Behaviour Of Horses Research Articles

Lateral position preference in grazing feral horses

AbstractBehavioural lateralisation is an effective way for animals to manage daily tasks by specialising behaviour to either side of the body. Many types of lateralisation are linked to the function of each brain hemisphere. Lateralisation of monitoring behaviour in mother–infant relationships occurs in a wide range of mammals, where infants frequently use their left eye to monitor their mother. However, few studies have focused on this type of spatial relationships among adults in daily life, such as during foraging. The present study focused on monitoring adult feral horse behaviour using quantitative analysis of spatial relationships, using drone technology. We found that horses form a localised spatial relationship with their nearest neighbour. Specifically, the nearest neighbour was located to the left rear of a target individual significantly more frequently than to the right rear. Furthermore, the nearest neighbour was less frequently located behind a target individual. We propose that this relationship is caused by a left‐eye preference, because information via the left eye predominantly proceeds to the right hemisphere, which is dominant for social processing.

The Effect of an Irregular Feeding Schedule on Equine Behavior

ABSTRACTWe used eight horses 1 to 12 years old to investigate the influence of irregular feeding times on the behavior. The animals were housed in individual boxes, fed with hay ad libitum and barley-oat mixture at three set times; 05:00 (earlier feeding) on Thursdays, 07:00 (delayed feeding) on Saturdays and 06:00 (regular feeding) on other weekdays. Direct observations took place in 10 continuous weeks; they started 1 h prior to feeding and lasted for 2 h. Long-term behaviors (i.e. hay and concentrate consumption, resting) were recorded every 5 min, short-term behaviors (i.e. kicking, pawing the ground, comfort behavior, taking a look toward the door) were recorded continuously. Compared to the regular feeding time, horses spent less time consuming hay, more time resting and less often took a look toward the door during the earlier feeding, whereas during the delayed feeding horses more often performed pawing the ground, kicking, comfort behavior, and took a look toward the door (p < .05). Our results indicate that deviations from the regular feeding schedule affected the behavior of horses and compromised their temporal predictability.

Managing difficult behaviour in horses

Background: It is common for veterinary practitioners to experience difficult behaviour from horses when treating them.Aim of the article: This article provides a guide to equine handling skills, which can...

Benefits of Animal Exposure on Veterinary Students' Understanding of Equine Behaviour and Self-Assessed Equine Handling Skills.

Horses are one of the most dangerous animals veterinarians have to work with. For many veterinary students, their first exposure to horses occurs during practical classes. To evaluate the level of knowledge students have of equine behaviour and their equine handling competency when entering the programme, 214 veterinary students (1st and 4th year) were recruited to participate in a questionnaire. Participants were asked to choose one out of 12 terms that best represented the affective state of a horse in a picture, and to self-assess their equine handling skills. Half (n = 56/115) of the first-year students correctly interpreted the horse's behaviour. The majority had (1) a poor understanding of equine learning mechanisms and (2) poor self-rated equine handling skills. A history of pet ownership (p = 0.027) and the presence of horses on their family property (p = 0.001) were significantly associated with a correct understanding of equine behaviour. Fourth-year students were three times more likely to accurately interpret the horse's behaviour (p = 0.01) and rated their handling skills higher than first-year students (p = 0.006). These results suggest that previous animal experience confers a considerable advantage to interpret equine behaviour and highlight the critical importance of practical training in the veterinary programme.

Stall architecture influences horses’ behaviour and the prevalence and type of stereotypies

Despite the spatial and social restrictions it causes, single stall housing still prevails in sport and riding school horses, leading to the emergence of abnormal behaviours such as stereotypic or abnormal repetitive behaviours (SB/ARB). In the present study, we investigated the impact of the type (visual/tactile) and amount of social information that could be exchanged (i.e. distance between the individuals) on the expression of welfare indicators, including, but not limited to, STB. Additional observations were made on the production of snorts, recently described as a potential indicator of positive emotions, according to the type of stall horses were housed in. Two complementary studies were performed. One observational study on 32 sport horses, all living in the same place, being of the same breed and sex, whose aim was to compare the behaviours of horses maintained for a long time in two types of stalls differing mostly in the possibilities of contact with close neighbours versus looking outdoors. The second, experimental study, consisted in moving purebred Arab broodmares from one condition to another randomly every day for 66 days, the two types of stalls differing only by the possibility or not to put the head outside above the open top half door. The results show clear statistical relations between stall architecture and horses’ behaviour, especially STB, their prevalence and type differing according to the type of stall in both studies. Overall, the access to outdoor visibility and its degree (possibility to put the head out or not) had a major effect on the horses’ behaviours, which was the same in both studies, despite the differences between populations in terms of breed, sex and type of work. The experimental study also reveals that changes in behaviours can be rapid after a change of housing.

