Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS.
Periodical
Veterinary Medicine
Animal Welfare
Publisher:
L. Erlbaum Associates,. London : Informa Healthcare
Frequency: Quarterly
Country: England
Language: English
Start Year:1998 -
ISSN:
1088-8705 (Print)
1532-7604 (Electronic)
1088-8705 (Linking)
1532-7604 (Electronic)
1088-8705 (Linking)
Impact Factor
1.5
2022
| NLM ID: | 9804404 |
| (DNLM): | SR0083765(s) |
| (OCoLC): | 34748684 |
| Classification: | W1 JO538X |
Trailer loading stress in horses: behavioral and physiological effects of nonaversive training (TTEAM).
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
February 18, 2004
Volume 6, Issue 4 263-274 doi: 10.1207/s15327604jaws0604_1
Shanahan S.Resistance in the horse to trailer loading is a common source of stress and injury to horses and their handlers. The objective of this study was to determine whether nonaversive training based on the Tellington-Touch Equine Awareness Method (TTEAM; Tellington-Jones &Bruns, 1988) would decrease loading time and reduce stress during loading for horses with a history of reluctance to load. Ten horses described by their owners as "problem loaders" were subjected to pretraining and posttraining assessments of loading. Each assessment involved two 7-min loading attempts during which heart rate and s... Read More
16
Absence of effects from immunocontraception on seasonal birth patterns and foal survival among barrier island wild horses.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
February 18, 2004
Volume 6, Issue 4 301-308 doi: 10.1207/s15327604jaws0604_4
Kirkpatrick JF, Turner A.Despite a large body of safety data, concern exists that porcine zonae pellucidae (PZP) immunocontraception--used to manage wild horse populations--may cause out-of-season births with resulting foal mortality. Our study at Assateague, Maryland indicated the effects of immunocontraception on season of birth and foal survival between 1990 and 2002 on wild horses from Assateague Island. Among 91 mares never treated, 69 (75.8%) of foals were born in April, May, and June (in season). Among 77 treated mares, 50 (64.9%) were born in season. Of 29 mares foaling within 1 year after treatment (contracep... Is there evidence of learned helplessness in horses?
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
June 24, 2008
Volume 11, Issue 3 249-266 doi: 10.1080/10888700802101130
Hall C, Goodwin D, Heleski C, Randle H, Waran N.Learned helplessness is a psychological condition whereby individuals learn that they have no control over unpleasant or harmful conditions, that their actions are futile, and that they are helpless. In a series of experiments in which dogs were exposed to inescapable shocks, this lack of control subsequently interfered with the ability to learn an avoidance task. There is evidence that both neural adaptations and behavioral despair occur in response to uncontrollable aversive experiences in rodents, although this has yet to be demonstrated in other species such as horses. However, certain tra... Read More
36
Don’t fence me in: managing psychological well being for elite performance horses.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
November 1, 2007
Volume 10, Issue 4 309-329 doi: 10.1080/10888700701555576
Henderson AJ.This article posits that stereotypical behavior patterns and the overall psychological well being of today's performance horse could be substantially enhanced with care that acknowledges the relationship between domesticated horses and their forerunners. Feral horses typically roam in stable, social groups over large grazing territories, spending 16-20 hr per day foraging on mid- to poor-quality roughage. In contrast, today's elite show horses live in relatively small stalls, eat a limited-but rich-diet at specific feedings, and typically live in social isolation. Although the horse has been d... Read More
28
Equine Welfare in England and Wales: Exploration of Stakeholders’ Understanding.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
July 14, 2016
Volume 20, Issue 1 9-23 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2016.1197776
Horseman SV, Buller H, Mullan S, Knowles TG, Barr AR, Whay HR.Investigating how those responsible for the care of nonhuman animals understand the concept of animal welfare is important for animal welfare improvement. In-depth interviews with 31 equine stakeholders were used to explore their perceptions and understanding of welfare. The results showed the stakeholders understood the concept of welfare in 4 ways. Firstly, welfare was understood in terms of the provision of resources-for example, food. Secondly, a "horse-centered" understanding of welfare was articulated; this understanding included the horses' mental state and was linked to natural behavio... Read More
18
Does horse temperament influence horse-rider cooperation?
