Training young horses to social separation: effect of a companion horse on training efficiency.

This study examines the impact of using companion horses to train young horses for separation from their group. The research found that although training with a companion horse initially reduced stress levels, as indicated by heart rate, it did not speed up the overall training process.

Research Methodology

• 32 young mares, kept in groups of 4, were subjected to social separation.
• Half of them were trained individually (S1) and the other half were given initial training with a companion horse (P2) followed by individual training (P1).
• The training method comprised of three steps wherein the distance from the group was increasingly amplified. The ultimate learning criterion was achieved when a horse fed calmly alone inside a test arena.
• The horses that were trained initially in pairs had to succeed in the third step together before they could be trained individually.
• The researchers monitored feeding behavior and heart rate of the animals as part of the study.

Key Findings

• The study found no significant differences between horses trained individually from the start (S1) and those initially trained with a companion horse but later individually (P1). This implies that initial pair training didn’t reduce the responses in horses when they were later trained solo.
• Interestingly, the heart rates were considerably lower when horses were trained in pairs (P2) as opposed to when the same horses were later trained alone (P1). This indicates reduced stress levels when training took place with a partner.

Conclusions

• The results suggest that training young horses for social separation initially with a companion might not be the most effective method.
• Because the horses seem to have to relearn being in the test situation alone when they start the individual training, there are no efficiency gains made from initially pairing them up.