Mutual interactions between cognition and welfare: The horse as an animal model.

The research article presents a review on how the cognitive abilities of domestic horses are influenced by their welfare and emotions, which in turn condition their interaction with their environment. This paper investigates the interrelation between emotions, cognition and welfare under a variety of conditions categorised as either stressful or conducive to wellbeing.

Understanding Cognition, Emotions, and Welfare in Horses

• The article deep dives into the mutual interactions between cognition (the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses) and emotions in domestic horses. By examining these interactions, the researchers provide a complex perspective on animal psychology.
• By drawing a parallel between psychological disorders and cognition, it discusses cognitive biases – distortions in the way we perceive reality – and how they relate to attention, memory, and judgment. It also highlights the impact of chronic pain on these crucial cognitive abilities.

Real-World Application

• Emphasizing the need for “real world” studies, it argues that observing spontaneous animal models in varied stress/welfare conditions can provide a richer understanding of the jigsaw puzzle of cognition and welfare.
• In the case study, domestic horses are used as an animal model due to the wide array of environment conditions they inhabit which directly affect their welfare state. This variability makes them an excellent model for assessing the connection between cognition and welfare.

Interrelationship between Cognition and Welfare

• The study reviews the amassed scientific literature addressing emotional and welfare impacts on cognitive processes in domestic horses, with particular interest in studying how these might affect the horse’s perception of their environment, including their work.
• The research proposes new assessment techniques to examine the relationship between welfare and cognition to provide a more holistic understanding of the mind and behaviour of horses.

Evolution, Domestication, and Brain Development

• The research also broaches the subject of brain evolution and how domestication of animals might have influenced it. By shedding light on the role that domestication plays in cognitive development, the research contributes deeper insights to the field of animal cognitive psychology.