Effects of size and personality on social learning and human-directed behaviour in horses (Equus caballus)

Due to our long history of living in close association with horses, these animals are suggested to have enhanced skills in understanding and communicating with humans. Today, horses have become important to humans for sport and leisure and their understanding of human behaviour and their human-directed behaviour are therefore of great importance. In this study, we investigated 22 horses in a human contact-seeking experiment where they were presented with an unsolvable problem and a detour experiment with a human demonstrator. The unsolvable problem consisted of pieces of carrot in a closed bucket and the detour resembled the shape of V. Additionally, personality traits of the participating horses were assessed. Interestingly, the full-sized horses (N = 11) showed more human-related behaviours when presented with an unsolvable problem compared to before the carrots were made unreachable (p = 0.033), while the ponies (N = 11) did not. However, neither the full-sized horses nor the ponies were significantly more successful in the detour after human demonstrations than in control trials. When comparing the two experiments, we found the task-oriented behaviour in the detour test to positively correlate with human proximity and eye contact-seeking behaviour towards humans during the unsolvable problem in the contact-seeking test. Interestingly, again this was only true for the full-sized horses (p < 0.05) and not for the ponies. From the horse personality questionnaire results, the traits excitability and anxiousness revealed strong negative correlations with human-directed behaviour in the contact-seeking experiment (p < 0.05). Hence, size (full-sized horse/pony) and personality influenced the human-related behaviours of the horses and we suggest a future focus on these aspects to deepen our understanding of human–horse communication.

A Preliminary Study Investigating the Influence of Auditory Stimulation on the Occurrence of Nocturnal Equine Sleep-Related Behavior in Stabled Horses

The physical environment is known to influence nocturnal behavioral time budgets of the stabled horse, but less evidence exists to suggest how this might be affected by including additional sensory stimuli. This study aimed to establish the impact of novel auditory stimuli on the frequency of equine sleep-related behavior. Seven horses stabled for 24 hours per day on the same yard receiving the same daily management routine were observed from 2030 to 0630 over nine nights. Frequency of nocturnal behavior was recorded using focal intermittent sampling against a predetermined ethogram and an infrared CCTV camera system. Data were recorded under the following conditions: without music for two nights (phase A1), exposure to music for five nights (Beethoven's ninth Symphony) played at an average of 62.3 decibels (phases B1 [nights 3-4] and B2 [nights 6-7]), and two further nonconsecutive nights (phase A2) when music was no longer played. A general linear model was used to determine differences in the frequency of parametric behavioral data with a significantly higher occurrence of “ingestion” (F [3,18] = 7.910, P = .001) during phases in B compared with A, and a significant decrease in the occurrence of “other” behavior (F [3,18] = 10.25, P = .000) comparing phase A1 with all other phases. The Wilcoxon signed rank test highlighted significant differences in the frequency of “lateral recumbency” between specific phases (P < .05). The addition of music appears to have a significant effect on the equine nocturnal time budget that might be beneficial from an equine sleep perspective.

The effect of blankets on horse behaviour and preference for shelter in Nordic winter conditions

Horses use human-made shelters actively during inclement weather, but the costs of building shelters may be high and owners use blankets or rugs on horses instead. The aim of the study was to investigate how wearing a blanket might affect the shelter seeking behaviour of horses under coastal arctic winter conditions. Could blankets make shelters redundant? During different winter weather conditions, seventeen horses had a full-neck blanket of their size put on and were released in a test paddock. There, horses were given free choice between staying outdoors, going into a heated shelter compartment or into a non-heated shelter compartment. An observer scored horse’s location and behaviour using instantaneous sampling every minute for 1 h. Each horse was tested 2–12 days but only once per day. Detailed weather data (precipitation, wind and temperature) were continuously recorded by a weather station at the site. In general, horses with blankets still used the shelter and were observed inside in (mean per horse) 20.6% of total observations. Horses spent more time inside shelters on days with rain and wind (39.7% of tot obs) compared to on days with wind only (11.8% of tot obs, P = 0.05). Small coldblood horses were more active, spending more time in movement than large coldblood and large warmblood horses (P = 0.01). In conclusion, wearing blankets reduced the impact of inclement weather, but did not make the shelter redundant for horses, under Nordic winter conditions.

