In this study, the swimming behaviors of 20 Thoroughbred mares living in a private horse farm in Ulukışla district of Niğde and the effect of swimming on pregnancy rate were investigated. 20 English breed horses between the ages of 4-18 and without any health problems that would prevent them from getting pregnant were included in the study. The horses included in the study had no previous swimming experience. A veterinarian specialized in equine medicine collected the data by examining the observations and camera recordings. The behaviors of the horses around and inside the pool were observed. The pregnancy rate was determined by dividing the number of pregnant horses for each group by the total number of horses. The necessary graphs and tables were created with Microsoft Excel and SPSS statistical package programs to explain and analyze the statistical descriptive characteristics of the camera recordings and observation results. In the presented study, the analysis of pregnancy rates in the swimming group and the control group was performed using the Chi-square method with the SPSS statistical program. 19 of the 20 horses (95%) that were made to swim in the pool and 7 of the 12 horses (58.33%) that were made to swim in the pool became pregnant. The results revealed a range of behaviours including initial reactions to the pool, swimming techniques and post-swim activities. In particular, horses displayed a mixture of curiosity, attention and exploration when first introduced to the water, with the majority taking a measured and cautious approach during pool entry. Swimming behaviours were characterised by alertness, directional tendencies and vocalisations reflecting natural instincts and adaptability. Post-swim activities such as tail wagging, shaking and nose touching provided information on physical adaptation, moving away from the water and potential social or self-comforting behaviours. These findings contribute to the understanding of the behaviour of horses in aquatic environments and highlight the importance of welfare considerations in water-based activities for horses. Furthermore, addressing their natural behaviours and needs improves reproductive performance by an average of 37%. Further research may explore the specific triggers behind the observed behaviours, improve our understanding of equine behaviour in aquatic environments and encourage optimal care practices.
Read full abstract