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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2021; 11(4); 933; doi: 10.3390/ani11040933

Horse Preferences for Insolation, Shade or Mist Curtain in the Paddock under Heat Conditions: Cardiac and Behavioural Response Analysis.

Abstract: The horse's welfare and, consequently, the emotional arousal may be connected with stressful environmental conditions. This study aimed to determine whether horses show behavioural or physiological symptoms of thermal discomfort and if their behaviour and cardiac parameters are related to freely chosen insolated (IS), shaded (SH), or water sprayed (with a mist curtain (MC)) areas in a paddock under heat conditions (29-32 °C, 42.0 ± 1.5% humidity). Twelve adult horses freely moving in the paddock were studied during a 45 min solitary turnout. Six cardiac variables, locomotor, and non-locomotor activities as well as rectal temperature before and after the test were monitored with regard to the area of staying. Horses did not show clear preferences regarding the time spent in IS, SH, and MC, although preferences of particular horses differed considerably. When staying under IS and MC conditions, the horses showed a higher level of relaxation compared to SH. Horses did not exhibit symptoms of thermal discomfort while staying in the sun. Free choice between the three areas differing in environmental conditions could be a crucial factor in maintaining body temperature as well as emotional arousal at similar levels. Thus, the provision of a shade and mist curtain in paddocks seems to be reasonable.
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Publication Date: 2021-03-25 PubMed ID: 33805989PubMed Central: PMC8064440DOI: 10.3390/ani11040933Google 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.

This research studied whether horses show signs of discomfort due to heat, and how their behavior and heart rates change when exposed to insolation, shade, or a mist curtain in a paddock under high-temperature conditions. It concludes that allowing horses to freely choose between these three environments is essential for regulating their body temperature and emotional arousal, and therefore including shades and mist curtains in paddocks would be beneficial.

Research Objective and Procedure

  • The objective of this study was to understand how horses react to excessive heat, and whether giving them the option to choose between insolation (exposure to sunlight), shade, or a mist curtain affects their behaviour and heart rates. The study aimed to identify if there were any signs of thermal discomfort in the horses, and the experiment was carried out in conditions of 29-32 degrees Celcius with 42.0 ± 1.5% humidity.
  • Twelves adult horses, which had the freedom to move around in the paddock, were studied for a 45-minute solitary turnout. Their cardiac activities, both locomotive and non-locomotive behaviours, as well as their rectal temperature before and after the experiment, were monitored in relation to their chosen area of staying.

Findings and Analysis

  • Horses did not have a clear preference between staying under insolation, shade, or the mist curtain, although there were considerable differences in individual horses’ preferences.
  • Horses displayed a higher level of relaxation when they stayed under insolation or the mist curtain, as compared to staying under the shaded area. This suggests that they probably did not feel excessive thermal discomfort while in the sun.
  • Providing the horses with the option to freely choose between the three different conditions could be essential for their ability to maintain their body temperatures and emotional arousal.

Conclusion

  • From the findings of the study, the researchers concluded that it would be beneficial to incorporate the provision of a shaded area and a mist curtain in paddocks. These additions offer the horses a chance to regulate their body temperature and emotional state during extreme heat conditions.

Cite This Article

APA
Janczarek I, Stachurska A, Wilk I, Wiśniewska A, Różańska-Boczula M, Kaczmarek B, Łuszczyński J, Kędzierski W. (2021). Horse Preferences for Insolation, Shade or Mist Curtain in the Paddock under Heat Conditions: Cardiac and Behavioural Response Analysis. Animals (Basel), 11(4), 933. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11040933

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 11
Issue: 4
PII: 933

Researcher Affiliations

Janczarek, Iwona
  • Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
Stachurska, Anna
  • Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
Wilk, Izabela
  • Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
Wiśniewska, Anna
  • Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
Różańska-Boczula, Monika
  • Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Faculty of Production Engineering, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
Kaczmarek, Beata
  • Sub-Department of Internal Diseases of Farm Animals and Horses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-612 Lublin, Poland.
Łuszczyński, Jarosław
  • Department of Genetics, Animal Breeding and Ethology, Faculty of Animal Science, University of Agriculture in Cracow, 30-059 Cracow, Poland.
Kędzierski, Witold
  • Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
  1. Kang H, Zsoldos RR, Sole-Guitart A, Narayan E, Cawdell-Smith AJ, Gaughan JB. Heat stress in horses: a literature review. Int J Biometeorol 2023 Jun;67(6):957-973.
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  4. Janczarek I, Gazda I, Barłowska J, Kurnik J, Łuszczyński J. Social Isolation of Horses vs. Support Provided by a Human. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jun 3;15(11).
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