Are results of Crib Opening Test connected with efficacy of training horses in a round-pen?

Abstract

Training the horse is based on human–horse relationship, which requires that the horse shows active, conscious behaviour as well as an ability to learn. It was hypothesized that the horse's learning skill to open the crib is correlated with the effectiveness of training. The aim of the study was to find out whether there is a relationship between the time needed for a naïve horse to open the crib and to accomplish first saddling and mounting. 120 horses were examined: 40 Thoroughbreds (TB), 40 Purebred Arabians (PA), and 40 halfbred Angloarabians (AA). There were 20 colts and 20 fillies in each breed group. The times needed by the horse to open the crib (Crib Opening Test) were assumed as a measure of an aspect of learning skill. The effectiveness of the initial training of the horse was evaluated by the times needed to first saddling and mounting the naïve horse (Saddling Test and Mounting Test) as well as by heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) in Saddling Test and Mounting Test. Horse behaviour during the tests was assessed.It took the TB horses significantly longer to open the crib than it took the AA horses (306s vs 191s, respectively). Numerous statistically significant correlations were found between the results of Crib Opening Test and the results of Saddling Test performed by the TB fillies and AA horses: positive with HR, and negative with some HRV parameters. Correlations between the results of Crib Opening Test and Mounting Test were negative with HR and positive with beat-to-beat time (RR) for the PA and AA fillies. It seems that the horses which quickly succeed in Crib Opening Test are calm during the first phase of the initial training until saddling, but they do not willingly accept mounting. However, the relationship between the time of opening the crib and response to the training should be analysed separately in particular horse breeds and sexes.