A Horse's World - A Neuroscientist's Journey Into the Equine Mind

By: Janet L. Jones

Published by Little Brown, 2026-06-23

In the spirit of An Immense World and Soul of an Octopus, an award-winning neuroscientist and veteran horse trainer illuminates the mysteries of equine cognition and behavior, told through the moving story of her own extraordinary bond with a horsenamed True North.



The bond between horses and humans is the stuff of legend. Two different beings, two different bodies and brains, yet energy sparks between them. When that energy is captured, it can produce a special union that no other prey and predator animals share.



A Horse's World is the first book of its kind to explore the fascinating science of how horses think, feel, learn, and connect with their human companions. Tracing the story of one 1500-pound Dutch Warmblood as he learns how to negotiate the human world, neuroscientist and horse trainer Janet Jones reveals surprising lessons about cross-species communication; studies of equine learning and perception; evidence of the horse's astounding memory and expressive ability; and scientific insight into the miracle of the horse-human connection.



Horses have so much to teach us about confidence, courage, and compassion. Whether you're an experienced rider or simply admire equine beauty and grace from afar, A Horse's World is both a revealing window into horses' hearts and minds, and an object lesson in how to build mutual trust with those whose internal worlds differ from our own.