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Horses have the largest eyes of any land mammal. The placement of their eyes on the sides of their heads gives them a field of view of about 340°, meaning they can see almost the entire area around them without turning their heads.

They only have two “blind spots”: directly behind the tail and about one meter in front of the nose. This explains why horses can suddenly appear startled or jump — they capture small movements in their extremely wide field of vision.

The structure of a horse’s retina is more sensitive to horizontal movement. On a racetrack, this is extremely useful: they can detect other horses overtaking from the side much faster than humans.

However, their vision is less sharp than that of humans. If humans see like HD video, horses see more like medium resolution — clear enough to move fast, but not focused on fine detail.

4. Horses See Better in the Dark

The structure of their eyes, such as the tapetum lucidum (which reflects light to the retina), makes horses better able to see in low-light conditions than humans.

However, the weakness is that they need more time to adapt when moving from bright to dark areas or vice versa.

This can make horses hesitate when entering gates or tunnels leading to the paddock because their eyes have not yet adjusted. Some racehorses that seem to “refuse” to enter certain areas are often just adjusting their vision.

5. A Higher Perspective Makes the World Different

Racehorses stand nearly two meters tall, and this height changes their perception, allowing them to see further down the track. They can anticipate the movements of other horses from distances that humans would not expect.

Their field of view is also more sensitive to small movements. Fans, waving flags, shifting shadows — small things like these can make horses alert.

They also see spectators as a “moving mass.” Large crowds appear as clusters of moving shapes rather than individuals. Loud and synchronized movement can trigger stress if they are not yet used to it.

6. What Happens When They Run at 70 km/h?

When sprinting, a horse’s vision works together with instinct and track memory. They do not really see details directly in front of their nose because of the front blind spot.

They rely on the jockey as their “forward eyes,” responding to rein pressure, body weight position, and sounds. They see threats or rivals from the side, not the front. This is why coordination between jockey and horse is so important.

Imagine if humans could see like racehorses: an extra-wide field of view, tiny movements instantly detected, more limited colors, slow adaptation from dark to light, running as fast as a small motorcycle with vision that is not too sharp. That is the reality racehorses experience at every starting line and finish line.

In conclusion, they see more than we imagine.
Racehorses are not just speed machines, but creatures with unique perceptions that shape how they run and interact with humans.

(Various sources)