Applied Horse Ethology Flashcards
What are the most important ethological factors to consider for horses?
Prey
Social
Large proportion of time (16hr/day) sent grazing
What type of vision do horses have?
Monocular
What are the areas of vision where movement can be seen but not individual objects?
Marginal zone - moving into this zone causes fear and positional changes by the horse
How does roses hearing differ to humans?
Wider range - low p-waves can be heard
How may horses use olfactory abilities?
Smell humans - may associate particular smell with a fearful/fearing human from the past (hence when people say they can “smell fear” - this is not an inane ability but may be learned)
Flehmen response - to smell ANY SCENT but particularly sex pheromones
Which other animal exhibits flehman?
Cats
Why may the twitch response come about?
Opiate response -> immobility, possibly as predator grabbing skin may be adaptive o keep still until they let go
What are horse sleep cycles like?
Little research on sleep deprivation in horses - ~30 mins REM/night
Stay and reciprocal apparatus allow them to doze standing up
Why does social isolation commonly experienced by horses cause problems?
Parasite control due to normal mutual grooming
Pair bonding
Stable social groups (compared to dogs who are more flexible)
Napping occurs because want to stay with social group
How should a new horse be introduced to a group?
Pair bond with one other first, then integrate both into group
What problems are associated with flight behaviour of this prey species?
Spooking - caused by new/unexpected situation even if the lack of an object rather than presence
Learn avoidance v well (hence pushing horse away to get away from you -> learning not to ever stand still)
How do neonatal horses differ from cats and dogs?
Cats and dogs altricial - sensory system still developing once born, modified by environment
Horses precocial - ready to run! Less flexible neonatal development
Shot sensitive period in horses for bonding with mother (Lorenz work)
What does traditional horse training consist of?
- Habituaion ie to people/tack etc
- Negative reinformcent and positive punishment
- > for this signals must be clear and timing must be perfect
Outline some “new” training techniques, what kind of learning do these involve?
Monty Roberts - still negative reinforcement as small pen means escape not possible
Clicker training - positive reinforcement
What factor must be considered when looking at equine behavioural problems?
Pain - either current or historical + learning element