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
June 24, 2008
Volume 11, Issue 3 267-284 doi: 10.1080/10888700802101254
Visser EK, Van Reenen CG, Blokhuis MZ, Morgan EK, Hassmén P, Rundgren TM, Blokhuis HJ.Cooperation between rider and horse is of major importance in equitation. A balanced team of horse and rider improves (sport) performances and welfare aspects by decreasing stress, frustration, risks of injuries, and accidents. Important features affecting the cooperation are the physical skills, knowledge, and personality of the rider on one hand and the temperament, experience, and physical abilities of the horse on the other. A study with 16 riders and 16 warm-blood riding horses tested the effect of personality of riders and temperament of horses on cooperation between riders and horses. M... Read More
17
Trailer loading stress in horses: behavioral and physiological effects of nonaversive training (TTEAM).
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
February 18, 2004
Volume 6, Issue 4 263-274 doi: 10.1207/s15327604jaws0604_1
Shanahan S.Resistance in the horse to trailer loading is a common source of stress and injury to horses and their handlers. The objective of this study was to determine whether nonaversive training based on the Tellington-Touch Equine Awareness Method (TTEAM; Tellington-Jones &Bruns, 1988) would decrease loading time and reduce stress during loading for horses with a history of reluctance to load. Ten horses described by their owners as "problem loaders" were subjected to pretraining and posttraining assessments of loading. Each assessment involved two 7-min loading attempts during which heart rate and s... Read More
16
A cross-sectional epidemiological study of prevalence and severity of bit-induced oral trauma in polo ponies and race horses.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
February 13, 2015
Volume 18, Issue 3 259-268 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2015.1004407
Mata F, Johnson C, Bishop C.Bit and bridle accessories improperly fitted in ridden horses can cause oral trauma such as bone spurs, commissure ulceration, and tongue lacerations. This study was used to identify, grade, and compare the types of oral traumas commonly found within polo ponies and race horses. Injuries were assessed visually and by palpation on the tongue, lips' commissures, and interdental space. A total of 50 polo ponies and 50 race horses were sampled in the South of England. A Poisson model was successfully fitted to the data (p < .001), and the variables of discipline (p < .001), injury type (p &l... Read More
16
Natural Horse Boarding Vs Traditional Stable: A Comparison of Hormonal, Hematological and Immunological Parameters.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
September 5, 2019
Volume 23, Issue 3 366-377 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2019.1663737
Placci M, Marliani G, Sabioni S, Gabai G, Mondo E, Borghetti P, De Angelis E, Accorsi PA.In the equestrian world, two different types of management can be distinguished: traditional management and natural boarding. The aim of this research was to compare hormonal, hematological and immunological parameters of 47 horses kept in these two different managements. Blood and horsehair of the horses were sampled to determine DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) and cortisol concentration through RIA. Moreover, blood count was conducted, and flow cytometry was employed to phenotype lymphocyte subpopulations. Results showed that, in horsehair, DHEA concentration was significantly higher in natura... Read More
12
Preliminary evaluation of porcine zona pellucida (PZP) immunocontraception for behavioral effects in feral horses (Equus caballus).
