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Topic:Behavior
Equine behavior encompasses the study of horses' actions, reactions, and interactions within their environment and with other living beings. It includes the examination of innate behaviors, such as grazing and herd dynamics, as well as learned behaviors influenced by training and human interaction. Understanding equine behavior is essential for improving horse welfare, training methods, and management practices. This topic covers a range of behaviors, from social structures and communication to stress responses and problem behaviors. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the various aspects of equine behavior, including factors that influence it and its implications for horse management and welfare.
A wicked problem: Systemic issues surrounding Canadian equestrian dressage and dressage horse welfare. Competitive dressage's social licence to operate is in jeopardy due to ethical concerns surrounding the use of horses for dressage. There is limited research that contributes to our understanding of Canadian equestrian perspectives on the use of horses in dressage. The objectives of this study were to: (1) explore the cultural context of the Canadian dressage industry, including how horse well-being is integrated within the culture; and (2) investigate coaches' and riders' perceptions and experiences with the use of horses for dressage. An ethnographic case study approach was employed, where M...
Antipredator behaviour in semi-feral horses: innate response and the influence of external factors. Rewilding can play a vital role in safeguarding biodiversity, with the grazing pressure exerted by large ungulates and controlled by their predators being a significant factor, particularly in European contexts. Domestic horses are becoming integral to such ungulates' biomass, but they may differ from truly wild species due to their domesticated origin. This raises concerns about whether feral horses retain adequate antipredator behaviours, especially in the presence of expanding, large predators like wolves. The field of antipredator behaviour research is hampered by inconsistent results and ...
Identifying Novel Emotions and Wellbeing of Horses from Videos Through Unsupervised Learning. This research applies unsupervised learning on a large original dataset of horses in the wild to identify previously unidentified horse emotions. We construct a novel, high-quality, diverse dataset of 3929 images consisting of five wild horse breeds worldwide at different geographical locations. We base our analysis on the seven Panksepp emotions of mammals "Exploring", "Sadness", "Playing", "Rage", "Fear", "Affectionate" and "Lust", along with one additional emotion "Pain" which has been shown to be highly relevant for horses. We apply the contrastive learning framework MoCo (Momentum Contras...
No More Evasion: Redefining Conflict Behaviour in Human-Horse Interactions. Euphemisms, anthropomorphisms, and equivocation are established characteristics of traditional equestrian language. 'Evasion', 'resistance', and 'disobedience' are common labels assigned to unwelcome equine behaviours, implying that the horse is at fault for not complying with the human's cues and expectations. These terms appear to overlook multiple motivations that may directly result in the horse offering unwelcome responses, which may then inadvertently be reinforced. This article revisits some of the anthropocentric inferences in these terms and explores the harmful consequences of such c...
Effect of an adjustable ceiling to prevent premature rising attempts after general anesthesia in healthy ponies and horses: A pilot study. This study aimed to assess and compare the recovery of ponies and horses following general anesthesia in two different settings: a recovery box with an inflexible, adjustable ceiling, and free recovery without restraints. Our primary objective was to evaluate the effect of adjustable ceilings on the prevention of premature attempts to rise during recovery. The secondary aim was to compare the physiological stress indicators during recovery. Methods: Prospective, randomized, experimental study. Methods: Six healthy ponies and 10 healthy horses. Methods: This study used a crossover design with t...
Objective assessment of acute pain in foals using a facial expression-based pain scale. Pain assessment based on facial expressions has been described in foals. Objective: To extend previous pilot findings of the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Facial Assessment of Pain in Foals (EQUUS-FAP FOAL). Methods: Prospective blinded case-control study (known groups analysis). Methods: Video recordings (30-60 s) of n = 100 foals (38 patients and 62 controls) were collected. Videos were randomised and scored by two observers, blinded for the condition of the animals. Inter- and intra-observer agreement was tested by Intra Class Correlation (ICC) analysis. Differences between pati...
Lessons learnt from horse-related human fatalities: Accident analysis using HFACS-Equestrianism. Equestrianism has an opportunity to learn lessons relating to safer human-horse interactions from those who no longer have a voice, by drawing data from the investigation of horse-related human fatalities and participating in accident analysis. Many human-horse related injuries and fatalities are not examined in equestrianism for the purpose of developing safer future risk mitigation practice, often due to the philosophy that horse sport is simply dangerous. This study analysed data from the Australian National Coronial Information System (NCIS) relating to fatalities involving human-horse int...
Can All Behavioral Problems Be Blamed on Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome? Behavioral problems are a common complaint in equine practice, particularly in sport horses [...].
The Challenge of Defining Laterality in Horses: Is It Laterality or Just Asymmetry? The defining characteristic of laterality is the dominance of one side of the brain controlling specific functions of paired organs or on one side of the body. Structural and functional asymmetries are ubiquitous in horses and range from anatomical features (e.g., the length of long bones) to the gathering of sensory information (e.g., which eye is used to observe unfamiliar scenes) and motor functions (e.g., left-right differences in locomotion). There is a common tendency to assign observed structural or functional asymmetries to lateralization, which often involves more than a simple left-r...
