Records |
Author |
Sankey, C.; Richard-Yris, M.-A.; Henry, S.; Fureix, C.; Nassur, F.; Hausberger, M. |
Title |
Reinforcement as a mediator of the perception of humans by horses (Equus caballus) |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2010 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
Volume |
13 |
Issue |
5 |
Pages |
753-764-764 |
Keywords |
Perception of humans – Human/animal relationship – Positive reinforcement – Negative reinforcement – Equus caballus |
Abstract |
A central question in the interspecific human/animal relationship is how domestic animals perceive humans as a significant element of their environment. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the use of positive or negative reinforcement in horse training may have consequences on the animals’ perception of humans, as a positive, negative or neutral element. Two groups of ponies were trained to walk backwards in response to a vocal order using either positive or negative reinforcement. Heart rate monitors and behavioural observations were used to assess the animals’ perception of humans on the short (just after training) and long (5 months later) terms. The results showed that the type of reinforcement had a major effect on the subsequent animals’ perception of familiar and unfamiliar humans. Negative reinforcement was rapidly associated with an increased emotional state, as revealed by heart rate measurements and behavioural observations (head movements and ears laid back position). Its use led the ponies to seek less contact with humans. On the contrary, ponies trained with positive reinforcement showed an increased interest in humans and sought contact after training. This is especially remarkable as it was reached in a maximum of 5 sessions of 1 to 3 min (i.e. 5 to 15 min) and had lasting effects (visible after 5 months). Even learning was positively influenced by positive reinforcement. Overall, horses seem capable of associating humans to particular experiences and display extended long-term memory abilities. |
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Springer Berlin / Heidelberg |
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1435-9448 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
5175 |
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Author |
Pluhácek, J.; Bartos, L.; Bartosová, J.; Kotrba, R. |
Title |
Feeding behaviour affects nursing behaviour in captive plains zebra (Equus burchellii) |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2010 |
Publication |
Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. |
Volume |
128 |
Issue |
1-4 |
Pages |
97-102 |
Keywords |
Equus burchellii; Suckling; Nursing; Equid; Feeding; Zoo |
Abstract |
Equids spend more than half of the day feeding. Lactation is a very demanding form of maternal investment. In an environment such as a zoo, where no grass but several feeding sites are present, conflict between suckling behaviour of the foal and feeding behaviour of the lactating mother should occur. We observed 20 foals of captive plains zebra, Equus burchellii, at the Dvur Králové Zoo, Czech Republic, and collected data concerning suckling events during 17 months of observation. First, we examined whether feeding by the mother while nursing affected suckling behaviour. We found that when the mother was feeding, the proportion of suckling bouts she terminated decreased with increasing age of the foal, whereas it did not change when she was not feeding. This result supported the trade-off between suckling and feeding behaviour which has been reported in other ungulates. Second, we examined what affected interruptions of feeding behaviour of the mother during the suckling bout. The proportion of interruptions of feeding by the mother during nursing increased with increasing age of her foal. This coincides with declining time spent nursing. In addition, younger mothers interrupted their feeding behaviour during suckling bouts more often than older ones. Mothers interrupted feeding during the suckling bout more often when they nursed a daughter than when they nursed a son. The results of our study show that feeding while suckling could reduce parent-offspring conflict and improve welfare of captive foals and mares. |
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0168-1591 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
5280 |
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Author |
Zucca, P.; Cerri, F.; Carluccio, A.; Baciadonna, L. |
Title |
Space availability influence laterality in donkeys (Equus asinus) |
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Journal Article |
Year |
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Publication |
Behavioural Processes |
Abbreviated Journal |
Behav. Process. |
Volume |
In Press, Uncorrected Proof |
Issue |
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Pages |
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Keywords |
Cerebral lateralization; Donkey; Footedness; Welfare; Equus asinus |
Abstract |
Cerebral lateralization is the portioning of the cognitive functions between the two cerebral hemispheres. Several factors, like embryological manipulations, light exposure, health conditions, sex and age can influence the left-right brain asymmetries and contribute to increasing the variability in the strength and direction of laterality within most species. We investigated the influence of an environmental constraint, namely space availability, as a new source of variation on laterality in an adult vertebrate model, the donkey. In a baseline condition we tested whether donkeys show a motor lateralization bias at population level, while in an experimental condition we manipulated space availability to verify if a reduction in this parameter could represent a new source of variation in laterality. Results show that donkeys are lateralized at population level with a strong bias to standing with the right forelimb advanced over the left and that a reduction of space availability is an important source of variation in the laterality strength and direction within this species. The comparative analysis of the environmental and developmental factors that give origin to neural and behavioural laterality in animal models will be very important for a better understanding of the evolutionary origin of such multifaceted phenomenon. |
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0376-6357 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
5400 |
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Author |
Sankey, C.; Richard-Yris, M.-A.; Leroy, H.; Henry, S.; Hausberger, M. |
Title |
Positive interactions lead to lasting positive memories in horses, Equus caballus |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2010 |
Publication |
Animal Behaviour |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Behav. |