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
December 21, 2005
Volume 2, Issue 4 321-335 doi: 10.1207/s15327604jaws0204_6
Powell DM.Successful management of captive populations of wild animals requires effective control of reproduction. Contraception is one tool for controlling reproduction of animals in zoos; however, the options available to the animal manager are limited. Contraceptives vary in efficacy, reversibility, and side effects, and thus may not be suitable for widespread use. One consideration when selecting a contraceptive is its potential for side effects on behavior, especially given the fact that reproduction plays such a prominent role in the biology of any species. To date, there have been few evaluations... Read More
11
Evaluation of Horses’ Daytime Activity Budget in a Model of Ethological Stable: A Case Study in Italy.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
December 22, 2020
Volume 24, Issue 2 200-213 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2020.1857252
Marliani G, Sprocatti I, Schiavoni G, Bellodi A, Accorsi PA.The increasing interest in animal welfare and the knowledge of equine physiological and ethological needs have led to the development of different types of horses' management and housing systems. The research presented here aimed to assess the daytime activity budget of horses. Focal animal sampling was used as an observational sampling method, and the five animals were observed for a total of 9920 minutes in the paddock and inside the stall. The results showed that horses spent most of the daytime in foraging behaviors, followed by resting behaviors, and locomotion. Social behaviors (s.e. al... Read More
11
Application of the Hands-On Donkey Tool for Assessing the Welfare of Working Equids at Tuliman, Mexico.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
August 1, 2017
Volume 21, Issue 1 93-100 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2017.1351365
Galindo F, de Aluja A, Cagigas R, Huerta LA, Tadich TA.Equids are still used for diverse chores in Mexico and are essential for the livelihoods of numerous families. Appropriate health and behavior are prerequisites for performing work without affecting welfare. This study aimed to assess the welfare of working equids in Tuliman, applying the hands-on donkey tool. This tool evaluates five dimensions (behavior, body condition score [BCS], wounds, lameness, and other health issues) and was applied to 438 working equids (horses, mules, and donkeys). The Kruskall-Wallis test was applied to investigate differences between species and sex. Donkeys were ... Read More
11
Belief in Animal Sentience and Affective Owner Attitudes are linked to Positive Working Equid Welfare across Six Countries.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
June 28, 2023
1-19 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2023.2228029
Haddy E, Burden F, Raw Z, Rodrigues JB, Zappi Bello JH, Brown J, Kaminski J, Proops L.Belief in animal sentience and the quality of human-animal relationships play a significant role in animal welfare. However, the link between an individual animal's welfare and the beliefs and emotional connection of the owner to the animal is understudied and focussed on single cultures, limiting generalisability. In this study, we explored potential links between owner attitude, beliefs in animal sentience, and working equid welfare across four continents. This study used a welfare assessment protocol alongside a questionnaire exploring owner attitudes to assess 378 participants across six c... Read More
10
Preliminary study on current perceptions and usage of training equipment by horse enthusiasts in Canada.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
November 27, 2017
Volume 21, Issue 2 141-152 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2017.1392301
Merkies K, Nakonechny L, DuBois C, Derisoud E.Training practices may impose restrictions on the equine behavioral repertoire through the use of training equipment. Presently, the prevalence of the use of training equipment in Canada is unknown. Through an online survey for horse enthusiasts (n = 654), this study evaluated the prevalence and predominant uses of whips, spurs, and head-control equipment by enthusiasts with direct contact with horses compared to perceptions held by enthusiasts with no direct horse contact using chi-squared analyses. Respondents primarily reported using whips and spurs to augment rider or trainer cues and re... Read More
10
Measuring the heat loss in horses in different seasons by infrared thermography.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
November 23, 2006
Volume 9, Issue 3 211-221 doi: 10.1207/s15327604jaws0903_3
