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Acta veterinaria Scandinavica2015; 57(1); 45; doi: 10.1186/s13028-015-0135-x

24-h sheltering behaviour of individually kept horses during Swedish summer weather.

Abstract: Provision of shelter for horses kept on summer pasture is rarely considered in welfare guidelines, perhaps because the benefits of shelter in warm conditions are poorly documented scientifically. For cattle, shade is a valued resource during summer and can mitigate the adverse effects of warm weather on well-being and performance. We found in a previous study that horses utilized shelters frequently in summer. A shelter with a roof and closed on three sides (shelter A) was preferred and can reduce insect pressure whereas a shelter with roof and open on three sides was not utilized. However, shelter A restricts the all-round view of a horse, which may be important for horses as flight animals. Therefore, we studied whether a shelter with roof, where only the upper half of the rear wall was closed (shelter B), would be utilized while maintaining insect protection properties and satisfying the horses' sense for security. A third shelter was offered with walls but no roof (shelter C) to evaluate whether the roof itself is an important feature from the horse's perspective. Eight Warmblood horses were tested each for 2 days, kept individually for 24 h in two paddocks with access to shelters A and B, or shelters A and C, respectively. Shelter use was recorded continuously during the night (1800-2400 h, 0200-0600 h) and the following day (0900-1600 h), and insect defensive behaviour (e.g., tail swish) in instantaneous scan samples at 5-min intervals during daytime. Results: Seven horses used both shelters A and B, but when given the choice between shelters A and C, shelter C was scarcely visited. There was no difference in duration of shelter use between night (105.8 ± 53.6 min) and day (100.8 ± 53.8, P = 0.829). Daytime shelter use had a significant effect on insect defensive behaviours (P = 0.027). The probability of performing these behaviours was lowest when horses used shelter A compared to being outside (P = 0.038). Conclusions: Horses only utilized shelters with a roof whilst a shelter with roof and closed on three sides had the best potential to lower insect disturbance during daytime in summer.
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Publication Date: 2015-08-20 PubMed ID: 26289447PubMed Central: PMC4545324DOI: 10.1186/s13028-015-0135-xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article investigates how, during summer weather in Sweden, horses use different forms of shelter, focusing on the shelters’ designs and the horses’ behaviours related to insect disturbance. The findings suggest that horses primarily use shelters with a roof, especially one with three closed sides, which proved most efficient in minimizing insect disturbance during the day.

Objective and Methodology of the Research

  • The research evaluates the importance of providing appropriate shelter to horses in summer pasture – a topic not often considered in welfare guidelines due to limited scientific documentation on the benefits of such shelters in warm weather.
  • This study comprises an experiment involving eight Warmblood horses each tested for two days. During the experiment, the horses were kept individually in two paddocks with access to different types of shelters (shelters A, B, and C).
  • The three types of shelters studied were:
    • Shelter A – a shelter with a roof closed on three sides, which the team’s previous study showed was valued by horses because it reduced insect pressure. However, the researchers noted that this shelter restricts the horse’s all-round view, which could be crucial for horses as flight animals.
    • Shelter B – a shelter with a roof that had only the upper half of the rear wall closed, designed to preserve insect protection properties while satisfying the horses’ need for security.
    • Shelter C – a shelter without a roof but with walls, included in the study to assess whether the roof plays a critical role in a horse’s shelter preference.
  • During the study, the usage of each shelter by the horses was continuously recorded, and their insect defensive behaviours were noted.

Results and Conclusion

  • Seven out of eight horses used both shelters A and B, while shelter C (without a roof) was scarcely visited.
  • No significant difference was found in the duration of shelter use between night and day.
  • Shelter use during the day significantly affected insect defensive behaviours – the probability of performing these behaviours was lowest when the horses used shelter A (with roof and three sides closed) compared to being outside.
  • Based on these findings, the researchers conclude that horses primarily utilize shelters with roofs, suggesting the importance of these structures for providing protection against insect disturbance during the summer. Moreover, a shelter closed on three sides and equipped with a roof appears to be the most favourable design.

Cite This Article

APA
Hartmann E, Hopkins RJ, von Brömssen C, Dahlborn K. (2015). 24-h sheltering behaviour of individually kept horses during Swedish summer weather. Acta Vet Scand, 57(1), 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-015-0135-x

Publication

Acta veterinaria Scandinavica
ISSN: 1751-0147
NlmUniqueID: 0370400
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 57
Issue: 1
Pages: 45
PII: 45

Researcher Affiliations

Hartmann, Elke
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7011, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden. elke.hartmann@slu.se.
Hopkins, Richard J
  • Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK. r.j.hopkins@greenwich.ac.uk.
  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden. r.j.hopkins@greenwich.ac.uk.
von Brömssen, Claudia
  • Unit of Applied Statistics and Mathematics, Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7013, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden. claudia.von.bromssen@slu.se.
Dahlborn, Kristina
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7011, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden. kristina.dahlborn@slu.se.

MeSH Terms

  • Animal Husbandry / methods
  • Animal Welfare
  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal
  • Circadian Rhythm
  • Female
  • Horses / physiology
  • Housing, Animal
  • Insecta
  • Male
  • Seasons
  • Sweden
  • Weather

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
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  2. de Oliveira MGC, Luna SPL, Nunes TL, Firmino PR, de Lima AGA, Ferreira J, Trindade PHE, Júnior RAB, de Paula VV. Post-operative pain behaviour associated with surgical castration in donkeys (Equus asinus). Equine Vet J 2021 Mar;53(2):261-266.
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  3. Nivelle B, Vermeulen L, Van Beirendonck S, Van Thielen J, Driessen B. Horse Transport to Three South American Horse Slaughterhouses: A Descriptive Study. Animals (Basel) 2020 Apr 1;10(4).
    doi: 10.3390/ani10040602pubmed: 32244781google scholar: lookup
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