Horses and pigs can distinguish between negative and positive sounds in human speech

From'Babe' to'Black Beauty', popular culture is constantly telling us that speaking to animals gently and'politely' is the best way to get them to do our bidding. Now a new study has shown the same is true in the real world, as domesticated animals like pigs and horses can tell the difference between negative and positive sounds in human speech. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen's Department of Biology and ETH Zurich found that the animals reacted react more strongly to'negatively charged' human voices. In some cases they even seemed to mirror the emotion expressed in the human voice, according to the researchers. 'That'll do, pig': The findings in the study backs up teachings in films like'Babe' where characters speak politely to their furry companions The stallion in'Black Beauty' goes through many good and bad owners, and researchers have found that this experience could have bearing on the wellbeing of real-life horses Researchers concluded that it is most likely that horses may be able to perceive and interpret each other's sounds by virtue of their common biology.