Некоторые особенности поведения якутских лошадей на пастбище

Отличительной особенностью якутских лошадей является низкорослость, невысокая живая масса, неприхотливость к условиям обитания и питания. Питательная ценность и качественный состав пастбищных кормов является важнейшим условием успешного разведения этой породы лошадей. Проведены этологические исследования лошадей якутской породы. Изучены следующие элементы поведения лошадей: продолжительность и периодичность пастьбы, водопой, передвижение, продолжительность и частота отдыха в положении стоя и лежа, выбор зоны для отдыха. Расстояние, пройденное косяком за сутки, определяли непрерывным следованием в летнее время и троплением по следу в зимнее время. Круглогодичные, еженедельные наблюдения показали, что косяки якутских лошадей используют территорию рассредоточенно, каждый косяк имеет свои постоянные места пастьбы и отдыха — участки обитания. Средняя площадь годового участка обитания 1 косяка лошадей, состоящего из 12 – 15 голов, составляет 250 – 280 га, т.е. в среднем по 20 га на взрослую лошадь. Установлены потребности лошадей в кормовых площадях. В летнее время количество потребленного сухого вещества для взрослых лошадей составляет 14 кг, в зимнее время — 12 кг в сутки. Коэффициент использования травостоя — 0,6 – 0,7. Для молодняка старше 2,5 лет потребная площадь составляет за бесснежный период 2,0 га, в снежный — 5,3 га, для молодняка 1,5 лет — соответственно 1,7 и 2,7 га. Результаты исследований будут полезны при усовершенствованной разработке приемов содержания и кормления лошадей якутской породы.

Elevated Sensitivity to Tactile Stimuli in Stereotypic Horses.

Although stereotypic behaviors are a common problem in captive animals, why certain individuals are more prone to develop them remains elusive. In horses, individuals show considerable differences in how they perceive and react to external events, suggesting that this may partially account for the emergence of stereotypies in this species. In this study, we focused on crib-biting, the most common stereotypy displayed by horses. We compared how established crib-biters (“CB” = 19) and normal controls (“C” = 18) differed in response to a standard “personality” assessment test battery, i.e., reactivity to humans, tactile sensitivity, social reactivity, locomotor activity, and curiosity vs. fearfulness (both in novel and suddenness situations). Our analyses showed that crib-biters only differed from control horses in their tactile sensitivity, suggesting an elevated sensitivity to tactile stimuli. We suggest that this higher tactile sensitivity could be due to altered dopamine or endogenous opioid physiology, resulting from chronic stress exposition. We discuss these findings in relation to the hypothesis that there may be a genetic predisposition for stereotypic behavior in horses, and in relation to current animal husbandry and management practices.

Feral horses’ (Equus ferus caballus) behavior toward dying and dead conspecifics

In the rapidly expanding field of comparative thanatology, reports from a wide range of taxa suggest that some aspects of a concept of death may be shared by many non-human species. In horses, there are only a few anecdotal reports on behaviors toward dead conspecifics, mostly concerning domestic individuals. Here, we describe the case of a 2-month-old, free-ranging male foal that died around 12h after being found severely injured due to a presumed wolf attack, focusing on other individuals' reactions to the dying foal. We also placed camera traps near horse carcasses to investigate reactions by other horses. Kin and non-kin of both sexes showed unusual interest in the dying foal. However, horses appeared to avoid dead conspecifics. Recording individual reactions to dead and dying conspecifics in naturalistic settings will enhance our knowledge about death-related behaviors in horses, allowing comparisons with other species that have been more thoroughly studied, to understand the evolutionary basis of these behaviors.

Horses' (Equus Caballus) Laterality, Stress Hormones, and Task Related Behavior in Innovative Problem-Solving.