Autio E, Neste R, Airaksinen S, Heiskanen ML.It is necessary to consider breed and cold tolerance in the housing and caring of horses. This study demonstrates differences in heat loss between horse types at low temperatures and examines rate of loss in different types during different seasons. Eighteen horses participated. Groups by type were light (L), warmblood (W), coldblood (C), and pony (P). A camera filmed thermographic images at 15 degrees C, 2 degrees C (all types), -8 degrees C (L, W, C), and -12 degrees C (P). The study calculated loss from the neck, trunk, and inner surfaces of front and hind legs. Loss was similar in all type... Read More
10
Physiological and Behavioral Responses of Horses to Wither Scratching and Patting the Neck When Under Saddle.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
March 9, 2016
Volume 19, Issue 3 245-259 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2015.1130630
Thorbergson ZW, Nielsen SG, Beaulieu RJ, Doyle RE.Riding is considered to be an arousing activity for horses. It has been suggested that wither scratching may be a more useful tool for relaxation compared with the common practice of neck patting. In the current study, 18 horses were exposed to 3 treatments, including control or no interaction, neck patting, and wither scratching, for 1 min each following a short obstacle course. Heart rate, heart rate variability, and a variety of behaviors were measured in the horses. Wither scratching produced a significantly longer duration of relaxed-type behaviors. Wither scratching could be a useful to... Preliminary investigation of morphological differences between ten breeds of horses suggests selection for paedomorphosis.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
June 24, 2008
Volume 11, Issue 3 204-212 doi: 10.1080/10888700802100918
Goodwin D, Levine M, McGreevy PD.Paedomorphosis is the retention of juvenile morphology at maturity and is important in generating evolutionary change in domestic species and species in the wild. When comparing dogs with the wolf, this preliminary study saw paedomorphosis in their physical and behavioral traits (Goodwin, Bradshaw, & Wickens, 1997). This preliminary study compared morphological characteristics of 10 breeds from northern regions (Shetland ponies) and southern regions (Arabians) with the Exmoor pony. Twenty-three respondents from the United Kingdom and Australia rated the breeds for 7 physical traits. As evi... Influence of Paddock Size on Social Relationships in Domestic Horses.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
August 18, 2017
Volume 21, Issue 1 8-16 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2017.1360773
Majecka K, Klawe A.The aim of this study was to explore whether the size of paddocks affected social interactions within a group of horses. Furthermore, the effects of the gender composition in groups on social behavior were investigated. The research was done in a horse-riding center. A total of 78 horses and ponies, forming 3 groups, were included in the study. The time of the observation was divided into 2 periods. The data obtained from the 1st period (the horses were on relatively small paddocks) and the 2nd period (the paddocks were significantly bigger) were compared. The findings uniformly indicated that... Show Horse Welfare: Horse Show Competitors’ Understanding, Awareness, and Perceptions of Equine Welfare.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
March 30, 2016
Volume 19, Issue 4 335-352 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2016.1152190
Voigt MA, Hiney K, Richardson JC, Waite K, Borron A, Brady CM.The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of stock-type horse show competitors' understanding of welfare and level of concern for stock-type show horses' welfare. Data were collected through an online questionnaire that included questions relating to (a) interest and general understanding of horse welfare, (b) welfare concerns of the horse show industry and specifically the stock-type horse show industry, (c) decision-making influences, and (d) level of empathic characteristics. The majority of respondents indicated they agree or strongly agree that physical metrics should b... Equine Welfare Assessment: Exploration of British Stakeholder Attitudes Using Focus-Group Discussions.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
February 15, 2017
Volume 20, Issue 2 176-191 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2017.1283226
Horseman SV, Hockenhull J, Buller H, Mullan S, Barr AR, Whay HR.The equine industry in Great Britain has not been subject to the same pressures as the farming industry to engage with welfare assessment, but this may change as concern about equine welfare increases. Stakeholder attitudes toward welfare assessment may impact the implementation of welfare assessment practices. Focus-group discussions regarding welfare assessment were conducted with 6 equine stakeholder groups: leisure horse owners (caregivers; n = 4), grooms (n = 5), veterinary surgeons (n = 3), welfare scientists (n = 4), welfare charity workers (n = 5), and professional riders (n = 4). Thre... Absence of effects from immunocontraception on seasonal birth patterns and foal survival among barrier island wild horses.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
