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Right-nostril use during sniffing at arousing stimuli produces higher cardiac activity in jumper horses.
Abstract: Lateralization in horses, Equus caballus, has been reported at both motor and sensory levels. Here we investigated left- and right-nostril use in 12 jumper horses freely sniffing different emotive stimuli. Results revealed that during sniffing at adrenaline and oestrus mare urine stimuli, horses showed a clear right-nostril bias while just a tendency in the use of the right nostril was observed during sniffing of other odours (food, cotton swab and repellent). Sniffing at adrenaline and urine odours was also accompanied by increasing cardiac activity and behavioural reactivity strengthening the role of the right hemisphere in the analysis of intense emotion and sexual behaviour.
Publication Date: 2015-01-30 PubMed ID: 25635853DOI: 10.1080/1357650X.2015.1005629Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
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.
The research investigates how jumper horses exhibit no particular tendency for left- or right-nostril use when sniffing emotive stimuli, except when introduced to adrenaline or oestrus mare urine, where a clear right nostril use bias is observed. This pattern also corresponds with an increase in cardiac activity and behavioral reactivity, suggesting a role of the right hemisphere in processing intense emotion and sexual behavior.
Overview of the Research
The research was designed to study the lateralization in horses, with specific focus on their tendency to use either left or right nostril during sniffing at different types of emotive stimuli. Two particular stimuli, adrenaline and oestrus mare urine, were used due to their potential to arouse strong responses in horses.
Research Methodology
- The study was conducted on 12 jumper horses. The horses were not restrained and were allowed to freely sniff at the different stimuli presented to them.
- The stimuli used included a variety of odours, namely food, cotton swab, repellent, adrenaline, and oestrus mare urine.
Findings
- Results indicated that horses showed no particular bias for using the left or right nostril when sniffing at most of the odours presented.
- However, there was a clear right nostril use bias exhibited by the horses when they were sniffing at adrenaline and oestrus mare urine stimuli.
- A mere tendency for right nostril use was observed when the horses were sniffing at other odours (food, cotton swab, repellent).
- Along with the right nostril bias, there was a noted increase in the horses’ cardiac activity and behavioural reactivity when sniffing at adrenaline and oestrus mare urine odours.
Conclusion
The increased cardiac activity and behavioural reactivity reinforced the role of the right hemisphere of the brain in processing intense emotions and sexual behaviour. Thus, the study suggests a link between right nostril use, which is directly linked to the functioning of the right hemisphere, and the processing of intense emotions and sexual behaviour, specifically in horse species.
Cite This Article
APA
(2015).
Right-nostril use during sniffing at arousing stimuli produces higher cardiac activity in jumper horses.
Laterality, 20(4), 483-500.
https://doi.org/10.1080/1357650X.2015.1005629 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Analysis of Variance
- Animals
- Epinephrine / pharmacology
- Female
- Functional Laterality / physiology
- Heart Rate / drug effects
- Heart Rate / physiology
- Horses / physiology
- Horses / urine
- Male
- Nose / physiology
- Odorants
- Smell / physiology
- Statistics as Topic
- Wakefulness / physiology
Citations
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