Here’s how various animals (cats, dogs, horses) react to all kinds of music, including classical music.
Classical Music Used to Keep Racehorses Calm Before a Race
Its common to see top sportsperson listen to music before major events but what about race horses? A recent study conducted in France reveals that Classical music helped racehorses also stay calm before a race.
Experts at the French National Stud noticed reduced stress/anxiety levels in horses after making them listen to classical-style film music through specially made headphones.
“During transport, the diffusion of classical music decreased several stress indicators and induced a faster post-stress heart recovery,” said French National Stud Claire Neveuz, who conducted the research in conjunction with the University of Strasbourg and the University of Caen.
The HorseCom headphones in action CREDIT: HORSECOM
One of the biggest challenges that racehorse trainers face is to get their horses to the start line in a calm frame of mind, so this study is definitely going to interest them.
The research demonstrated that classical music reduced the intensity of stress in horses undergoing these everyday routines. Current rules permit horses to wear earplugs as they parade around the paddock (needs to be notified to course officials).
The British Horseracing Authority, which governs the sport, expressed interest in the the technology but said more research would be needed before it was allowed on racecourses.
Flute player plays classical music to soothe Seal pups at animal hospital
Flautist Claire Rowe plays classical music to soothe rescued Seal pups at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary. The animal care team found that playing classical tunes helped them relax and made them more co-operative.
After seeing positive results, the care team at the sanctuary decided to hire the services of professional flautist Claire Rowe who was asked to treat the Seal pups with classical music.
Claire, who acknowledges that this certainly was one of the strangest bookings she had ever received, played a mix of classical melodies and traditional Christmas tunes. Claire is a former wind orchestra member and now private music tutor.
Curator Tamara Cooper decided to trial with classical music after a project carried out by a research student over the summer yielded strong evidence that the resident sea lions also enjoyed a tune or two.
The management now plans to setup speakers on site so that they can play classical music in the mornings for all their residents, now that they are aware that the Seals find it relaxing.
Source: cornwalllive
Dogs Find Music Soothing, But Not Classical Music
Dogs find music soothing, but if you assumed they would like classical music, you need to read this. A new study published in the journal of Physiology and Behavior reveals that dogs prefer the sounds of reggae or soft rock more than any other genre.
For the study, researchers turned on six-hour playlists of five different genres of music for shelter dogs. During the duration of the study, the dogs heard classical, soft rock, reggae, pop and Motown. While the dogs were listening, researchers took note of their heart rate, cortisol levels and behaviors that measure stress levels, like barking or lying down.
It turns out that dogs are fans of chilling out to Bob Marley, just like we do on our beach vacations, as results showed that dogs were less stressed while listening to soft rock or reggae. When listening to Motown, their stress levels were higher, study co-author Neil Evans told the Washington Post.
Their response to different genres showed that like humans, our canine friends have their own individual music preferences. Reggae music and soft rock showed the highest positive changes in behavior. And that is why shelters and dog owners should often play reggae or soft rock music for their canines during high stress situations.
For animals entering a shelter for the first time, the new surroundings can be scary, leading to barking, shaking or cowering, and dogs living in home can be fearful of loud noises or when their owners leave. Shelters are taking note of the study and will begin playing music in their shelters, allowing their dogs to reap the relaxing benefits.
An earlier study had revealed that shelter dogs that listen to classical music were more relaxed, barking less and lying down more. Unfortunately, the study also found that by the seventh day of listening to classical music, the dogs returned to restlessness, leading researchers including Evans to believe that “the animals were getting habituated with the music, or possibly getting bored.”
Musician serenades cats with his piano playing, and the cats love him for that
This musician in Istanbul, Turkey serenades the cats (around where he lives) with his piano playing, and the cats love him for that. Not only the cats gather to hear him play, they even shower affection on him for his soothing music. Watch the cute video & photo.
Cats usually don’t care about your feelings (as much as the dogs do) but this talented cat dad in Istanbul proves that if you can generate the proper amount of musical entertainment, cats will not only pretend to care about you, they might actually love you.
When musician Sarper Duman plays the piano at home, cats in the neighborhood gather to watch him from the window, in front of his piano at home.
Check out this video that Duman posted on Instagram where a cat showers her affection on Duman as he plays the piano (animal lovers will love it).
The cat face emits more bliss than any cat has ever done publicly (they are very reluctant to shower affection, compared to dogs).
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Here’s another Instagram photo where the musician shows us the cats who have gathered to hear him play the piano.
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