Radios are common in many barns and arenas. But does playing music actually benefit your horse? You’ll find differing opinions, but here are some factors to consider when making up your own mind.

Calming a Nervous Horse

It is common belief that having background music can help calm and soothe a nervous horse while in their stall. You will find on racetracks, groomers whistle and sing to their horses as they care for them and typically rodeos play an array of music through the night. You will often find barn radios playing softly, even when horses are left alone in the barn. Many horses seem to enjoy the music, as long as the setup is designed with a horse’s natural habits in mind.

If you want to play a radio in your barn, remember that horses are naturally sensitive animals. They have excellent hearing, and their hearing is a sense that they use for self-preservation in the wild. Taking away their ability to hear well by playing loud music may put horses on edge.

When playing a radio in the barn, keep the volume low enough to only establish a background sound. You will also want to carefully choose the music that you play. While hard rock or heavy metal might be your preference, your horse might not feel the same. According to a study by British researchers, horses seem to be relaxed when listening to classical or country music. On the other hand, jazz and rock music resulted in horses exhibiting stressful behaviors.

When you set up your radio, make sure that it is positioned well out of reach of any curious horses. You will also want to be sure all electrical cords are out of reach.

Riding to Music

Many riders also like to ride with music playing. While playing music through arena speakers is a popular option, some riders choose to play music by using their phones or handheld devices.

There are many advantages to riding with music. Music can not only help relax a nervous horse but also relax a rider as well. Music also establishes a tempo, allowing an improved sense of variation in your horse’s pace.

On the other hand, music can be a potential distraction while riding, leaving you less focused on your horse and the cues that you are transmitting to him. If you play music too loudly, you may miss out on important communication from other riders.

The decision to play music, whether in the barn or while riding, is one that only you can make given your individual situation.