Behavioural Problems Horses

Question 1

Context of normal behaviour

Answer 1

social herbivore
forager
open planes

Question 2

Stereotypies

Answer 2

undesirable for owner and poor horses welfare
disorders of oral and eating behaviour
abnormal actions and reactions

Question 3

Cribbing

Answer 3

grasp edge of its stall or other fixture with incisor teeth
presses teeth down and swallowing movement occurs and air passed into stomach
accompanying grunt
can wear teeth and reduce grazing

Question 4

Wind Sucking

Answer 4

nods head and neck several times
head jerks up and open mouth
takes in air forcefully
grunting
stomach dilation and bloat
gastrointestinal dysfunction 
nutritional deficiency can lead to poor condition

Question 5

infrequent or with little impact

Answer 5

may be ignored

Question 6

McGreevy et al (1995) Uk leisure horses

Answer 6

alarmingly high prevalencies that match that found intensively trained competition horses

Question 7

Redbo et al (1998) swedish survey of racing trainers

Answer 7

wood chewing- low amount of forage

stereotypies- high concentrate, low forage and more horses per trainer

Question 8

McGreevy et al (1995) risk factors for race horses

Answer 8

more time in stable
less time forage
bedding other than straw
box design minimizing horse contact

Question 9

McGreevy (2004)

Answer 9

inadequate diet/digestive disturbance

Question 10

Luthersson et al (2009)

Answer 10

gastric ulcers 53% of leisure horses

Question 11

Hemmings et al (2007)

Answer 11

some neuronal changes in basal ganglia

Question 12

McGreevy and Cooper (2002) frustrated

Answer 12

activity and social context likely to cause

Question 13

stereotypies may relieve stress…

Answer 13

cortisol plasma levels high before but drop after stereotypy

Question 14

Nalaxon

Answer 14

opioid antagonist

reduced crib biting by 84%

Question 15

Waters (2002)

Answer 15

abrupt and early weaning may be stressful and is associated with onset of abnormal behaviour

Question 16

McBride & Hemmings (2004)

Answer 16

stereotypy horses have increased activity in mesoaccumbens dopamine pathways
development of environmentally induced stereotypy may be associated with changes in motivational systems

Question 17

Cooper & McGreevy

Answer 17

stereotypies can be caused by negative emotions such as bored, frustration or aversion to stable environment- prevention of activity alone can lead to distress

Question 18

Chaplin & Getgrix (2010) activity patterns of horses affected by housing conditions

Answer 18

rebound acitivity (measured by time spent active in first 5 mins of release) occurs in horses after a period of confinement