How can you tell when a horse is feeling stressed? It’s all in the eyes and the way their eyelids twitch, University of Guelph researchers have discovered.

A horse will blink less and twitch its eyelids more when it’s under mild stress, the research team found – a new finding that could offer handlers a simple, easy-to-spot sign their animal is becoming agitated.

The study, published in the journal Animals , is thought to be the first to reveal the significance of eyelid twitches as an indicator of stress, says Prof. Katrina Merkies, the study’s lead author.

“With humans, we already know our blinking changes when we are under pressure. Some studies have shown we blink more when agitated while others found we blink less. We wanted to see if horses blink rates change too,” said Merkies, a professor in the Department of Animal Biosciences at the Ontario Agricultural College.

Although many horse handlers can tell when their animals are agitated, it can sometimes be hard to get a good read on a horse’s mood — particularly if the animal has been well trained.

Read more: Horses Blink Less, Twitch Eyelids More When Stressed, U of G Researchers Find

Implement these safety best practices to help celebrate New Year's Eve with the greatest display of all – a safe, injury-free horse.

How does your horse react to fireworks?

In a recent horse owner survey, which examined the effects fireworks can have on horses, 99 percent of respondents indicated their horse exhibited fireworks-related anxiety – such as galloping, sweating, trembling and damaging fences – and 26 percent of horse owners reported their horse sustaining injuries due to such anxiety from fireworks.¹ While multiple injuries were reported, the most common included cuts, sprains and broken limbs.

Maintain your horse’s health and safety. Before celebrating, ask your veterinarian about prescribing a tube of Dormosedan Gel® (detomidine hydrochloride) for your horse.

Read more: Maintain Your Horse’s Safety This New Year's Eve