Social feeding decisions in horses (Equus caballus).

The research article investigates how social factors influence the feeding decisions of horses. It states that these animals take into consideration social dynamics and employ strategic decision-making when choosing where to feed, particularly relevant in competitive situations where there are dominant and subordinate demonstrators.

Objective of the Study

• The main goal of this study was to understand if and how social aspects affect horses’ feeding choices. Specifically, researchers were interested in determining what effect, if any, a horse’s social rank has on its decision to feed from one of two food-filled buckets placed in varying social feeding circumstances.

Background and Reason for the Study

• The researchers noted that, like most herbivores, horses in a natural habitat feed on resources which are usually evenly distributed. They pointed out that these animals tend to return to the same feeding spot until it’s overgrazed, especially if food is abundant, as there would be minimal competition.
• In cases where food is limited, competition arises, and there’s an indication that a horse’s social status plays a significant role, suggesting the potential influence of social dynamics on feeding behavior. It was against this backdrop that the researchers sought to provide evidence on this underexplored topic.

Methodology

• The research involved observational studies of horses, wherein they were alternately tested with a dominant and a subordinate demonstrator placed in one of three different positions.
• Each horse was presented with two identical buckets filled with an excess of high-quality food. The distributions of these buckets were manipulated on the basis of different social feeding conditions.

Findings

• The results of the study suggest that horses indeed use social cognition and strategic decision-making in their feeding choices in social scenarios.
• When possible, horses have a tendency to return to the same feeding site continually supplied.
• However, they displayed “avoidance tendency” toward feeding sites occupied by dominant horses or if another horse had already commenced feeding at the spot.
• This implies that the social rank and the position of fellow horses significantly influence the feeding strategy of equine animals.