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Author Lehmann, K.; Kallweit, E.; Ellendorff, F. url  doi
openurl 
  Title (down) Social hierarchy in exercised and untrained group-housed horses--A brief report Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 96 Issue 3-4 Pages 343-347  
  Keywords Horses; Social hierarchy; Exercise; Group-housing  
  Abstract Changes in social hierarchy were evaluated in a herd of 3-year-old Hanoverian geldings. One group (n = 5) was exposed to a training programme, the other (n = 5) remained untrained. After 6 months, the groups were reversed. Hierarchical positions were evaluated by field observations and/or paired-feeding tests at the beginning, the middle, the end of the first and at the end of the second training period. Both methods yielded identical results. Almost all horses changed position in only one direction: either up or down. Neither increase in aggression nor mutual injuries were recorded during the whole experiment. No statistically verified differences in dominance ranking occurred between trained and untrained groups, but apparent differences were consistent. Thus, if horses are kept in the same group for a longer period of time, exercise induced changes in hierarchy are probably of minor importance and are unlikely to increase the incidence of injuries. This may have implications for the promotion of group-housing for sport horses.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 800  
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Author Ligout, S.; Porter, R.H.; Bon, R. url  openurl
  Title (down) Social discrimination in lambs: persistence and scope Type Journal Article
  Year 2002 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 76 Issue 3 Pages 239-248  
  Keywords Social discrimination; Social cognition; Persistence of recognition; Lambs  
  Abstract Social recognition among familiar unrelated lambs was assessed in a series of tests. Lambs and their mothers were housed together in small groups for 1 week (Original groups; O) then reorganized into new groupings (Recent-groups; R) for the remainder of the experiment. During test series 1, lambs that were paired with a familiar O-group partner, from which they had been separated for 5 days, emitted fewer distress bleats than did those tested with an unfamiliar partner. This same effect was not evident when the test was repeated several hours later, indicating that the animals had become habituated to the testing procedures. Two days later, when given the choice between an O- versus a R-partner (test series 2), lambs did not display a preference for either of the stimulus lambs. However, in an additional two-choice test (test series 3) the subject lambs responded discriminatively to a recent familiar partner that was simultaneously present with an unfamiliar lamb. Overall, the results suggest that lambs are capable of developing discriminative relationships with age-mates from different sub-groups, and that such social discrimination persists over a separation period lasting at least several days. It is not clear whether lambs recognize several individual conspecifics per se or discriminate between members of higher order social categories (e.g. familiar versus unfamiliar individuals). Proximal and distal social discrimination may be mediated by different combinations of sensory modalities.  
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  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2906  
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Author Kolter, L.; Zimmermann, W. url  doi
openurl 
  Title (down) Social behaviour of Przewalski horses (Equus p. przewalskii) in the Cologne Zoo and its consequences for management and housing Type Journal Article
  Year 1988 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 21 Issue 1-2 Pages 117-145  
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  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.  
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  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2332  
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Author Christensen, J.W.; Zharkikh, T.; Ladewig, J.; Yasinetskaya, N. url  doi
openurl 
  Title (down) Social behaviour in stallion groups (Equus przewalskii and Equus caballus) kept under natural and domestic conditions Type Journal Article
  Year 2002 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 76 Issue 1 Pages 11-20  
  Keywords Domestic horse; Przewalski horse; Stallion group; Social behaviour; Equus caballus; Equus przewalskii  
  Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate social behaviour in differently reared stallions in their respective environments; one group of stallions was reared under typical domestic conditions whereas the other group was reared and lives under natural conditions. The domestic group consisted of 19, 2-year-old stallions (Equus caballus), which were all weaned at 4 months of age and experienced either individual or group housing facilities before being pastured with the other similarly aged stallions. The natural living and mixed age group of Przewalski stallions (E. przewalskii) consisted of 13 stallions, most of which were juveniles (n=11, <=4 years; n=2, >9 years). The domestic group was studied in a 4-ha enclosure at the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences and the Przewalski group under free-ranging conditions in a 75-ha enclosure in the Askania Nova Biosphere Reserve, Ukraine. Behavioural data was collected during 168 h of direct observation. The occurrence of 14 types of social interactions was recorded and group spacing behaviour was studied using nearest neighbour recordings. In spite of very different environments, reflecting domestic and natural rearing conditions, many similarities in behaviour was found. Play and play fight behaviour was very similar in the two stallion groups. Quantitative differences were found in social grooming since Przewalski stallions groomed more frequently (P=0.004), and in investigative behaviours, since domestic stallions showed more nasal (P=0.005) and body sniffing (P<0.001), whereas Przewalski stallions directed more sniffing towards the genital region (P<0.001). These differences may, however, be attributed to environmental factors and in the period of time the stallions were together prior to the study period. Quantitative differences appeared in some agonistic behaviours (kick threat, P<0.001; and kick, P<0.001), but data do not support earlier findings of Przewalski horses being significantly more aggressive than domestic horses. In general, Przewalski stallions engaged in more social interactions, and they showed less group spacing, i.e. maintained a significantly shorter distance between neighbours (P<0.001). The study indicates that also domestic horses, which have been reared under typical domestic conditions and allowed a period on pasture, show social behaviour, which is very similar to that shown by their non-domestic relatives.  
