Abstract: The tendency in primate groups for two opponents to affiliate shortly after a fight has been described as dyadic reconciliation. The response has been shown to restore disrupted relationships and curtail ongoing aggression. Rates of self-directed behaviour (e.g. scratching) are positively correlated with anxiety in primates and the rates decline after reconciliation, indicating that the response also functions to reduce postconflict tension. Third parties not involved in an aggressive interaction are also likely to affiliate with one of the combatants subsequent to a fight. Such `triadic' interactions may also promote conflict resolution when, for instance, the relatives of a victim affiliate with their relative's aggressor. Because aggression in a group influences a bystander's behaviour with combatants, we hypothesized that aggression between two animals would also influence a bystander's behaviour with other bystanders. Such `quadratic' postconflict interactions might also function to reduce postconflict tension or occur in patterns among kin subgroups to resolve conflict. We tested for quadratic interactions in an 18-member group of captive hamadryas baboons, Papio hamadryas hamadryas. Immediately following a fight, an uninvolved bystander was randomly selected for observation and its affiliative interactions with other bystanders and its displacement activities were recorded for 3 min. Rates of behaviour during these postconflict periods were compared to rates during 3-min baseline periods not preceded by aggression. Bystanders engaged in quadratic interactions by increasing affiliation with other bystanders following aggression. Bystanders directed affiliation to nonkin bystanders that were their preferred social partners. Displacement activities of bystanders were significantly higher during postconflict intervals compared to baseline intervals, and bystander displacement activity levels before affiliative contact with other bystanders were significantly higher than after contact. Apparently, bystanders become tense or anxious after witnessing aggression and affiliate with preferred partners to reduce the arousal.

Abstract: In the publication “Movements of trunk and back of the horse from a riders view” in the TU 59, 327-334, 2004 the author suggested that academic research is necessary to determine measurable parameters for these agents of the horse's movement.
The discovery of the importance of the trunk-back-movements for a sensitive and horse-oriented riding style is closely connected to the development of the balanced seat and the technique of receiving signals from and sending signals to the horse at the right time (riders would say: “the feel and the impact”). The history of this interaction between horse and rider can be traced for four and a half centuries. A short digest will be published here later. Again the studies result in a demand for interdisciplinary academic research.
There is an urgent need to clarify the impact of the riders's seat and aids (two more pillars in the art of riding) in the interest teaching riding correctly and more efficiently at the so-called 'basis' of our sport.

Abstract: Übergänge von einer Gangart in eine andere sind nach Ludwig Koch jeweils nur aus einer ganz bestimmten Phase einer Bewegungsfolge (oder Bewegungsfolgen-Hälfte) der einen in eine ganz bestimmte Bewegungsfolge (oder Bewegungsfolgen-Hälfte) der anderen Gangart möglich.
Diese Phasen dauern nur Bruchteile einer Sekunde an. In diesen Momenten muß die Hilfe nach europäischer klassischer Lehre gegeben, nur in diesen Momenten kann sie vom Pferd blitzartig-automatisch umgesetzt werden. Um die Hilfe im “passenden” Moment geben zu können, braucht der Reiter einen Zeitgeber. Den einzigen verfügbaren, zuverlässigen Timer bilden die Bewegungen des Pferderückens und des Pferderumpfes.
Die Zusammenhänge zwischen den Bewegungsphasen in den Grundgangarten, dem mit frei beweglichem Beckenring allen Bewegungen des Pferderückens folgendem Sitz des Reiters, und dem Schenkel, der von Schritt zu Schritt, von Tritt zu Tritt, von Galoppsprung zu Galoppsprung an den wegschwingenden Pferderumpf fallen möchte bis er das im rechten Augenblick – vom Reiter gesteuert – dann auch darf, sind erstmals in piktogrammartigen Miniaturbild-Folgen leicht verständlich dargestellt.

Abstract: Studies on social animals often seek to identify dominance hierarchies, in which individuals are ranked according to competitive abilities based on counts of wins and losses in pairwise encounters. I illustrate Bayesian approaches, based on the method of paired comparisons, for determining ranks and for estimating relationships between dominance ability and other attributes. Bayesian inference combines prior probability distributions for each unknown parameter with likelihood functions to produce the joint posterior probability distribution for the quantities of interest. In contrast to nonparametric techniques for inferring ranks, Bayesian models yield measures of certainty for each inference and allow rigorous estimates of correlations between ranks and covariates even when there is considerable uncertainty as to the ranks themselves. A possible objection to the Bayesian approach is that it appears to entail more restrictive assumptions than do simpler methods. However, simulations show that Bayesian inferences are more robust to deviations from these assumptions than are the results of nonparametric methods.

Abstract: Horses are quite unique. In most mammals, sexes segregate and maintain bonds only during the breeding season (Clutton-Brock, 1989). Some canids, a few rodents and primate species such as gorillas, hamadryas baboons and red howler monkeys are the exception, where the same males stay with the same females all year round and over many breeding seasons. Typically, both sexes disperse at puberty in these species. In horses, it was clearly shown that the causes for female dispersal were incest avoidance and not intra-specific competition (Monard, 1996). As a rule, this is confirmed for mammal species where tenure length by males exceeds the age at first reproduction in females (Clutton-Brock, 1989). When horses are allowed to choose their mating partner freely, the inbreeding coefficient of the offspring is lower than expected should they mate randomly (Duncan et al, 1984).