Why are a horse's eyes on the sides of its head?
For grown-ups: the science
A horse's eyes are on the sides of its face so it can see all around and quickly notice movement nearby.
A horse's eyes sit on the sides of its head, and together, their two fields of vision cover an incredibly wide area. There's also a small overlapping zone right in front where both eyes work together, helping the horse judge distance and shape. Still, the space right near its nose and directly behind it can be hard to see. How much a horse can see also depends on the individual animal and which way its head is turned.
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Transcript
A horse stands in a grassy field with its eyes on the sides of its face—why are they placed there?
A horse's eyes sit on the sides of its face, looking both left and right. That way it can see a wide space around it, not just what's ahead.
While munching on grass, a horse can also spot movement all around it. That helps it quickly notice anything moving far away.
But it's hard for a horse to see right in front of its nose or straight behind it. That's why people talk to a horse from the side before coming close.
A horse's eyes are on the sides of its head so it can see all around.