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  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 776  
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Author Feh, C. url  doi
openurl 
  Title (down) Social behaviour and relationships of Prezewalski horses in Dutch semi-reserves Type Journal Article
  Year 1988 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 21 Issue 1-2 Pages 71-87  
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  Abstract A short-term study was made of 2 groups of Przewalski horses, a bachelor group of 4 juvenile stallions in Ooij Polder and a harem group of 1 stallion and 4 mares. All social interactions were recorded and the nearest and farthest neighbour was noted. Correspondence analysis was used to determine what parameters determined the relationships among the horses. There was a linear hierarchy among the bachelor stallions. The dominant stallion of the group was also the oldest. The hierarchy was not linear in the harem group, and the 3-year-old stallion was subordinate to the 5-year-old mares. He was also most likely to be farthest from other horses. The mares of the same age, who had also arrived in the park at the same time, tended to be one another's nearest neighbours. The frequency of aggression is higher among Przewalski horses than among domestic horses of similar ages. Correspondence analysis revealed that head-threats and other forms of aggression accounted for more of the variance in the data than any other behaviour, but submission, play and social interactions also contributed.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 764  
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Author Martin, T.I.; Zentall, T.R.; Lawrence, L. url  doi
openurl 
  Title (down) Simple discrimination reversals in the domestic horse (Equus caballus): Effect of discriminative stimulus modality on learning to learn Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 101 Issue 3-4 Pages 328-338  
  Keywords Horse; Learning-to-learn; Discrimination Reversal  
  Abstract The cognitive capacity of an organism, relative to that of other species, can be assessed by using a relative measure of learning. One such measure is the ability of an organism to learn about the reversal of a discrimination. The present study compared the performance of two groups of horses on a simple discrimination reversal task when the only difference between the groups was the modality of the relevant cue. For the visual group (absence or presence of a light), the spatial position was irrelevant. For the spatial group, a spatial cue (left/right) was available and the visual cue was irrelevant. Horses in the spatial group learned the original discrimination and six reversals; they also showed evidence of learning to learn. Horses in the visual group did not reach criterion during the study. As a result, there was no evidence of learning to learn.  
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  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 289  
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Author McLean, A.N. url  doi
openurl 
  Title (down) Short-term spatial memory in the domestic horse Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 85 Issue 1-2 Pages 93-105  
  Keywords Animal cognition; Delayed response; Equine memory; Horse; Object permanence; Temporal cognition  
  Abstract This study investigates the ability of horses to recall a feeding event in a two-point choice apparatus. Twelve horses were individually tested whereby they were maintained immobile in a test arena and visually and aurally experienced the delivery of food into one of two feed goals. The horses were then released to make their choice in two experimental contexts: immediate release after experiencing the delivery of food, and release 10 s after food delivery. Each horse performed 40 immediate-release (IR) trials, followed by forty 10-s release trials over a 3-day period. In addition, the same horses were tested 3 months later in the spring with the same number and sequence of trials. Results were analysed by log-linear analysis of frequencies. Results showed that while horses were able to achieve the correct feed goal choice in the immediate-release trials, they were unsuccessful with the 10-s release trials. This suggests that there are limitations in recall abilities in horses, in that they may not possess a prospective type of memory. There are welfare and training implications in these findings concerning the effects of overestimating the mental abilities of horses during training and the effects of delays in reinforcements.  