Simple SummaryIn order to ensure species-appropriate horse keeping and management, knowledge about horses’ cognitive abilities is essential. One parameter used to measure the cognitive abilities of a species is their capacity for innovative behavior. In this study 16 horses where confronted with a novel problem, i.e., an unknown feeder. When a horse emptied the feeder completely it was considered to be innovative. We found 25% of the horses to be innovative. Horses’ propensity to innovate was mediated by individual behavioral differences and former life experiences. We conclude that horses’ keeping conditions and welfare may be improved by environmental enrichment which promotes the development of innovative behavior.Domesticated horses are constantly confronted with novel tasks. A recent study on anecdotal data indicates that some are innovative in dealing with such tasks. However, innovative behavior in horses has not previously been investigated under experimental conditions. In this study, we investigated whether 16 horses found an innovative solution when confronted with a novel feeder. Moreover, we investigated whether innovative behavior in horses may be affected by individual aspects such as: age, sex, size, motor and sensory laterality, fecal stress hormone concentrations (GCMs), and task-related behavior. Our study revealed evidence for 25% of the horses being capable of innovative problem solving for operating a novel feeder. Innovative horses of the present study were active, tenacious, and may be considered to have a higher inhibitory control, which was revealed by their task related behavior. Furthermore, they appeared to be emotional, reflected by high baseline GCM concentrations and a left sensory and motor laterality. These findings may contribute to the understanding of horses’ cognitive capacities to deal with their environment and calls for enriched environments in sports and leisure horse management.

Omeprazole does not affect cribbing behavior in horses

Omeprazole does not affect cribbing behavior in horses

The influence of topically applied oil-based palatants on eating behavior in horses

The influence of topically applied oil-based palatants on eating behavior in horses

Effects of a novel blend of citrus botanical oils on equine behavior during a startle test and while trailering

Effects of a novel blend of citrus botanical oils on equine behavior during a startle test and while trailering

Effect of feeder style on behavior and cortisol concentrations in group-fed horses

Equines play an important role in the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 384 randomly selected (78 donkeys and 306 horses) working equines from January 2021 to July 2021 in Shashamene town and its surroundings to investigate the welfare and health status of working equines in the study area. Management and related information on equines was gathered by interviewing equine owners using a structured questionnaire. The welfare of working equines was determined by closely observing the study animals for the prevalence of lameness, injuries, and other diseases of carthorses in association with body condition, age, and behavior. The assessment was carried out at the veterinary clinics, field, market, and around the homestead.According to the respondents, approximately 13% of cart horses and 72% of donkeys were kept in the open air without shelter. In addition, approximately 78% of the studied donkeys showed behavioral changes, of which approximately 44% were anxious, 3% were depressed, and 19% were found to be not friendly. Similarly, nearly 70% of carthorses demonstrated a behavioral change, of which 64% were anxious, 2% were depressed, and 3% were not friendly. The overall prevalence of injury was approximately 61% in donkeys and 63% in cart horses. Incidences of external injuries were significantly associated with poor body condition (p ≤ 0.001) and anxious behavior (p = 0.03) in working equines. Lameness occurred in nearly 23% of the working equines, of which approximately 9% of the donkeys and 27% of carthorses were lame. A significantly high prevalence of lameness was recorded in cart horses (p = 0.01) in comparison to donkeys. Other major health problems identified in the veterinary clinics, field level, market, and around the homestead were respiratory diseases, colic, and epizootic lymphangitis.Thus, the study revealed that working equines in the study area are experiencing multiple welfare problems.

Stress-related behavior of horses in adapted therapeutic riding lessons and hippotherapy sessions

In order to determine whether therapeutic riding could result in higher levels of stress than recreational riding, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response was evaluated in six horses by monitoring circulating β-endorphin, ACTH and cortisol concentrations. Horses were already accustomed to be trained both for therapy and riding school activity since 2004. Intervention consisted of 60-minute therapeutic sessions, two times per week for 6 weeks with different riders: disabled and recreational riders (session A and B respectively). The therapeutic riders' group (A) consisted of six children with psychomotor disabilities; the recreational riders' group (B) consisted of six healthy children without any previous horse riding experience. Horses were asked to perform the same gaits and exercises at all sessions, both with disabled and healthy users.The statistical analysis showed that during both sessions the mean basal β-endorphin and ACTH levels of horses did not show any significant changes, while the one way RM-ANOVA showed significant effects of sessions A on the cortisol (F = 11.50; P < 0.01) levels. Horses submitted to sessions A showed lower cortisol levels both at 5 min (P < 0.001) and at 30 min (P < 0.005) after therapeutic sessions than those after session B.Results suggest that in tested horses and for the variables settled, HPA axis was less responsive to disabled than healthy, recreational riders. Among the endocrine responses, cortisol was one of the indicators of HPA axis stress response.

