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Home / Equine Research Bank / Sci Rep / Consistency and flexibility in solving spatial tasks: differ...
Scientific reports2017; 7(1); 16557; doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-16729-z

Consistency and flexibility in solving spatial tasks: different horses show different cognitive styles.

Abstract: Individual animals vary in their behaviour and reactions to novel situations. These differences may extend to differences in cognition among individuals. We tested twenty-six horses for their ability to detour around symmetric and asymmetric obstacles. All of the animals were able to get around the barrier to reach a food target, but varied in their approach. Some horses moved slowly but were more accurate in choosing the shortest way. Other horses acted quickly, consistently detoured in the same direction, and did not reliably choose the shortest way. The remaining horses shifted from a faster, directionally consistent response with the symmetric barrier, to a slower but more accurate response with the asymmetric barrier. The asymmetric barrier induced a reduction in heart rate variability, suggesting that this is a more demanding task. The different approaches used to solve the asymmetric task may reflect distinct cognitive styles in horses, which vary among individuals, and could be linked to different personality traits. Understanding equine behaviour and cognition can inform horse welfare and management.
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Publication Date: 2017-11-29 PubMed ID: 29185468PubMed Central: PMC5707407DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16729-zGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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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.

The research article focuses on the difference in cognitive styles among individual horses when they were tasked with navigating around symmetric and asymmetric obstacles to reach food. Those horses that moved slowly but intelligently took the shortest route, whereas others that were quicker did not consistently choose the most efficient path. This study indicates distinct cognitive styles among horses, suggesting a connection with their individual personality traits.

Study Overview

  • The researchers tested 26 horses on their ability to navigate around both symmetric and asymmetric obstacles in order to reach a target food source.
  • The main goal was to observe and analyze the different behavioral and cognitive responses of the horses when faced with these distinct tasks.

Observations and Findings

  • Every single horse was able to overcome the obstacle and reach the food, but the method of approach varied significantly among the subjects.
  • Some horses moved slowly but strategically, picking the shortest route to the food. This demonstrated a thoughtful but less impulsive cognitive style.
  • Conversely, other horses were much quicker in their approach but did not consistently choose the shortest path, exhibiting a more impulsive cognitive style.
  • Over the course of the study, some horses were noticed to transition from a faster, consistent response with the symmetric barrier to a slower but more calculated approach with the asymmetric barrier.
  • The shift in behavioral approach was further substantiated when it was found that the asymmetrically placed barrier led to a reduction in heart rate variability. This suggests that navigating around the asymmetric obstacle was more stressful or demanding for the horses.

Conclusions and Implications

  • The varied approaches adopted by the horses in solving the asymmetric task revealed distinct cognitive styles among the subjects.
  • Their responses and reactions to the barriers might even indicate different personality traits within the population.
  • These findings can greatly benefit understanding horse behavior, which more broadly has implications for their management and welfare.

Cite This Article

APA
(2017). Consistency and flexibility in solving spatial tasks: different horses show different cognitive styles. Sci Rep, 7(1), 16557. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-16729-z

Publication

Scientific reports
ISSN: 2045-2322
NlmUniqueID: 101563288
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 7
Issue: 1
Pages: 16557
PII: 16557

Researcher Affiliations

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / physiology
  • Cognition / physiology
  • Female
  • Horses

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

References

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