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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2021; 11(8); 2369; doi: 10.3390/ani11082369

Horse Behavior towards Familiar and Unfamiliar Humans: Implications for Equine-Assisted Services.

Abstract: While human benefits of animal-assisted therapy programs have been documented, relatively little research has been conducted on behavioral factors that predict a successful equine-assisted services (EAS) horse. This study compares the behavior of experienced and non-experienced EAS horses as well as horses selected for future EAS work in a series of sociability and temperament tests. No significant differences were found between experienced and non-experienced horses in the sociability measures or for most of the temperament tests; however, significant differences were found between groups in the brushing test, with non-experienced horses showing more affiliative behaviors towards the familiar handler and unfamiliar persons. No significant differences were found between selected and non-selected horses in the temperament tests. However, non-selected horses were found to show significantly more affiliative behaviors towards a familiar person during a sociability test compared with selected horses. These findings suggest that the social behavior and temperament of EAS horses may not be significantly different from other available horses not selected for EAS work. Instead, these decisions may primarily reflect subjective impressions of fit. Interestingly, on measures where significant differences were identified, the horses not actively engaged in or selected for therapy were the ones that showed greater affiliative responses to familiar and unfamiliar humans. Reasons for why this may be, as well as future directions in EAS selection, are discussed.
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Publication Date: 2021-08-11 PubMed ID: 34438825PubMed Central: PMC8388774DOI: 10.3390/ani11082369Google 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.

The research in this article involves studying horse behavior towards familiar and unfamiliar humans, in order to understand the factors that may predict a successful horse in equine-assisted services (EAS). Using sociability and temperament tests, the authors found no significant differences in behavior between horses already experienced in EAS and those not experienced, nor did they find significant differences between horses selected and non-selected for EAS programs. However, the non-experienced and non-selected horses showed a greater affinity towards both familiar and unfamiliar handlers.

Methodology

  • The researchers used three groups of horses for the study: those with EAS experience, those without this experience, and those selected for future EAS work.
  • All horses were subjected to sociability and temperament tests which included the brushing test among others.

Key Findings

  • No significant differences were found in the sociability measures between experienced and non-experienced horses. This was also the case for most of the temperament tests.
  • Non-experienced horses showed a higher level of affiliative behavior towards both a familiar handler and unfamiliar persons during the brushing test, compared to experienced horses.
  • Selected and non-selected horses for EAS programs did not show significant differences in the temperament tests.
  • However, non-selected horses showed significantly more affiliative behavior towards a familiar person in a sociability test compared to horses that had been chosen for EAS.

Implications

  • The findings suggest that the social behavior and temperament of EAS horses may not be significantly different from other horses not chosen for EAS work.
  • Non-experienced and non-selected horses show greater affinity towards handlers, indicating a potential area for further exploration and research.
  • The study casts doubt over the subjective nature of EAS selection, suggesting it may not be based on measurable differences in sociability or temperament.

Future Directions

  • The researchers speculate on the reasons for non-experienced and non-selected horses showing more affinity towards humans, suggesting the need for further studies in this area.
  • They also bring attention to the need for more objective criteria in the selection of horses for EAS programs.

Cite This Article

APA
Brubaker L, Schroeder K, Sherwood D, Stroud D, Udell MAR. (2021). Horse Behavior towards Familiar and Unfamiliar Humans: Implications for Equine-Assisted Services. Animals (Basel), 11(8), 2369. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11082369

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 11
Issue: 8
PII: 2369

Researcher Affiliations

Brubaker, Lauren
  • Animal and Rangeland Sciences, College of Agriculture, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA.
Schroeder, Katy
  • Animal and Food Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
Sherwood, Dawn
  • Animal and Rangeland Sciences, College of Agriculture, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA.
Stroud, Daniel
  • Private Practice, Charleston, SC 29401, USA.
Udell, Monique A R
  • Animal and Rangeland Sciences, College of Agriculture, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA.

Grant Funding

  • D14HA-010 / Human Animal Bond Research Institute

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest pertaining to this research.

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Citations

This article has been cited 6 times.
  1. Rochais C, Lerch N, Gueguen L, Schmidlin M, Bonamy O, Grandgeorge M, Hausberger M. Horses' Tactile Reactivity Differs According to the Type of Work: The Example of Equine-Assisted Intervention. Vet Sci 2023 Feb 7;10(2).
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