| Home | << 1 2 >> |
|
| Records | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Hall, C.; Rigg, V.; Truswell, M.; Owen, H. | ||||
| Title | Picture recognition of con-specifics and facial expression in the horse (Equus caballus) | Type | Conference Article | ||
| Year | 2012 | Publication | Proceedings of the 2. International Equine Science Meeting | Abbreviated Journal | Proc. 2. Int. Equine. Sci. Mtg |
| Volume | in press | Issue | Pages | ||
| Keywords | horse, picture, recognition, communication | ||||
| Abstract | The management of the domestic horse often requires them to be kept in isolation from con-specifics. Installing a picture of a horse (generally head and neck view) with a view to providing surrogate companionship has been shown to reduce the negative impact of this isolation. This study aimed firstly to compare the spontaneous response of horses (N=10) to a 2-D image of a horse’s face (FP) with their response to a comparable abstract 2-D image (AP). Secondly, the spontaneous response of horses (N=20) to a 2-D image of a horse’s face with the ears forward (PFP positive) was compared with the response to a 2-D image of a horse’s face with the ears back (NFP negative). The posters were A1 sized and displayed in the horse’s own stable. In study 1, one poster was displayed for 5 minutes and the horse’s behaviour video-recorded. This was removed and the second poster was displayed for 5 minutes and the behaviour video-recorded. FP was displayed first for 5 of the horses and AP displayed first for the other 5. The video footage was observed and the behaviour of the horses and number of times they touched the poster recorded. For the purpose of identifying the area of the poster that was touched by the horse it was divided into 4 equal quarters (TL, TR, BL, BR). In FP the nose of the horse in the 2-D image was located in BL, eyes and ears in TL, chest and lower neck in BR and upper neck in TR. In AP each area contained similar but unique abstract patterns of comparable colour to FP. Differences in behaviour were found according to which poster was displayed. FP was touched significantly more than AP (p=0.001) and was looked at more often (p=0.008). With FP the horses spent significantly longer with their ears forward (p=0.008) and licking and chewing (p=0.016). When the number of touches per poster area was compared (FP and AP) a significant difference was found in the number of times that BL (nose) and BR (chest/lower neck) were touched (p=0.011). Both areas were touched more frequently on FP, with BL being touched the most. In study 2 the same experimental protocol was used to compare responses to positive (PFP) or negative (NFP) 2-D images of a horse’s face (same horse in both PFP and NFP). Again, differences in behaviour were found in response to the two posters. PFP was touched significantly more than NFP (p=0.002) and on both posters the area BL (nose) was touched more frequently than the other areas (PFP: p=0.02, NFP: p=0.01). More ears back behaviour (p<0.001) and more ear locked on behaviour (p=0.008) was shown with NFP. The results of these studies indicate that horses can recognize 2-D images as con-specifics as well as responding to differences in facial expression. There is now the potential for further investigation into the importance of other visual cues in recognition and social interaction as well as the application of findings to enhance equine welfare. | ||||
| Address | |||||
| Corporate Author | Hall, C. | Thesis | |||
Publisher  |
Xenophon Publishing | Place of Publication | Wald | Editor | Krueger, K. |
| Language | Summary Language | Original Title | |||
| Series Editor | Series Title | Abbreviated Series Title | |||
| Series Volume | Series Issue | Edition | |||
| ISSN | 978-3-9808134-26 | ISBN | Medium | ||
| Area | Expedition | Conference | |||
| Notes | Approved | no | |||
| Call Number | Equine Behaviour @ team @ | Serial | 5506 | ||
| Permanent link to this record | |||||
| Author | Owen, H.; Hall, C.; Hallam, S.; Smith, E. | ||||
| Title | The use of GPS to measure feeding behaviour and activity patterns in the horse (Equus caballus) | Type | Conference Article | ||
| Year | 2012 | Publication | Proceedings of the 2. International Equine Science Meeting | Abbreviated Journal | Proc. 2. Int. Equine. Sci. Mtg |
| Volume | in press | Issue | Pages | ||
| Keywords | horse, picture, recognition, communication | ||||
