Social Isolation of Horses vs. Support Provided by a Human.
Abstract: It is assumed that horses have a strong herd instinct that cannot be suppressed by any form of social support from humans. The aim of this study was to assess the behaviour and heart rate parameters of horses that received various forms of human support during short-term social isolation. The research material consisted of 12 clinically healthy recreational warmblood mares and geldings. The test was carried out four times. The research test consisted of two parts, which began in the presence of accompanying horses and under conditions of social isolation, with and without support provided by a human (types of contact: tactile, vocal, tactile and vocal). Behavioural observations were carried out on a five-point scale, and the heart rate parameters were measured using Polar ELECTRO OY Kempele (Finland) measuring devices (Polar H9 type) and Polar Ignite2 receivers. Data analysis was carried out using the Polar Flowsync application coupled with the Polar Flow service. It was concluded that social support provided by humans in tactile, vocal, or tactile and vocal forms during the isolation of horses from the herd does not have very significant effects, especially in mares. The geldings respond much more favourably than the mares. In addition, at this point in the research, it can be suggested that vocal support may have the best effects. The more emotionally balanced the horses are, the more pronounced these effects should be.
Publication Date: 2025-06-03 PubMed ID: 40509115PubMed Central: PMC12153905DOI: 10.3390/ani15111649Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research article presents a study investigating how horses react to different forms of human interaction during periods of short-term social isolation, and discusses whether these interactions can compensate for the animals’ instinctual herd behavior.
Objective and Methodology
- The goal of this research was to observe if various forms of human interaction could replace the support system typically provided by a herd in horses.
- The study was conducted with a group of twelve healthy warmblood mares and geldings used for recreational purposes. The breed was likely chosen for its prevalent use in riding and close contact with humans, which makes it relevant to a larger audience of horse lovers.
- The horses were subjected to test conditions four times. Each test contained two parts: one with social company (other horses) and one under conditions of social isolation.
- In the isolated states, the subjects received human interaction in the forms of tactile (touch), vocal (sound), or both tactile and vocal support.
- The behavioural patterns of the horses were observed on a five-point scale and their heart rate was measured using specific measuring devices.
Findings and Conclusion
- Horses did not exhibit any significant changes in their behavior as a result of human support, particularly the mares, suggesting that they were not able to replace the instinctual urge for a herd environment.
- In comparison to the mares, geldings showed a stronger response to human interaction, particularly vocalization, implying that they could be more susceptible to human influence.
- Although the effects were not substantial, the study proposes that vocal support could have the best impact in replacing herd instinct, particularly among emotionally balanced horses.
- This suggests that the animals’ mental state could influence the effectiveness of human support, with horses that are more stable emotionally possibly benefiting more from human interaction.
Therefore, according to this research, human interaction, especially in the form of vocal communication, may prove partially conducive in replacing social interaction for horses during short-term periods of isolation — particularly for geldings and emotionally stable horses. However, the herd instinct seems to be deeply ingrained, rendering the impact of human interaction relatively less significant.
Cite This Article
APA
Janczarek I, Gazda I, Barłowska J, Kurnik J, Łuszczyński J.
(2025).
Social Isolation of Horses vs. Support Provided by a Human.
Animals (Basel), 15(11), 1649.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15111649 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13 Str., 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13 Str., 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
- Department Quality Assessment and Processing of Animal Products, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13 Str., 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13 Str., 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
- Department of Genetics, Animal Breeding and Ethology, Faculty of Animal Science, University of Agriculture in Cracow, Al. Mickiewicza 21 Str., 31-120 Cracow, Poland.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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