pasture, the chance to forage naturally across a wide area, and near-constant access to fibre-rich food. Physical comfort also plays a key role—think straw-covered floors with ample room for a horse to lie down and enjoy restorative sleep, which surpasses the quality of rest they get while standing.
For young horses, early socialization is critical. Foals raised among other foals and adult horses develop the social skills they’ll need to form meaningful bonds later in life. These findings, rooted in behavioral science, underscore a simple truth: a horse’s happiness hinges on living in ways that echo its evolutionary past.
Take foraging, for example. While it might seem odd that searching for food beats having it delivered, the explanation lies in the brain. Horses evolved on vast grasslands, wandering miles each day to graze on the choicest plants. This process of seeking and finding triggers the release of dopamine, serotonin, and other “feel-good” chemicals. Without opportunities to engage in such natural behaviors, a horse’s emotional well-being can falter.
Bridging Science and Storytelling
Despite the wealth of research on animal emotions, accessing it has long been a challenge. Scientific papers are often buried in academic journals, dense with jargon that can deter even the most curious reader. The Mind of a Horse changes that. Written by Dr. Helena Telkänranta, a renowned animal behavior scientist, and brought to life by artists Maija Karala and Ville Sinkkonen, this book transforms complex science into an engaging graphic novel.
The story follows relatable characters through a colorful exploration of the horse’s inner world, making the science accessible to readers of all ages and backgrounds. Each chapter concludes with a text page for those hungry for deeper insights, and QR codes link to exclusive online content. From teenagers to seasoned equestrians, readers have praised its fresh approach to a complex subject.
The Power of Touch and the Reality of Pain
Horses are deeply social creatures, and physical connection is a cornerstone of their emotional lives. Picture two horses gently scratching each other’s withers with their teeth—a scene familiar to anyone who’s spent time around them. Research backs up the importance of this ritual: horses fare better when they can physically touch a familiar companion, rather than just seeing one across a stable aisle.
On the flip side, horses feel pain as acutely as we do. Myths about thick skin or body size dulling sensation don’t hold up. Pain receptors sit near the skin’s surface, whether it’s the hide of an elephant or a horse. Intelligence doesn’t factor in either—pain is a universal experience, and minimizing it is essential to a horse’s quality of life.
A Team of Visionaries
The book’s success owes much to its creators’ expertise in science communication. Dr. Telkänranta, with a PhD in animal behavior and a career spanning the University of Bristol and the University of Helsinki, is Finland’s foremost authority on animal minds. Her knack for translating research into relatable insights has earned her multiple awards. Joining her are Maija Karala, a science journalist and illustrator who crafted the book’s characters and plot, and Ville Sinkkonen, an artist whose meticulous work—seen in projects for the BBC and Chicago’s Field Museum—brings the horses to vivid life.
Together, they’ve produced more than a book—it’s a journey into the equine mind, blending rigorous science with the universal language of comics. The Mind of a Horse doesn’t just inform; it invites readers to rethink what they know about the animals they love.
Dr Helena Telkänranta
Advances in the science of animal emotions have had a transformative effect on our worldview.
Scientists now know that all mammals, birds, and even fish do experience basic emotions, such as pleasure and fear. Such feelings are strong, regardless of whether the species also is intelligent. The absence of pain and fear is a powerful component of a good life.
Recent research has uncovered a lot of valuable, detailed knowledge on how to avoid causing pain to horses. Many cases of pain felt by horses are caused entirely inadvertently, without the owner or rider knowing about it. Steps to a better life include obvious things such as paying attention to things like training and handling methods, including the use of whips and spurs, but also other crucially important things such as saddle fit, noseband tightness and honing the skills of how to spot signs of surprisingly common health conditions such as back issues or gastric ulcers that require the attention of a veterinarian.
The traditional approach of “breaking” a horse is based on a misunderstanding of how horses think about authority. There also are many situations in which a horse does seem to be “spiteful” or plotting revenge, but the reality turns out to be something else completely. We discuss these and many other familiar scenarios in the book.
Several horse enthusiasts have told us their relationships with their horses have dramatically improved as a result of the deeper understanding of horses’ emotions and motivations.
Along with the basic emotions, pain is an astonishingly similar experience among us and a wide range of animals. The magnitude of felt pain is the same in horses, humans, and hamsters.
–Dr Helena Telkänranta
Find more from Dr Helena Telkänranta now:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3XIHjo9
Support The Table Read Magazine
We strive to keep The Table Read free for both our readers and our contributors. If you have enjoyed our work, please consider donating to help keep The Table Read going!
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.