| Abstract | The global positioning system (GPS) has been used to record activity and monitor habitat use in many animal species. In the horse (Equus caballus) the monitoring of activity and feeding patterns has been used to assess the impact of environmental factors on behaviour and welfare. In free-ranging animals GPS can provide such information but the accuracy and reliability of these devices has yet to be confirmed. The aim of this study was: 1) to compare the results of visual observation with GPS recordings of the horse’s head and neck position (head up (HU) and down (HD)) used to quantify time spent grazing; 2) to test the use of GPS collars to monitor activity patterns where distance, speed and location paths were recorded. In both studies two animals were fitted with Lotek GPS 3300S collars (with integrated GPS data logger and removable battery pack) round the top of the neck. In study 1 two horses were fitted with collars and turned loose into a 20x40m sand arena for 45 minutes. Feed balls and hay were provided (in nets and on the ground) to encourage movement and feeding behaviour for comparison using the two methods (observation from digital video recordings and GPS). HD was recorded by the GPS collars for a significantly longer time (interpreted as feeding/grazing time) than that recorded by observation (p=0.004). However when the visual observation was split into HU, HD and also head in mid-way position (HMW), where the nose of the horse was level or just above the chest, then no difference between the collar (HU and HD) and visual observation for (HU and HD+HMW) was found. It is likely that when in HMW the GPS collar may not be sufficiently angled to trigger the sensor to record HU or the collar may move on the neck. Conclusions relating to time spent feeding should be treated with caution. In study 2, the collars were fitted to two ponies with access to 2.02 hectares of lowland grazing. Activity (distance travelled and speed) and location was recorded for 2 days. The total distance travelled by the ponies in 24 hours (2.84km) and their average speed (4.04m/minute) was calculated and showed no significant difference between day and night. The total area was split into four equal segments and there was no significant difference in the time the ponies spent in each area although they were found to move at slower speeds and stand for longer in some areas. Movement paths could be identified by inputting the GPS collar data into ArcGIS and viewed on Google Maps. There was a high level of comparability observed between the two ponies confirming behavioural synchronicity. As in other species, the use of GPS collars to monitor the movement and location of horses/ponies was found to be effective, but data relating to head position did not provide a reliable means of recording the time spent feeding. | ||||
| Address | horse, GPS, activity, feeding behaviour, grazing | ||||
| Corporate Author | Owen, H. | Thesis | |||
| Publisher |
Xenophon Publishing | Place of Publication | Wald | Editor | Krueger, K. |
| Language | Summary Language | Original Title | |||
| Series Editor | Series Title | Abbreviated Series Title | |||
| Series Volume | Series Issue | Edition | |||
| ISSN | 978-3-9808134-26 | ISBN | Medium | ||
| Area | Expedition | Conference | |||
| Notes | Approved | no | |||
| Call Number | Equine Behaviour @ team @ | Serial | 5507 | ||
| Permanent link to this record | |||||
| Author | Winwright, D.; Elston, H.; Hall, C. | ||||
| Title | The impact of paddock design on the behaviour of the domestic horse (Equus caballus) | Type | Conference Article | ||
| Year | 2015 | Publication | Proceedings of the 3. International Equine Science Meeting | Abbreviated Journal | Proc. 3. Int. Equine. Sci. Mtg |
| Volume | Issue | Pages | |||
| Keywords | Horses, social behaviour, management, housing, paddock | ||||
| Abstract | The design of a captive environment should facilitate the expression of the natural behavioural repertoire of the species concerned. The domestic horse (Equus caballus) is a social, herd dwelling species that is often housed in isolation from con-specifics or kept in groups in paddock enclosures. Although the latter allows for social interaction and does not restrict movement per se, it may not promote natural activity patterns or group cohesion. The aim of the current study was to assess the impact of two different paddock designs on the behaviour of a stable group of horses (n=6: 2 mares, 4 geldings). The paddock designs tested were adjacent and grassed similarly, but configured differently. A central paddock (75 x 75m) designated