You can't actually hear a horse from a long way off by putting your ear to the ground.
Why Not
- Sound waves: Sound travels through the air, not the ground. While the ground can vibrate, it doesn't transmit sound waves efficiently over long distances.
- Attenuation: Sound waves lose energy as they travel, becoming weaker and quieter.
- Ground conditions: Hard, dry ground absorbs sound more than soft, wet ground.
What You Can Do
- Listen for hooves: You might hear hooves hitting hard surfaces like paved roads, but only at a relatively short distance.
- Feel vibrations: Very close to the ground, you might feel faint vibrations from a nearby running horse, but not from far away.
In reality, the best way to hear a horse from a long distance is by listening through the air!