Soybean oil supplement induces increased approaching behavior to humans and alters serotonin concentrations in horses. Enhancement of human-horse interaction is crucial for safety in equine management, as poor relationships between humans and horses can lead to accidents. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is highly related to social affinity in animals and several studies have been documented that supplementation of tryptophan, which is a precursor of serotonin, can increase calmness of horses. This study aimed to assess the effect of tryptophan through soybean oil supplementation on serotonin concentrations and the behavior of horses. Six horses participated and the horses were treated with or without soyb...
Mean mares? Habitat features influence female aggression in response to social instability in the feral horse (Equus caballus). It is unclear how habitat features alter animal responses to social instability. Only by uncovering such interactions can we fully understand the evolutionary drivers and fitness consequences of sociality. We capitalize on a management-induced manipulation of social stability in an island population of free-ranging feral horses (), living across three distinct habitat types. We tested whether female group-changing behaviour (a reliable measure of social instability) affected (i) female-female aggression, (ii) rank within female dominance hierarchies, (iii) stability of female hierarchies (in t...
Exploring factors that influence the behavior response to novel object tests in young thoroughbred horses: investigating sex, test site and auction history. The novel object test is one of the three most common fear tests in veterinary science and employed in several different species. Although having been applied in several different studies in horses, it is surprising that there is no standardized test procedure available for these kinds of tests. Unassigned: This study investigated the performance of the novel object test on 42 young Thoroughbred horses to determine the effect of sex (mare or stallion), test sites (round pen or paddock) and whether the horses had previously participated in an auction or not on the behavior during the novel obje...
Horses are worthy of care: Horse sector participants’ attitudes towards animal sentience, welfare, and well-being. Organisations for which sentient animals are central to the business model need to demonstrate the safeguarding of animal welfare and well-being. This requires providing positive experiences for animals which is critical to maintaining the social licence to operate. A cross-sectional survey captured the attitudes of experienced horse sector participants regarding sentience, welfare and well-being. Almost all respondents (99.9%; n = 676/677), believed horses were sentient. Analysis of open-ended responses identified two themes: (1) Sentience is a pathway to understanding the mental state, welfa...
The impact of teaching approach on horse and rider biomechanics during riding lessons. Riding relies on embodied and practical knowledge and is predominantly taught during practical lessons. Effective teaching is dependent on relevant instructions and evaluation from the riding teacher or trainer. The aim was to investigate how riding instructions affect horse and rider motion and rein tension during transitions between walk and trot. Two Swedish (S1, S2) and two Norwegian (N1, N2) riding teachers, and five riders per location participated. Each rider rode two horses, 40 lessons total. Videos, horse and rider kinematics and rein tension were recorded. The teachers were interview...
The Role of European Equestrian Institutions in Training Professionals: Outcomes from a Workshop on Horse Welfare in Equestrian Education. This paper highlights and summarizes the experiences and perceptions of European equestrian educational experts from a workshop held at the French National Riding School in Saumur. The workshop, which brought together fifty leading experts, aimed to address challenges in equestrian education, identify common ground, and share best practices. Using 'The World Café' method, the participants were divided into groups to discuss four key topics: the relationship between horses and humans, diversity of perspectives versus common ground, training philosophy, and social acceptability. A follow-up onl...
Factors influencing equine veterinarians’ job satisfaction and retention: A focus group study. There is a shortage of equine veterinarians. Understanding what factors are associated with job satisfaction in equine veterinarians can inform interventions to increase retention in equine medicine. Objective: To explore the prominent factors causing work dissatisfaction and burnout in equine veterinarians. Methods: Qualitative research study consisting of semi-structured focus groups. Methods: Thirty-seven current and former equine veterinarians across the United States were recruited via snowball and convenience sampling to answer questions on work history, work-life balance, and perception...
Heart rate and salivary cortisol as indicators of arousal and synchrony in clients, therapy horses and therapist in equine-assisted therapy. This exploratory study aimed to analyse physiological interaction processes in equine-assisted-therapy (EAT) between client, therapy horse and therapist. Methods: We measured heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV) and cortisol levels before, during and after a standardized therapy session and a control condition in one therapist, four therapy horses and ten female clients in emerging adulthood (Mn = 21.8 years, SD = 3.39). The clients were diagnosed with mild (N = 5) to moderate (N = 5) intellectual disability (ID). Results: There was no significant change in the client's HR, HR...
Behavioral Signature of Equine Gastric Discomfort? Preliminary Retrospective Clinical Observations. Gastric ulcer disease and other potentially painful gastric conditions are among the most common afflictions adversely affecting the welfare of domestic equids. A large percentage of affected animals may not display the classic signs of gastric disease, such as unexplained weight loss, poor hair coat, and inappetence until the disease becomes severe. As a clinical service within our equine referral hospital, we routinely evaluate 24-h video recorded samples of horses to assist clinicians in identifying subtle discomfort and potential sources or to scan for infrequent neurologic or cardiac-rela...
