Abstract: The bedding preferences of ponies were determined using video recordings of nighttime (1900 to 0700) behavior of individually housed ponies. The ponies' behavior each minute was recorded to determine time budgets. In Exp. I, preference for bedding was determined using three mares, three stallions and two geldings given access to bedded and unbedded areas in a box stall. The ponies spent more time (66%) on the bedded area and were never observed lying on the unbedded areas. In Exp. II, three mares and six stallions were given access to a box stall, one side of which was bedded with wood shavings and the other with straw. Although some individual animals preferred one bedding over the other, neither form of bedding was preferred consistently. Time budgets in Exp. II were similar on both bedding materials. The ponies spent 12% of their nighttime lying, 2% walking, 35% eating and 50% standing inactively. Some ponies had a relatively strong preference for bedding, but the type of bedding preferred varied with the individual animal. Some individual ponies had no clear preference, but instead had a side or position preference

Abstract: Blood was collected every 3 days for 13 months from 4 captured [female][female] of proven fertility kept adjacent to a teaser stallion. Basal plasma LH level was greater during Apr.-July (8.1+or-0.5 ng/ml) than during Nov.-Jan. (2.2+or-0.2). A total for 21 LH peaks occurred between 13 Apr. and 31 Aug. among the 4 [female][female]; many peaks exceeded 20 times the basal level, and there was a trend to a higher LH level with each succeeding peak. On all occasions except one, LH peaks were associated with progesterone levels of 0.5 ng/ml and with increases of oestrogen (peak average 43.1+or-12.1 pg/ml). Basal progesterone level during Apr.-July (1.5+or-1.2 ng/ml) did not differ significantly from that during Oct.-Jan. (1.1+or-0.7), nor did basal oestrogen level differ significantly between those 2 periods (8.4+or-3.2 and 12.9+or-4.6 pg/ml resp.). Behavioural oestrus always occurred with LH and oestrogen peaks during Apr.-July. However, behavioural oestrus was occasionally observed during Aug.-Oct., when LH peaks no longer occurred.

Abstract: Between 1977 and 1986, two actual rank changes and two unsuccessful attempts occurred among the mares of the Cologne herd. The stallion was at first a low-ranking individual, but attained a dominant position during the last 3 years. At this time he started to split his group and thus to affect attachment relationships among his mares. During his absence of half a year, new bonds resulted and disappeared again some months after his return. Foals were tolerated by the sire for a long time. His behaviour to young, sub-adult mares varied with the individual. Protection of sub-adult mares by adult mares against the stallion's attacks may occur. Young mares protect and guard strange foals from their very first day. Management steps to cope with social and feeding problems consisted of enlargement and adding complexity to the enclosure, the establishment of more feeding sites, building a stable and temporary removal of the stallion.

Abstract: The benefits to humans of equine-assisted therapy (EAT) have been well-researched, however few studies have analyzed the effects on the horse. Understanding how differing mental states of humans affect the behaviour and response of the horse can assist in providing optimal outcomes for both horse and human. Four humans clinically diagnosed and under care of a psychotherapist for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) were matched physically to four neurotypical control humans and individually subjected to each of 17 therapy horses loose in a round pen. A professional acting coach instructed the control humans in replicating the physical movements of their paired PTSD individual. Both horses and humans were equipped with a heart rate (HR) monitor recording HR every 5secs. Saliva samples were collected from each horse 30 min before and 30 min after each trial to analyze cortisol concentrations. Each trial consisted of 5 min of baseline observation of the horse alone in the round pen after which the human entered the round pen for 2 min, followed by an additional 5 min of the horse alone. Behavioural observations indicative of stress in the horse (gait, head height, ear orientation, body orientation, distance from the human, latency of approach to the human, vocalizations, and chewing) were retrospectively collected from video recordings of each trial and analyzed using a repeated measures GLIMMIX with Tukey's multiple comparisons for differences between treatments and time periods. Horses moved slower (p < 0.0001), carried their head lower (p < 0.0001), vocalized less (p < 0.0001), and chewed less (p < 0.0001) when any human was present with them in the round pen. Horse HR increased in the presence of the PTSD humans, even after the PTSD human left the pen (p < 0.0001). Since two of the PTSD/control human pairs were experienced with horses and two were not, a post-hoc analysis showed that horses approached quicker (p < 0.016) and stood closer (p < 0.0082) to humans who were experienced with horses. Horse HR was lower when with inexperienced humans (p < 0.0001) whereas inexperienced human HR was higher (p < 0.0001). Horse salivary cortisol did not differ between exposure to PTSD and control humans (p > 0.32). Overall, behavioural and physiological responses of horses to humans are more pronounced based on human experience with horses than whether the human is diagnosed with a mental disorder. This may be a reflection of a directness of movement associated with humans who are experienced with horses that makes the horse more attentive. It appears that horses respond more to physical cues from the human rather than emotional cues. This knowledge is important in tailoring therapy programs and justifying horse responses when interacting with a patient in a therapy setting.