ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR - Equine Behaviour Flashcards
What are the five features of a relaxed horse?
Ears forward and relaxed
Head at shoulder level
No sclera showing
No nostril flaring
Relaxed tail
What are the six features of an excited horse?
Ears pinned forward
Furrowed brows
Some sclera showing
Nostril flaring
Slightly raised tail
Tense muzzle
What are the five features of a nervous horse?
Ears pinned towards source of concern
Head above shoulder level
Visible sclera
Flared nostrils
High tail carriage
What are the six features of a stressed/aggressive horse?
Ears pinned back
Furrowed brows
Tense neck
Tense muzzle
Flared nostrils
High or swishing tail
Which breed of horse has a naturally raised tail?
Important to be aware of this when reading equine body language
Arabian
What are the three basic needs of horses?
Companionship
Forage
Freedom
What are the consequences if the three basic needs of horses are not fulfilled?
Restriction of any of these basic needs can cause a physiological stress response in horses
Which component of companionship is particulary beneficial for horses?
Mutual grooming
What is the optimal herd size for horses to allow for companionship but prevent competition?
4 - 6 horses is the ideal herd size to allow for companionship but prevent competition
For how many hours do horses forage daily?
Horses forage for 16 hours daily
What is post inhibitory rebound in horses?
Post inhibitory rebound is a behaviour that occurs in horses that have been stabled for long periods of time where when they are at last turned out, they will feel the need to run and play at a high intensity which can increases their risk of injury
What are stereotypies in horses?
Stereotypies in horses are repetitive actions or sounds which can arise as a response to stress and/or boredom
What are five common stereotypie behaviours seen in horses?
Yawning
Crib biting
Wind sucking
Box walking
Weaving
What can be indicated by yawning in horses?
For horses, yawning can be indicative of stress/mild pain
What is the difference between crib biting and wind sucking?
Crib biting is when a horse repeatedly bites something such as a stable door or fence post. Wind sucking is when a horse crib bites followed by sucking air into their stomach
What is one of the main risks of crib biting?
Crib biting can cause damage to the incisors
How can wind sucking increase the risk of a horse developing colic?
When a horse is wind sucking, they are sucking air into their stomach which can cause gastric ulcers, simple colonic obstruction, distention and epiploic foramen entraption - all of which can cause colic
What is box walking?
Box walking is repetitive walking, often in circles or up and down the fence line, in the stable or a small paddock
What is one of the main risks of box walking?
Box walking can cause or exacerbate lameness. This is particularly important as horses are often put on box rest because of lameness or because they are at a high risk of laminitis, so it is important to prevent box walking behaviour as this could worsen the lameness or stimulate laminitis
What is weaving?
Weaving is when a horse remains stationary but repeatedly shifts it’s weight between their forelimbs whilst laterally swaying their head
What is one of the main risks of weaving?
Weaving puts pressure on the horse’s feet which can cause or exacerbate lameness
What is the best way to prevent stereotypie behaviours in horses?
The best way to prevent stereotypie behaviours in horses is to provide them with a stimulating and interesting environment
List five methods that can be used to provide horses with an interesting environment and prevent stereotypie behaviours
Provide companionship
Stick to a routine
Regular supply of forage
Toys in stable
Mirror in stable
What are five horse behaviours that owners often perceive as ‘bad’ behaviour?
Bucking
Rearing
Napping
Spooking
Girthy
What is bucking?
Bucking is when a horse kicks out with their hindlimbs
What is rearing?
Rearing is when a horse brings itself up onto their hindlimbs
What four factors can cause bucking and rearing behaviours in horses?
Pain
Lameness
Rider error/miscommunication
Being ‘fresh’
What does being ‘fresh’ mean in regards to horses?
Being ‘fresh’ in regards to horses means that the horse is full of energy
What is napping?
Napping is when a horse is resisting the bit/bridle when ridden or not moving in the direction the rider requests
Which five factors can cause napping behaviours in horses?
Neck pain
Dental pain
Lameness
Rider error/miscommunication
Fear
What can owners expect in terms of their horse’s napping behaviour after correcting dental pain?
Owners should be aware that even after correcting dental pain in horses, the napping behaviour may persist for a while until the horse readjusts to the bit and bridle. Therefore owners should not be able to immediately ride their horse as normal
If called out to assess bucking, rearing or napping behaviour in a horse, why is it important to assess the horse while the are being ridden in addition to not being ridden?
It is crucial to assess a horse displaying bucking, rearing or napping behaviours when they are being ridden to determine if these behaviours are being caused by rider error/miscommunication
What is spooking?
Spooking is when a horse bolts when frightened
Which five factors can cause a horse to spook?
Inexperienced ‘green’ horse
Tense rider
Pain
Poor vision
Loud noise/movement nearby
Why is it important to advise riders NOT to discipline their horse when they spook?
Disciplining a horse when they spook can teach them to be scared of the rider in addition to the thing that frightened them in the first place
What is girthy behaviour in horses?
Girthy behaviour is when horses are reactive to the girth being tightened on their saddle
What can be indicated by girthy behaviour in horses?
Girthy behaviour in horses is strongly associated with pain
What are four training methods that can be used for horses?
Positive reinforcement
Negative reinforcement
Positive punishment
Negative punishment
What is positive reinforement in terms of training horses?
Positive reinforcement is the addition of a reward (such as a treat) in response to a horse performing the correct action
Why is it important to reward the correct behaviour quickly when using positive reinforcement for training horses?
Horse’s have a poor short term memory so it is important to reward the desired behaviour within half a second of the horse carrying out the behaviour
What is negative reinforement in terms of training horses?
Negative reinforcement is the removal of a mildly unwanted stimulus to reward the horse performing the correct action
What is positive punishment in terms of training horses?
This is NOT a recommended method!
Positive punishment is using something like a whip or shouting at the horse when they carry out the incorrect action
This is NOT a recommended method!
What is negative punishment in terms of training horses?
This is NOT a recommended method!
Negative punishment is the removal of something the horse enjoys when the horse carries out the incorrect action
This is NOT a recommended method!
What causes horses to remain sensitive to past negative experiences, resulting in ongoing behavioural challenges?
Horses react based on how they perceive a stimulus to be, not necessarily to how aversive the stimulus actually is. This causes the horse to hold onto the memory of what they perceive to be an extremely aversive experience and remain sensitive to this unless habituated to the stimulus