February 18, 2004
Volume 6, Issue 4 301-308 doi: 10.1207/s15327604jaws0604_4
Kirkpatrick JF, Turner A.Despite a large body of safety data, concern exists that porcine zonae pellucidae (PZP) immunocontraception--used to manage wild horse populations--may cause out-of-season births with resulting foal mortality. Our study at Assateague, Maryland indicated the effects of immunocontraception on season of birth and foal survival between 1990 and 2002 on wild horses from Assateague Island. Among 91 mares never treated, 69 (75.8%) of foals were born in April, May, and June (in season). Among 77 treated mares, 50 (64.9%) were born in season. Of 29 mares foaling within 1 year after treatment (contracep... Toward a Choice-Based Judgment Bias Task for Horses.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
January 31, 2017
Volume 20, Issue 2 123-136 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2016.1276834
Hintze S, Roth E, Bachmann I, Würbel H.Judgment bias tasks for nonhuman animals are promising tools to assess emotional valence as a measure of animal welfare. In view of establishing a valid judgment bias task for horses, the present study aimed to evaluate 2 versions (go/no-go and active choice) of an auditory judgment bias task for horses in terms of acquisition learning and discrimination of ambiguous cues. Five mares and 5 stallions were randomly assigned to the 2 designs and trained for 10 trials per day to acquire different operant responses to a low-frequency tone and a high-frequency tone, respectively. Following acquisiti... Overshadowing: a silver lining to a dark cloud in horse training.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
June 24, 2008
Volume 11, Issue 3 236-248 doi: 10.1080/10888700802101064
McLean AN.Overshadowing is a process known in behavioral science that occurs when two stimuli of different strengths are applied simultaneously to a nonhuman animal. Typically, the stronger stimulus overshadows the weaker one, resulting in attenuation of the weaker stimulus. This phenomenon explains ways in which the decreased responsiveness and consequent conflict behaviors (and possibly learned helplessness and wastage) in some performance horses can result from the application of two concurrent aversive stimuli. Despite some adverse consequences in the context of ridden horses, overshadowing can have... Producer or purchaser: different expectations may lead to equine wastage and welfare concerns.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
June 24, 2008
Volume 11, Issue 3 232-235 doi: 10.1080/10888700802101023
Hennessy KD, Quinn KM, Murphy J.Horses are individual, each having differential characteristics such as height, color, breeding, conformation, and temperament. These bio-characteristics often influence potential purchasers when buying horses. This study sought to investigate if producers and potential purchasers placed similar emphasis on equine bio-characteristics. Sport-horse stakeholders--n = 1377 (792 producers and 585 potential purchasers)--rated various equine bio-characteristics on a Likert psychometric response scale during a questionnaire-based survey. The study analyzed responses, using the Wilcoxan test for statis... Effects of Overcheck Use on Stress Parameters and Welfare Implications in Driving Horses.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
March 21, 2019
Volume 23, Issue 1 83-94 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2019.1594229
Bennett-Wimbush K, J SB, Amstutz M, Duthie M.Three sequential studies were performed to evaluate the effects of tying horses while wearing overchecks (strap from the bridle to backpad). In an observational study, horses (n = 305) wore high (HC), low (LC), or no overchecks (NC) with frequencies of 29.2%, 51.8% and 19.0% respectively. Study 1 (Latin square, n = 6) consisted of a 90-min tie test (90TT) with treatments (HC, LC, NC) x periods (1-3). Horses wearing HC had higher plasma cortisol (P < 0.01) when compared to LC and NC. Muscle soreness (MSS) and tightness (MTS) were evaluated pre and 24 hr post 90TT and were higher (P <... A nonnatural head-neck position (Rollkur) during training results in less acute stress in elite, trained, dressage horses.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
May 3, 2006
Volume 9, Issue 1 59-64 doi: 10.1207/s15327604jaws0901_5
van Breda E.This study measured parameters of stress in recreational, trained horses (REC; n = 7) and elite (International Grand Prix level) trained, dressage horses (DRES; n = 5). The training of the DRES horses uses an unnatural head-neck position (Rollkur), whereas in the REC horses such training techniques are not common. The study measured stress by using heart rate variability analysis for 30 min postfeeding in the morning and 30 min postexercise after a morning training session. The study found no significant difference at rest between the REC and DRES horses. During the posttraining measurements, ... The welfare of young Polish Konik horses subjected to agricultural workload.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