NT, was surrounded by a track 1.6-5.5m wide, designated T. The horses were turned out in their group into T or NT for 3 consecutive days. Their behaviour was recorded for one hour three times each day (10.00, 13.00, 16.00 hrs). Within each observation period of one hour focal sampling was used, each individual horse being observed for a 10 minute period. They were then moved to the other enclosure type for a further 3 consecutive days, followed by a repeat of each condition. When turned out the horses were fitted with a global positioning system device (Garmin Forerunner 305) to monitor distance travelled and speed for the period 10.00-17.00 hrs. The mean percentage of time spent in each behavioural state (standing alert, standing resting, walk/trot, grazing, lying, social interaction) during the periods observed was calculated. Behaviour during social interactions was classified as either affiliative (approach, follow, friendly contacts, mutual grooming) or agonistic (approach and retreat, bite, chase, head threat). The horses travelled significantly further in T than in NT (paired samples t-test: t (5) = 11.74, p<0.001) and moved significantly faster (Wilcoxon signed rank test: z = -2.21, p=0.03). See Table 1. When the percentage of time spent in each behavioural state in T and NT was compared some significant differences were found. A significantly higher percentage of time was spent active (walking /trotting) in T than in NT (paired samples t-test: t (5) = 5.74, p=0.002). Standing alert was only recorded in T (paired samples t-test: t (5) = 3.48, p=0.02). A significantly higher percentage of time was spent grazing in NT than in T (paired samples t-test: t (5) = -3.58, p=0.016). Significantly more social interaction occurred in T than in NT (paired samples t-test: t (5) = 5.93, p=0.002). See Figure 1. In T, 91% of social interactions were affiliative and 9% agonistic, whereas in NT 29% were affiliative and 71% agonistic. No difference was found in the percentage of time spent standing resting or lying down in T and NT. The benefits of housing horses in groups as opposed to individually have been demonstrated in previous studies. In addition to better satisfying the behavioural needs of the horse it has been found that group housed horses adapt more easily to training and display less undesirable behaviour than those housed individually (Rivera et al. 2002; Søndergaard and Ladewig 2004; Visser et al. 2008). However, individual housing is frequently selected by horse owners in preference to group housing to avoid the risk of injury during agonistic encounters. Fureix et al. (2012) suggest that management practices may well contribute to aggressiveness in horses and that the conditions under which we keep horses should be reviewed. The findings of the present study indicate that the design of the enclosure in which groups of horses are kept affects the nature of social interactions. The T paddock design resulted in reduced intra-group aggression. However, this paddock design also reduced the time spent grazing and increased vigilant behaviour. Although the results demonstrate that a paddock system including tracks may facilitate group cohesion and more natural movement patterns, the long-term impact on behaviour and welfare requires further investigation. References: Fureix C, Bourjade M, Henry S, Sankey C, Hausberger M. (2012). Exploring aggression regulation in managed groups of horses (Equus caballus). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 138: 216-228. Rivera E, Benjamin S, Nielsen B, Shelle J, Zanella AJ. (2002). Behavioural and physiological response of horses to initial training: the comparison between pastured versus stalled horses. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 78: 235–252. Søndergaard E, Ladewig J. (2004). Group housing exerts a positive effect on the behaviour of young horses during training. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 87: 105-118. |
||||
| Address | |||||
| Corporate Author | Hall, C. | Thesis | |||
| Publisher |
Xenophon Publishing | Place of Publication | Wald | Editor | ; Krueger, K. |
| Language | Summary Language | Original Title | |||
| Series Editor | Series Title | Abbreviated Series Title | |||
| Series Volume | Series Issue | Edition | |||
| ISSN | 978-3-95625-000-2 | ISBN | Medium | ||
| Area | Expedition | Conference | |||
| Notes | Id - | Approved | no | ||
| Call Number | Equine Behaviour @ team @ | Serial | 5895 | ||
| Permanent link to this record | |||||