Volume |
79 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
869-875 |
Keywords |
Equus caballus; horse; human–animal relationship; learning; memory; positive interaction; social cognition |
Abstract |
Social relationships are important in social species. These relationships, based on repeated interactions, define each partner's expectations during the following encounters. The creation of a relationship implies high social cognitive abilities which require that each partner is able to associate the positive or negative content of an interaction with a specific partner and to recall this association. In this study, we tested the effects of repeated interactions on the memory kept by 23 young horses about humans, after 6 and 8 months of separation. The association of a reward with a learning task in an interactional context induced positive reactions towards humans during training. It also increased contact and interest, not only just after training, but also several months later, despite no further interaction with humans. In addition, this ‘positive memory’ of humans extended to novel persons. Overall, positive reinforcement enhanced learning and memorization of the task itself. These findings suggest remarkable social cognitive abilities that can be transposed from intraspecific to interspecific social contexts. |
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0003-3472 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
5418 |
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Author |
h:, M.; Lévy, F.; Fortin, M.; Leterrier, C.; LansadLansade, L. |
Title |
Stress and temperament affect working memory performance for disappearing food in horses, Equus caballus |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2013 |
Publication |
Animal Behaviour |
Abbreviated Journal |
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Volume |
86 |
Issue |
6 |
Pages |
1233-1240 |
Keywords |
delayed-response task emotion; equid; Equus caballus; fearfulness; individual difference; personality; stress; temperament |
Abstract |
In the present study, we sought to determine the influence of stress and temperament on working memory for disappearing food in horses. After assessment of five dimensions of temperament, we tested working memory of horses using a delayed-response task requiring a choice between two food locations. Delays ranging from 0 to 20 s were tested. The duration of working memory for disappearing food was first characterized without stressors (N = 26). The horses were then divided into two groups and their performance was assessed under stressful (exposure to acute stressors prior to testing, N = 12) or control conditions (N = 12). Results showed that the duration of working memory for disappearing food lasted at least 20 s under nonstressful conditions, and that under stressful conditions this duration lasted less than 12 s. This stress-induced impairment confirms in a nonrodent species that working memory performance is very sensitive to exposure to stressors. In addition, working memory performance in horses is influenced by the temperamental dimension of fearfulness according to the state of stress: fearful horses showed better performance under control conditions and worse performance under stressful conditions than nonfearful horses. These findings are discussed in the context of the Yerkes–Dodson law of stress and performance. |
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0003-3472 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5746 |
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Author |
Schneider, G.; Krueger, K. |
Title |
Third-party interventions keep social partners from exchanging affiliative interactions with others |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2012 |
Publication |
Animal Behaviour |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Behav. |
Volume |
83 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
377-387 |
Keywords |
Equus caballus; horse; rank; social bond; social network; third-party intervention |
Abstract |
Third-party interventions are defined as the interruption of dyadic interactions by third animals through direct physical contact, interposing or threats. Previous studies focused on the analysis of interventions against agonistic encounters. However, there have been no evaluations of interventions against affiliative behaviours, particularly in relation to the intervening animal�s social relationships and its social and spatial position. Horses, Equus caballus, are an interesting model species, as interventions against affiliative interactions occur more frequently than against agonistic interactions. In this study, 64 feral horses displayed 67 interventions in affiliative interactions and eight interventions in agonistic interactions within the observation period. We analysed the interventions in affiliative encounters, and found that it was mainly higher-ranking females that intervened in the affiliative interactions of group mates in the stable horse harems. The intervening animals took an active part in affiliative and agonistic encounters within the group, but did not occupy particular social roles or spatial positions. They intervened in affiliative interactions in which group mates with which they had social bonds interacted with other members of the group. They targeted the nonbonded animal and approached the one with which they were socially bonded. We suggest some species use third-party interventions in affiliative interactions to prevent competition for preferred social interaction partners from escalating into more costly agonistic encounters. |
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0003-3472 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
5492 |
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Author |
Austin, N.P.; Rogers, L.J. |
Title |
Limb preferences and lateralization of aggression, reactivity and vigilance in feral horses, Equus caballus |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2012 |
Publication |
Animal Behaviour |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Behav. |
Volume |
83 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
239-247 |
Keywords |
aggression; behavioural asymmetry; Equus caballus; eye preference; feral horse; limb preference; reactivity; side bias |
Abstract |