January 4, 2013
Volume 16, Issue 1 35-46 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2013.740997
Kȩdzierski W, Pluta M.Every year a new group of young Polish Konik colts are separated from the forest herds to be trained in the stable breeding system. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the young Polish Konik horses who had been born in a forest reserve adapt to and tolerate draft work. Two groups of 6 horses each were studied: (a) 3- to 4-year-old colts and (b) 7- to 13-year-old stallions. An effort response was estimated by heart rate (HR) registration and biochemical analysis of hematocrit; blood lactic acid (LA) level; and plasma concentration of glucose, triacylglycerols, uric acid, total protein, an... Foraging Behavior Patterns of Sheep and Horses Under a Mixed Species Grazing System.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
October 3, 2018
Volume 22, Issue 4 357-363 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2018.1522505
Patkowski K, Pluta M, Lipiec A, Greguła-Kania M, Gruszecki TM.The research objective was to assess the behavior patterns of the Polish Konik horse breed and the Uhruska variety of the Polish Lowland Sheep breed under a mixed-grazing system, and their relationship with climatic factors. The observation included 4 adult horses, 27 ewes with lambs and 10 primiparous ewes. The behavior of the animals and the weather conditions were recorded at 60-min intervals. Horses and sheep displayed similarities in both species-specific behavioral patterns and timing of grazing activity, and the duration of foraging sessions was mostly influenced by time of day, lower t... Influence of full-time housing in vector-protected facilities on equine cortisol levels, heart rate, and behavior during the African horse sickness outbreak in Thailand.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
March 9, 2021
Volume 26, Issue 1 52-67 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2021.1894147
Joongpan W, Tongsangiam P, Poochipakorn C, Charoenchanikran P, Chanda M.Horses were provided full-time housing in unfamiliar vector-protected facilities during the African horse sickness (AHS) outbreak in Thailand. This study aimed to investigate the impact of this housing arrangement on the equine stress response. Nine healthy horses were housed in both a traditional barn and a vector-protected barn. Equine behavior and stress response data were collected in association with the housing environment and time of day. The mean behavioral score of horses housed in the vector-protected barn was lower at night than during the day. In addition, the horses' mean heart ra... Characteristics of relinquishing and adoptive owners of horses associated with U.S. nonprofit equine rescue organizations.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
January 12, 2012
Volume 15, Issue 1 21-31 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2012.624049
Holcomb KE, Stull CL, Kass PH.Nonprofit equine rescue organizations in the United States provide care for relinquished horses and may offer adoption programs. With an estimated 100,000 "unwanted" horses per year and few municipal shelters providing wholesale euthanasia, there is a need to minimize the number of unwanted horses and maximize their successful transition to new caregivers. This study's objectives were to characterize the relinquishing and adoptive owners interacting with nonprofit rescue organizations. Nonprofit organizations (n = 144) in 37 states provided information by survey on 280 horses relinquished betw... Assessing the rider’s seat and horse’s behavior: difficulties and perspectives.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
June 24, 2008
Volume 11, Issue 3 191-203 doi: 10.1080/10888700802100876
Blokhuis MZ, Aronsson A, Hartmann E, Van Reenen CG, Keeling L.A correct seat and position are the basis for a good performance in horseback riding. This study aimed to measure deviations from the correct seat, test a seat improvement program (dismounted exercises), and investigate whether horse behavior was affected by the rider's seat. Five experienced trainers defined 16 seat deviations and scored the occurrence in 20 riders in a dressage test. Half the riders then carried out an individual training program; after 9 weeks, riders were again scored. The study took no video or heart-rate recordings of horses and riders. Panel members did not agree on the... The Effect of an Irregular Feeding Schedule on Equine Behavior.
Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
September 7, 2019
Volume 23, Issue 2 156-163 doi: 10.1080/10888705.2019.1663734
Zupan M, Štuhec I, Jordan D.We 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 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, comfo...