Responses of horses in behavioural tests correlate with temperament assessed by riders.
Abstract: Behavioural tests as well as observers' ratings have been used to study horses' temperament. However, the relationship between the ratings and the responses in behavioural tests has not yet been studied in detail. Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine this relationship between ratings and responses. Methods: Eighteen mature Swedish Warmblood horses were subjected to 2 behavioural tests, one relating to novelty (novel object test) and one to handling (handling test). Subsequently, 16 of these horses were ridden by 16 equally experienced students, having no former experience with the horses. Immediately after each ride, the students scored the horse for 10 temperamental traits using a line rating method. Results: It was shown that for each temperamental trait all 16 riders agreed on the ranking of the horses (0.212 Publication Date: 2003-03-18 PubMed ID: 12638795DOI: 10.2746/042516403776114108Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article presents a study on the correlation between horse behaviours in tests and their temperament as assessed by riders.
Objective and Significance
- The aim of this research was to examine the relationship between horses’ behavioural responses in tests and their temperament as assessed by riders. The significance of the study stems from a gap in previous studies, which have not detailed how ratings provided by observers correlated to behavioural tests for horses.
Methodology
- The study was conducted on eighteen mature horses of the Swedish Warmblood breed, manifested through two behavioural tests; one connected to unfamiliar situations (a ‘novel object test’), and the other to horse handling (‘handling test’).
- Afterward, 16 out of the 18 horses were ridden by 16 riders with equal experience levels and no prior interactions with the test horses.
- Right after each ride, the riders rated the horse on 10 different temperament traits using a line rating system.
Results
- The results showed unanimous agreement among all 16 riders in the horse ranking for each temperament trait.
- There was a significant correlation between behavioural and heart rate variables in the behavioural tests. The study found that restless horses, or those with high levels of locomotion, also exhibited a high average heart rate and a tellingly low variability in heart rate.
- Notably, these heart rate variables in the behavioural tests correlated with the riders’ rating scores.
- A principal component analysis (PCA) on the handling test results revealed a correlation with the riders’ rating scores, while the same could not be said for the novel object test.
Conclusions
- The study concluded that a large number of assessors can agree upon a horse’s temperament. It was also found that objective measures derived from behavioural tests significantly correlated with temperamental traits, as assessed by a panel of evaluators.
Cite This Article
APA
Visser EK, Van Reenen CG, Rundgren M, Zetterqvist M, Morgan K, Blokhuis HJ.
(2003).
Responses of horses in behavioural tests correlate with temperament assessed by riders.
Equine Vet J, 35(2), 176-183.
https://doi.org/10.2746/042516403776114108 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, PO Box 80.163, NL-3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.
MeSH Terms
- Adult
- Animals
- Behavior, Animal / physiology
- Data Interpretation, Statistical
- Female
- Handling, Psychological
- Heart Rate / physiology
- Horses / physiology
- Horses / psychology
- Humans
- Male
- Personality
- Temperament / physiology
Citations
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- Maurício LS, Leme DP, Hötzel MJ. The Easiest Becomes the Rule: Beliefs, Knowledge and Attitudes of Equine Practitioners and Enthusiasts Regarding Horse Welfare. Animals (Basel) 2024 Apr 24;14(9).
- Fournier AK, French M, Letson EA, Hanson J, Berry TD, Cronin S. The Behavioral Cost of Care: Changes in Maintenance Behavior during Equine-Assisted Interventions. Animals (Basel) 2024 Feb 6;14(4).
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- Eichler F, Ehrle A, Jensen KC, Baudisch N, Petersen H, Bäumer W, Lischer C, Wiegard M. Behavioral observations, heart rate and heart rate variability in horses following oral administration of a cannabidiol containing paste in three escalating doses (part 1/2). Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1305868.
- Kranenburg LC, van der Poel SH, Warmelink TS, van Doorn DA, van den Boom R. Changes in Management Lead to Improvement and Healing of Equine Squamous Gastric Disease. Animals (Basel) 2023 Apr 28;13(9).
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