Assessment of positive emotions in horses: Implications for welfare and performance

Abstract

s 297 were limited and all performances were video recorded, the predefined behavioral elements of the horses & trainers (defined at poster) were scored. Data were compared to HNP1 in a linear mixed model with post-hoc Bonferonni correction (p , 0.05). The most important results show that head tossing and head shaking were increased during exercise in HNP2 & 5 (p , 0.001). During exercise trainer encouragement was increased in HNP2, 4 & 7 (p , 0.001); trainer slow down was increased in HNP2 & 5 (p , 0.001), shying was decreased in HNP7 (p , 0.05), blowing was increased in HNP2 & 4 (p , 0.001), snorting was increased in HNP7 (p , 0.001) and tail swishing was increased in HNP2 (p , 0.001). During attaching of the side-reins, tail swishing was increased in HNP2 (p , 0.01), while during detaching head shaking was increased in all HNPs (p, 0.001); holding the head low was increased in HNP5 (p, 0.05) & tail swishing was increased in HNP2 & 7 (p, 0.05). Generalised the results show that HNP2 & 5 (higher positions) seem to provoke more active resistance behavior during exercise compared to HNP1 while lower head positions (4 & 7) do less. The possible explanations are studied. However, the results of parameters in other parts of the project were not always in line with the behavioral parameters, the implications for the overall effect for the horses will be discussed. The behavioral part of a study of horses with different head and neck positions during training (including hyperflexion), showed that relative high head positions can provoke conflict behaviors. However, behavior (parameter often used by non-scientists) was not always in congruity with other parameters. Only multidisciplinary scientific studies can determine the combined effects in these horses.