Online detection of an emotional response of a horse during physical activity.

The research carried out aimed to create a new way of gauging the emotional responses of a horse in relation to novel objects during physical activity. They accomplished this by developing a mathematical model based on heart rate (HR) and activity level data, essentially separating the physical and emotional components of the horse’s HR.

Methodology

• This study included two horses who each completed 20 trials.
• During each trial, the horse’s activity level and HR were continuously monitored and recorded.
• The data was then split into the physical activity and the emotional response, via the novel mathematical model.
• Each horse’s response to a new object was noted during the trials.

Results and Conclusion

• The experiment detected increased emotional response in the heart rates of the horses, as they encountered the new object. This was seen in 33 out of the total 40 trials.
• In the remaining 7 trials, the model could either not be reliably built, or data was missing, hence no concrete results could be derived.
• The researchers concluded that using HR decomposition may be a useful method in quantifying specific aspects of a horse’s temperament.

This research could prove beneficial in animal psychology and indicates that it may be possible to measure emotional responses in other animals using similar methods. It could also have significant applications in animal welfare and training, helping to better understand animal emotions and reactions to certain stimuli.