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  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 403  
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Author Pickerel, T.M.; Crowell-Davis, S.L.; Caudle, A.B.; Estep, D.Q. url  openurl
  Title (down) Sexual preference of mares (Equus caballus) for individual stallions Type Journal Article
  Year 1993 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 38 Issue 1 Pages 1-13  
  Keywords Horse; Sexual behavior; Sexual preference; Vocalization  
  Abstract Eight mares were tested to determine if they remained near one of two stallions longer than would be expected if association was random. Six stallions were paired in 30 combinations and each mare was tested 30 times. The mares (Equus caballus) demonstrated a definite preference for individual stallions throughout the breeding season. This preference was influenced by the estrous state of the mare. During estrus, mares' preferences for stallions were positively correlated with the rate at which a given stallion vocalized. During diestrus, mares spent significantly less time in the proximity of stallions and did not exhibit any preference for individual stallions.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2270  
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Author i Rios, J.F.; Houpt, K. doi  openurl
  Title (down) Sexual behavior in geldings Type Journal Article
  Year 1995 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 46 Issue 1-2 Pages 133-135  
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  Abstract Abstract

In response to a request published in Equus, a magazine for those interested in horses, 85 owners of older geldings exhibiting sexual behavior completed history forms. The mean age of geldings was 16 f 5 years. Only 39 of the owners had had the gelding for at least a year before the behavior was noted. These cases could be used to determine the true age of onset of the problem. When log survivorship was used to determine whether there were one or two different populations, a break or change in the slope at age 16 indicated that there are two populations. One population shows the behavior from the time of castration and the other first exhibits the behavior in old age, possibly in response to an ACTH secreting pituitary adenoma. A total of 40% of the horses were Quarterhorses, the most numerous breed in the US; 78% of the horses were purebreds. Fewer than half the owners knew the age at which their horse had been castrated because they did not own the horse at the time.

The mean age at castration, when known, was 3.3 f 2.5 years. The reason for contacting us was sexual behavior (70%), aggression (24%). or some other problem ( 1 o/o). Whether or not aggression was the presenting problem, most of the horses showed aggression (95%), particularly towards other geldings (88%)) but also towards people (3 1%). Copulatory behavior (mounting) was shown by 69% of the geldings and half of those were able to intromit. These findings indicate that the sexual behavior of geldings is a problem for owners and that aggression usually accompanies sexual behavior.

The owners were encouraged to send serum samples taken before and after human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) administration for testosterone and estrone sulfate analysis to determine whether residual testicular tissue was responsible for the horse’s behavior. Of the 14 horses tested, only one had elevated levels of testosterone indicating that there was residual testicular tissue. A total of six of the owners agreed to treat their horses with cyproheptadine at a dose of 8 mg day- ’ gradually increased to 88 mg day- ’ per horse. A total of three of the horses showed a decline in sexual and aggressive behavior, one got worse and two had side effects and treatment was withdrawn.
 
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  Notes Approved yes  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 3627  
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Author Murphy, J.; Waldmann, T.; Arkins, S. url  openurl
  Title (down) Sex differences in equine learning skills and visuo-spatial ability Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 87 Issue 1-2 Pages 119-130  
  Keywords Horses; Sex differences; Visuo-spatial ability; Learning  
  Abstract There is evidence of superior visuo-spatial ability in males compared to females in most species investigated to-date. However, no known studies have addressed this issue in the equine. Equine visuo-spatial ability was investigated using a novel test apparatus with a sample of 62 horses (males=34 and females=28) during a series of six tests, where the horses were required to access a food source. The test apparatus consisted of a series of four adjacent stalls, each of which had a feed bin and a moveable barrier. The test apparatus was designed such that the breastplate barriers controlled and limited access by the horses to feed bins in all but one stall during each test. Male horses performed such that there were significant differences (P<0.05) in the ability of the subjects to complete all six tests in a mean time of 30 s or less per test. There were significant differences in mean completion times for male subjects between test 1 and test 2 (P<0.05), test 1 and test 3 (P<0.001), test 1 and test 4 (P<0.05) and test 1 and test 5 (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in mean completion times between any of the six tests for female subjects. Males had a lower mean total number of errors during all tests. Male horses also successfully completed significantly more tests than females (P<0.05). These results provide the first behavioural demonstration of superior visuo-spatial ability in male horses, similar to that reported in other species.  
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  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 3560  
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