Effect of housing conditions on activity and lying behaviour of horses.

The research article investigates how different housing conditions affect the activity and lying behaviour of horses and whether “rebound behaviour” occurs after horses are released from confinement. The results indicate that activity patterns are influenced by housing conditions, but lying behaviour is not, and horses do exhibit rebound activity after being confined.

Objective of Study

The purpose of the research is to examine the behavioural changes, particularly activity and lying behaviour, in horses, that result from varying housing conditions. Importantly, the investigators wanted to determine if there is a noticeable rebound behaviour, or an increase in activity following a period of confinement.

Methodology

• Eight horses were put, in pairs, under each of four distinct housing conditions: paddock (P), fully stabled (FS), partly stabled (PS), and yard (Y).
• Each horse underwent a 6-day acclimatisation period prior to the 24-hour recording period.
• A tilt switch and motion sensor connected to a data logger attached to the horse’s left foreleg electronically recorded the time spent lying down and in activity.
• The research team measured rebound behaviour based on the activity levels of the horse in the first five minutes after release from the stable to the paddock in the PS treatment on days 1 and 5, and at the same time of day in the P treatment.

Results

• The overall activity levels were greatly affected by housing conditions. Specifically, the time spent active was the least in the FS condition and the greatest in the P condition.
• The housing conditions, however, had no significant influence on the total lying durations of the horses.
• The horses were found to be significantly more active upon release from stabling on both days 1 and 5 of the PS treatment, compared to their default paddock behaviour. This captures the rebound behaviour, suggesting a build-up of activity motivation during confinement.

Conclusion

The investigation suggests that while housing conditions affect the activity patterns of horses, lying behaviours remain unaffected. Particularly, the horses exhibited rebound behaviour or increased activity following a spell of confinement. This highlights the significance of optimising equine housing conditions for horse welfare.