Unit 4: Equine Behavior Flashcards
the scientific study of animal behavior/the study of animals in their natural habitat
ethology
7 unique behavioral characteristics of horses
- social herd animals
- herbivores - grazing
- imitation b/t young and old
- seasonal breeders
- form male subgroups at certain times of year
- prey species
- strong pair bond relationships
seeking affection, protection, or other benefits from animal contact
contractual behavior
behaviors associated with eating & drinking
ingestive behaviors
associated with defecation & urination
eliminative behavior
related to mating
sexual behavior
giving care & attention usually b/t mare & foal
epimeletic behavior
related to mimicry; contagious or infectious behavior
allelomimetic behavior
curiosity or exploration of surroundings/objects
investigative behavior
conflict or fighting, anger, aggression, submission, & flight from conflict
agonistic behavior
2 categories of agonistic behavior
- aggression
2. fearfulness
referred to as “pecking order”; dominance hierarchies prevalent; dominance established through agonistic & violent behavior or threatening looks; if lower ranked horse has no place to go there is usually no contact
dominance/submission
horses have mainly monocular or binocular vision?
monocular - visual field only 1 eye
spooking happens when…
it shifts from monocular to binocular vision
does sound arrive at each ear at same or different times?
different times
smell is used to:
- pick out their foal
- identify other horses
- during mating
- determine if feed is spoiled
are horses “nutrition wise”
no - won’t balance own rations and will consume more feed then necessary
sign that horse feels good & is in a playful mood
bucking
behavior when they are playing
rearing
when horse is agitated
tail swishing
sign that it is attentive & listening
ears forward
sign horse is angry & threatening another horse
ears back
listening to something behaving them
1 or 2 ears slightly back
puberty age
fillies: 12-15 months
stallions: 15+ months
period of repro cycle when ovulates & if bred is likely to conceive
estrus
estrous cycle length
21 days (19-26d)
behavioral display when a stallion checks a mare lifting its nose & curl upper lip
Flehmen response
denotes sexual drive or degree of sexual urge in animals
libido
gestation length
11months or 341 days
3 stages of parturition
- labor
- expulsion of fetus
- passage of afterbirth
longest stage of foaling (30min-6hrs)
labor
foal born after how long of heavy laboring
12-18 minutes
might need help if expulsion of the fetus takes longer than ____
30min-1hr
after giving birth mare will lay on side for how long
15-20 min
afterbirth how long after foaling
15-20 min
foal starts breathing within
seconds
foal stands within
55 min
foal vocalizes within
45 min
foal defecates meconium within
30 min
foal suckles within
1 hr
foal walks/runs within
90 min
foal takes nap within
2 hrs
wean foals at what age
5-7 months
can be due to lack of fiber in diet or boredom
wood chewing
grasping surface with teeth then expelling bolus of air
cribbing
habitually kicking/pawing at stalls
stall kicking
shifting body from side to side
weaving
