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Australian veterinary journal2010; 88(5); 176-181; doi: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2010.00564.x

Monitoring distances travelled by horses using GPS tracking collars.

Abstract: The aims of this work were to (1) develop a low-cost equine movement tracking collar based on readily available components, (2) conduct preliminary studies assessing the effects of both paddock size and internal fence design on the movements of domestic horses, with and without foals at foot, and (3) describe distances moved by mares and their foals. Additional monitoring of free-ranging feral horses was conducted to allow preliminary comparisons with the movement of confined domestic horses. Methods: A lightweight global positioning system (GPS) data logger modified from a personal/vehicle tracker and mounted on a collar was used to monitor the movement of domestic horses in a range of paddock sizes and internal fence designs for 6.5-day periods. Results: In the paddocks used (0.8-16 ha), groups of domestic horses exhibited a logarithmic response in mean daily distance travelled as a function of increasing paddock size, tending asymptotically towards approximately 7.5 km/day. The distance moved by newborn foals was similar to their dams, with total distance travelled also dependent on paddock size. Without altering available paddock area, paddock design, with the exception of a spiral design, did not significantly affect mean daily distance travelled. Feral horses (17.9 km/day) travelled substantially greater mean daily distances than domestic horses (7.2 km/day in 16-ha paddock), even when allowing for larger paddock size. Conclusions: Horses kept in stables or small yards and paddocks are quite sedentary in comparison with their feral relatives. For a given paddock area, most designs did not significantly affect mean daily distance travelled.
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Publication Date: 2010-06-10 PubMed ID: 20529024DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2010.00564.xGoogle 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 article focused on developing a low-cost equine movement tracking collar to monitor the distances covered by horses and how this is affected by factors like paddock size, internal fence design, and presence of foals. The device was used on both domestic and feral horses, concluding that domestic horses in stables are more sedentary compared to their feral counterparts, and that paddock size has more influence on distance travelled than its design.

Methodology

  • The researchers developed a lightweight GPS data logger modified from a personal/vehicle tracker. This was mounted on a collar to monitor horses’ movement in a range of paddock sizes and designs for 6.5-day periods.
  • The experiment involved monitoring domestic horses in small groups within paddocks ranging from 0.8 to 16 hectares. Additional monitoring of free-ranging feral horses was done to compare with domestic horses’ movement.

Results

  • The study showed that there was a logarithmic response in the mean daily distance travelled by horses as a function of increasing paddock size. The distance travelled tends to stabilize at approximately 7.5 km/day for large paddock sizes.
  • Newborn foals were observed to cover a similar distance to their dams, with total distance also dependent on paddock size.
  • The paddock design with the exception of a spiral design, did not significantly affect the mean daily distance travelled provided the paddock area remained constant.
  • Comparatively, feral horses covered a significantly higher mean daily distances (17.9 km/day) than domestic horses (7.2 km/day in 16-ha paddock), even when considering the larger paddock sizes for the former.

Conclusions

  • The study concluded that domestic horses kept in stables or small yards and paddocks are more sedentary compared to their feral relatives.
  • As observed, paddock size had a greater impact on the distance travelled by horses than paddock design. For the same paddock area, most designs did not significantly affect the mean daily distance covered.

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Cite This Article

APA
Hampson BA, Morton JM, Mills PC, Trotter MG, Lamb DW, Pollitt CC. (2010). Monitoring distances travelled by horses using GPS tracking collars. Aust Vet J, 88(5), 176-181. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.2010.00564.x

Publication

Australian veterinary journal
ISSN: 1751-0813
NlmUniqueID: 0370616
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 88
Issue: 5
Pages: 176-181

Researcher Affiliations

Hampson, B A
  • The Australian Brumby Research Unit, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. b.hampson1@uq.edu.au
Morton, J M
    Mills, P C
      Trotter, M G
        Lamb, D W
          Pollitt, C C

            MeSH Terms

            • Animals
            • Animals, Newborn
            • Animals, Wild
            • Australia
            • Cross-Over Studies
            • Female
            • Geographic Information Systems
            • Horses / physiology
            • Housing, Animal
            • Male
            • Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
            • Random Allocation

            Citations

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