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Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland)2014; 4(3); 213-225; doi: 10.3390/bs4030213

Trained Quantity Abilities in Horses (Equus caballus): A Preliminary Investigation.

Abstract: Once believed to be a human prerogative, the capacity to discriminate between quantities now has also been reported in several vertebrates. To date, only two studies investigated numerical abilities in horses (Equus caballus) but reported contrasting data. To assess whether horses can be trained to discriminate between quantities, I have set up a new experimental protocol using operant conditioning. One adult female was trained to discriminate between 1 and 4 (Test 1) in three different conditions: non-controlled continuous variables (numerical and continuous quantities that co-vary with number are simultaneously available), 50% controlled continuous variables (intermediate condition), and 100% controlled continuous variables (only numerical information available). The subject learned the discrimination in all conditions, showing the capacity to process numerical information. When presented with a higher numerical ratio (2 vs. 4, Test 2), the subject still discriminated between the quantities but its performance was statistically significant only in the non-controlled condition, suggesting that the subject used multiple cues in presence of a more difficult discrimination. On the whole, the results here reported encourage the use of this experimental protocol as a valid tool to investigate the capacity to process numerical and continuous quantities in horses in future research.
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Publication Date: 2014-07-25 PubMed ID: 25379278PubMed Central: PMC4219264DOI: 10.3390/bs4030213Google Scholar: Lookup
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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 article presents a study investigating the ability of horses to distinguish between quantities. The author uses a specially designed experiment to determine if a female horse can be trained to differentiate between quantities in various conditions.

Objective of the Research

The main aim of the research was to probe the numerical discernment capabilities in horses. Breaking away from traditionally human-associated cognitive skills, the study sought to broaden the understanding of numerical abilities in one of the largest land mammals – horses.

Methodology

  • An adult female horse was subjected to a new experimental protocol using operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is a type of associative learning process through which the behavior of an individual changes due to the consequences of that behavior.
  • The horse was trained to distinguish between 1 and 4 in three different conditions: non-controlled continuous variables, 50% controlled continuous variables, and 100% controlled continuous variables.
  • The non-controlled condition refers to when both numerical and continuous quantities that change with changing number were readily available. In the 50% controlled variable condition, it was an intermediate scenario, while, in the 100% controlled condition, only numerical information was available to the horse.

Results

  • The horse was able to learn the discrimination in all conditions, demonstrating a capability to process numerical information.
  • The animal was also tested on a higher numerical ratio (2 vs. 4), and although the horse was still able to distinguish between the quantities, its performance was statistically significant only in the non-controlled condition. This suggested that the horse used multiple cues when faced with a more complex discrimination task.

Conclusion

The results of this study encourage further use of this experimental protocol. The method has proven to be a valid tool to explore horses’ capacity to process not just numerical, but also continuous quantities. The research paves the way for future exploration of cognitive skills in animals.

Cite This Article

APA
Petrazzini MEM. (2014). Trained Quantity Abilities in Horses (Equus caballus): A Preliminary Investigation. Behav Sci (Basel), 4(3), 213-225. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs4030213

Publication

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
ISSN: 2076-328X
NlmUniqueID: 101576826
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 4
Issue: 3
Pages: 213-225

Researcher Affiliations

Petrazzini, Maria Elena Miletto
  • Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy.

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Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
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  2. Cappellato A, Miletto Petrazzini ME, Bisazza A, Dadda M, Agrillo C. Susceptibility to Size Visual Illusions in a Non-Primate Mammal (Equus caballus). Animals (Basel) 2020 Sep 17;10(9).
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  3. Nawroth C, Langbein J, Coulon M, Gabor V, Oesterwind S, Benz-Schwarzburg J, von Borell E. Farm Animal Cognition-Linking Behavior, Welfare and Ethics. Front Vet Sci 2019;6:24.
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  4. Vonk J. Advances in Animal Cognition. Behav Sci (Basel) 2016 Nov 30;6(4).
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  5. Petrazzini ME, Lucon-Xiccato T, Agrillo C, Bisazza A. Use of ordinal information by fish. Sci Rep 2015 Oct 26;5:15497.
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