Interpretation and understanding of equine behavior terminology and learning theory in undergraduate students

Interpretation and understanding of equine behavior terminology and learning theory in undergraduate students

Effects of magnesium with or without boron on headshaking behavior in horses with trigeminal-mediated headshaking.

BackgroundOral administration of magnesium and boron might have a beneficial effect on headshaking behavior in horses.ObjectiveEvaluate the effects of oral magnesium alone or in combination with boron on headshaking behavior in affected horses.AnimalsTwelve geldings (6 healthy controls and 6 affected).MethodsProspective randomized controlled dietary trial over 42 days in 12 horses (6 horses diagnosed with trigeminal‐mediated headshaking and 6 unaffected healthy controls). All horses received a hay diet and were randomized into 3 treatment groups: pelleted feed combination (PF), pelleted feed combination with magnesium (M), and pelleted feed combination with magnesium‐boron (MB) with a week washout of hay only between treatments. Headshaking behavior and biochemical blood variables were assessed at baseline (hay only) and then after each week of supplementation.ResultsAll 3 diet interventions increased blood ionized and total magnesium. Groups M and MB further increased Mg2+ when compared to PF. Horses receiving treatments had a significant reduction in headshaking behavior, as measured by incidence rate ratio (IRR), when compared to unsupplemented hay diet (44% for PF, IRR, 0.558; CI, 0.44, 0.72; P < .001; 52% for M, IRR, 0.476; CI, 0.37, 0.62; P < .001; and 64% for MB, IRR, 0.358; CI, 0.27, 0.48; P < .001).Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceMagnesium in combination with boron had the greatest decrease in headshaking. Oral supplementation with magnesium or magnesium in combination with boron should be considered in horses affected with headshaking.

The influence of rider:horse bodyweight ratio and rider‐horse‐saddle fit on equine gait and behaviour: A pilot study

SummaryThe effect of rider weight on equine welfare and performance requires further investigation. The objective of this prospective, cross‐over, randomised trial was to assess gait and behavioural responses of horses to riders of similar ability, but different bodyweights. Six nonlame horses in regular work were ridden by each of four riders: Light (L), Moderate (M), Heavy (H) and Very Heavy (VH). Saddle fit was assessed subjectively throughout the study. Each horse was ridden twice by riders L and M, and once by rider H. Rider VH rode five horses once and one twice. Each horse‐rider combination undertook a standardised, 30‐min ‘dressage‐test' which was abandoned if we observed lameness grade ≥ 3/8 in one limb, grade ≥ 2/8 in ≥ 2 limbs, or ≥ 10/24 behavioural markers of pain. Horses were reassessed in hand 45–60 min after any abandonment. Mean rider bodyweights, body mass index (BMI) values and rider:horse bodyweight percentages for the L, M, H and VH riders were respectively: 60.8, 77.8, 91.0, 142.1 kg; 23.2, 28.0, 26.3, 46.9 kg/m2; 10.0–11.7%, 12.8–15.0%, 15.3–17.9%, 23.6–27.5%. All 13 H and VH rider tests (lameness, n = 12; behaviour, n = 1) and one of 12 M rider tests (lameness) were abandoned. Lameness was confirmed using inertial measurement unit data. All horses trotted sound after test abandonment and completed the study moving well when ridden. Limitations of the study were saddle fit was not ideal in all horse‐rider combinations and abandonment criteria were subjective. The conclusions and clinical relevance of the study were that large riders can induce temporary lameness and behaviours consistent with musculoskeletal pain. This may relate to rider bodyweight and/or weight distribution. Riders M and H had similar BMI but markedly different test abandonment rates, therefore bodyweight is likely to be more relevant than BMI. Further work is required to determine if horse fitness, adaptation to heavier weights and better saddle fit for heavier/taller riders will increase horses' weight‐carrying capacity.