Observational field studies were conducted on two remote populations of feral horses in Australia to determine whether lateralization is a characteristic of Equus caballus as a species or results from handling by humans. Group 1 had been feral for two to five generations and Group 2 for 10–20 generations. In both groups, left-side biases were present during agonistic interactions and in reactivity and vigilance. Therefore, as in other vertebrates, the right hemisphere appears to be specialized to control agonistic behaviour and responses to potential threats. The leftwards bias was stronger in measures of behaviour involving more aggression and reactivity. Preferences to place one forelimb in front of the other during grazing were also determined. No population bias of forelimb preference was found, suggesting that such limb preferences present in domestic horses may be entrained. Since stronger individual limb preferences were found in immature than in adult feral horses, limb preference may be modified by maturation or experience in the natural habitat. Stronger limb preference was associated significantly with elevated attention to the environment but only in younger feral horses. No sex differences in lateralization were found. The findings are evidence that horses show visual lateralization, as in other vertebrates, not dependent on handling by humans. Limb preference during grazing, by contrast, does appear to depend on experience. |
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0003-3472 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
5651 |
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Author |
Baragli, P.; Vitale, V.; Paoletti, E.; Sighieri, C.; Reddon, A.R. |
Title |
Detour behaviour in horses (Equus caballus) |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2011 |
Publication |
Journal of Ethology |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. Ethol. |
Volume |
29 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
227-234 |
Keywords |
Detour behaviour; Equus caballus; Horses; Lateralization; Spatial reasoning |
Abstract |
The objective of this study was to investigate the ability of horses (Equus caballus) to detour around symmetric and asymmetric obstacles. Ten female Italian saddle horses were each used in three detour tasks. In the first task, the ability to detour around a symmetrical obstacle was evaluated; in the second and third tasks subjects were required to perform a detour around an asymmetrical obstacle with two different degrees of asymmetry. The direction chosen to move around the obstacle and time required to make the detour were recorded. The results suggest that horses have the spatial abilities required to perform detour tasks with both symmetric and asymmetric obstacles. The strategy used to perform the task varied between subjects. For five horses, lateralized behaviour was observed when detouring the obstacle; this was consistently in one direction (three on the left and two on the right). For these horses, no evidence of spatial learning or reasoning was found. The other five horses did not solve this task in a lateralized manner, and a trend towards decreasing lateralization was observed as asymmetry, and hence task difficulty, increased. These non-lateralized horses may have higher spatial reasoning abilities. |
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Springer Japan |
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English |
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0289-0771 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5686 |
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Author |
Lampe, J.F.; Andre, J. |
Title |
Cross-modal recognition of human individuals in domestic horses (Equus caballus) |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2012 |
Publication |
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Abbreviated Journal |
Animal Cognition |
Volume |
15 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
623-630 |
Keywords |
Cross-modal; Recognition of humans; Horse; Equus caballus; Human–horse interaction; Animal cognition; Visual recognition; Auditory recognition; Voice discrimination; Interspecific |
Abstract |
This study has shown that domestic horses are capable of cross-modal recognition of familiar humans. It was demonstrated that horses are able to discriminate between the voices of a familiar and an unfamiliar human without seeing or smelling them at the same moment. Conversely, they were able to discriminate the same persons when only exposed to their visual and olfactory cues, without being stimulated by their voices. A cross-modal expectancy violation setup was employed; subjects were exposed both to trials with incongruent auditory and visual/olfactory identity cues and trials with congruent cues. It was found that subjects responded more quickly, longer and more often in incongruent trials, exhibiting heightened interest in unmatched cues of identity. This suggests that the equine brain is able to integrate multisensory identity cues from a familiar human into a person representation that allows the brain, when deprived of one or two senses, to maintain recognition of this person. |
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Springer-Verlag |
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English |
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1435-9448 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5698 |
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Author |
Krueger, K.; Flauger, B.; Farmer, K.; Hemelrijk, C. |
Title |
Movement initiation in groups of feral horses |
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Journal Article |
Year |
2014 |
Publication |
Behavioural Processes |
Abbreviated Journal |
Behav. Process. |
Volume |
103 |
Issue |
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Pages |
91-101 |
Keywords |
Horse; Equus ferus caballus; Distributed leadership; Herding; Departure; Rank |
Abstract |
Abstract Herds of ungulates, flocks of birds, swarms of insects and schools of fish move in coordinated groups. Computer models show that only one or very few animals are needed to initiate and direct movement. To investigate initiation mechanisms further, we studied two ways in which movement can be initiated in feral horses: herding, and departure from the group. We examined traits affecting the likelihood of a horse initiating movement i.e. social rank, affiliative relationships, spatial position, and social network. We also investigated whether group members join a movement in dominance rank order. Our results show that whereas herding is exclusive to alpha males, any group member may initiate movement by departure. Social bonds, the number of animals interacted with, and the spatial position were not significantly associated with movement initiation. We did not find movement initiation by departure to be exclusive to any type of individual. Instead we find evidence for a limited form of distributed leadership, with higher ranking animals being followed more often. |
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0376-6357 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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5738 |
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