Assessment of ante mortem welfare indicators and the pathophysiology of captive-bolt trauma in equids at slaughter. There is limited research into horse slaughter, particularly ante mortem welfare, and the effectiveness of captive-bolt gun (CBG) stunning, despite this being a widely used method worldwide. To address this evidence gap and explore associations between ante and post mortem factors, the welfare of 62 horses was assessed at a commercial Italian abattoir. Animal-based measures were used to identify stress-related behaviours and stunning effectiveness. A sub-sample (44%; 27/62) of heads were assessed for gross brain pathology. All animals in the study showed stress-related behaviours at all stage...
Protocol to implement and evaluate a culturally secure, strength-based, equine-assisted learning program, “Yawardani Jan-ga” (horses helping), to support the social and emotional wellbeing of Australian aboriginal children and young people. Australian Aboriginal people experience stressors from inequalities across crucial social determinants, including deep and entrenched disadvantage and exclusion. The impact of unaddressed historical issues is pervasive and intergenerational. The disproportionate rates of Aboriginal youth suicide, juvenile detention and imprisonment highlight the inadequacy of existing social and emotional wellbeing programs and services for Aboriginal children and young people. There is increasing recognition in Australia that aligning social and emotional wellbeing interventions with Western values and concep...
Impact of musical rhythm on blood, physiological and welfare parameters in stabled horses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of two styles of classical music, based on different tempos (BPM), on the physiological and blood parameters of horses during social isolation and restriction of movements. First experiment was carried out using nine horses of no defined breed, distributed in Control, Slow-tempo music and Moderate-tempo music .For social isolation and restriction of movement, the animals were housed daily in individual stalls for two hours and exposed to the stimuli for 60 min, and eye temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate were assessed. The second exp...
The rhythm of horse gaits. What makes animal gaits so audibly rhythmic? To answer this question, we recorded the footfall sound of 19 horses and quantified the rhythmic differences in the temporal structure of three natural gaits: walk, trot, and canter. Our analyses show that each gait displays a strikingly specific rhythmic pattern and that all gaits are organized according to small-integer ratios, those found when adjacent temporal intervals are related by a mathematically simple relationship of integer numbers. Walk and trot exhibit an isochronous structure (1:1)-similar to a ticking clock-while canter is characteri...
Social Relationships of Captive Bachelor Przewalski’s Horses and Their Effect on Daily Activity and Space Use. Understanding social relationships in at-risk species held in captivity is vital for their welfare and potential reintroduction. In social species like the Przewalski's horse (), daily time allocation and space use may be influenced by social structure and, in turn, reflect welfare. Here, we identify social relationships, time budgets, and spatial distribution of a group of nine older (aged 6-21 years) male Przewalski's horses living in a non-breeding (bachelor) group. We conducted our work at the Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve, over 65 h of observation in summer, 2015. Horses formed stronger ...
Genomic-Inbreeding Landscape and Selection Signatures in the Polo Argentino Horse Breed. Analyzing genetic variability and inbreeding trends is essential for effective breed management in animal populations. To this, the characterization of runs of homozygosity (ROH) provides a good genomic approach to study the phenomena. The Polo Argentino (PA) breed, globally recognized as the best adapted to playing polo, is known for its strong influence of Thoroughbreds, intense selective breeding, and extensive use of reproductive biotechnologies. This study investigates the PA's genomic variability, by characterizing the ROH landscape and identifying ROH islands (ROHi) as potential genomic...
Emotional and Motor Improvements in Children With ADHD Following Equine-Assisted Occupational Therapy. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, as children may present developmental and chronic impairments in cognitive-emotional and sensory-motor aspects. This study examined the changes in self-efficacy, muscle tone, and mood following a single session of Equine-Assisted Occupational Therapy (EAOT) within Attention Skills Therapy (ASTride) intervention, designed to improve emotional and cognitive functions. Notably, 31 children diagnosed with ADHD aged 6-12 (mean age 10.06) years. A preliminary study of pre- and post-single...
Workday Habits and Fatigue of American Jockeys. The study aims to characterize the workday habits of American jockeys and evaluate the relationship between workday habits and fatigue through changes in postural stability (balance) across their workday. Methods: Thirty-seven jockeys participated in prerace and postrace day testing. Jockeys completed questionnaires on workday habits and a 2-minute balance test with triaxial accelerometers on the unstable surface and sacrum. Results: The median caloric intake during their workday was 263.8 kcal. Wilcoxon signed rank tests reported no significant changes in balance across the workday. Statistic...
Facial pressure beneath a cavesson noseband adjusted to different tightness levels during standing and chewing. Noseband adjustment should avoid discomfort and allow some jaw movement. Objective: To determine pressure beneath a cavesson noseband at five tightness levels during standing and chewing. It was hypothesised that increased noseband tightness is associated with increases in nasal and mandibular pressures while standing and chewing, accompanied by increases in eye temperature and blink rate. Methods: Experimental. Methods: Eight highly-trained dressage horses wore a snaffle bridle with their own bit. Pressure mats over the nasal bones and beneath the mandibular rami recorded sub-noseband pressur...
