It’s not really a secret that dogs and horses are best friends. But have you ever wondered why? What is it about these two animals specifically that form such an incredible bond? Or have you just seen some lovely pictures on the internet of these two species playing together in a horse barn, and wanted to find out more about it?

Here are some reasons why horses and dogs make best friends!

#1 They have the same body language

It doesn’t matter if they’re playing or calming each other down after an accident: their extensive vocabulary of gestures is just about the same!

This really helps when you’re trying to calm your four-legged friend down after it’s been spooked by something! Because even though horses and dogs evolved from very different ancestors, their social structure and way of relating to each other have remained similar. This means that when one of these animals is upset, the other one will be able to empathize with them like no other animal can!

An example: whenever my parents’ poodle Charlie gets excited, he does this thing where he gets on his knees and fronts up with his paws, just like a dog would do during play. Then the horses will come running towards him, probably because they find it cute.

#2 They have similar social structures

This means that both dogs and horses are very interested in learning about what the other animal is doing! And since they share so many characteristics, this also ensures that they won’t hurt each other by accident (because their movements are similar).

#3 They have similar personalities

Dogs are very social animals, so it’s no wonder that they share these traits with horses. Horses tend to be very sociable animals as well, but if they’re left alone for too long they can develop anxiety problems. This is where dogs come into play! The mere presence of another species helps calm down or cheer up any horse that could use some help feeling better about themselves!

#4 They both rely on their sense of smell

Because both dogs and horses rely on their great sense of smell to interpret the world around them, these two species are actually able to bond really nicely due to this similarity in how they see the world! They both can sense if you are carrying dog food, and will get equally excited about it!

#5 They are both herd animals

Horses are herd animals, which means that they’re best suited in groups of two or more. This also makes it easier for them to get along with other species because they can always find comfort within a group. Dogs are basically domesticated wolves and as such, they do require the company of others as well (for example: just like cats they don’t like walking on leashes but will follow you if there’s another dog walking by).

#6 Dogs love following horses around

This is pretty self-explanatory: most dogs just want to be where the horse is so they can say hi! And to be honest, I think it’s the other way around as well. If you bring your horse along for a walk, they will always hope that there is another dog nearby so they can play!

#7 Horses love chasing dogs around

…and in most cases, this is no different than when dogs chase birds or squirrels. It’s just fun because it makes them feel like they’re still in control! Even though horses are prey animals who rely on speed to escape predators in the wild, don’t forget that they’re also very curious animals and love exploring new things. So when something new appears during their daily strolls, you better watch out!

#8 They also both love treats equally

As a bonus, horses and dogs both love treats! So if you have a lot of yummy snacks lying around, they will be more than happy to help you clean up the crumbs. They won’t compete with each other though, since they don’t eat the same things – a carrot for a horse and tasty beef bone for your dog should keep them happy for a long time.

So there you go – eight reasons why dogs and horses are the best possible friends ever. If you know of any other ways in which these two species play together, please let us know!