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Author Basile, M.; Boivin, S.; Boutin, A.; Blois-Heulin, C.; Hausberger, M.; Lemasson, A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Socially dependent auditory laterality in domestic horses (Equus caballus) Type Journal Article
  Year 2009 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.  
  Volume 12 Issue (up) Pages 611-619  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Laterality is now known to be an ubiquitous phenomenon among the vertebrates. Particularly, laterality of auditory processing has been demonstrated in a variety of species, especially songbirds and primates. Such a hemispheric specialization has been shown to depend on factors such as sound structure, species specificity and types of stimuli. Much less is known on the possible influence of social familiarity although a few studies suggest such an influence. Here we tested the influence of the degree of familiarity on the laterality of the auditory response in the domestic horse. This species is known for its social system and shows visible reactions to sounds, with one or two ears moving towards a sound source. By comparing such responses to the playback of different conspecific whinnies (group member, neighbor and stranger), we could demonstrate a clear left hemisphere (LH) preference for familiar neighbor calls while no preference was found for group member and stranger calls. Yet, we found an opposite pattern of ear side preference for neighbor versus stranger calls. These results are, to our knowledge, the first to demonstrate auditory laterality in an ungulate species. They open further lines of thought on the influence of the social “value” of calls and the listener's arousal on auditory processing and laterality.  
  Address Universite de Rennes I, EthoS, Ethologie animale et humaine-UMR 6552-CNRS Station Biologique de Paimpont, 35380, Paimpont, France, basilemuriel@hotmail.com  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1435-9456 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:19283416 Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4761  
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Author Hausberger, M.; Richard-Yris, M.-A. url  isbn
openurl 
  Title Individual differences in the domestic horse, origins, development and stability Type Book Chapter
  Year 2005 Publication The domestic horse : the origins, development, and management of its behaviour Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue (up) Pages 33-52  
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  Publisher Cambridge University Press 2005 Place of Publication Cambridge Editor Mills, D.S.; McDonnell,  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN 13 978-0-521-81414-6 Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Feh2005 Serial 4819  
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Author Hausberger, M.; Le Scolan, N.; Muller, C.; Gautier, E.; Wolff, A. openurl 
  Title Individual behavioural characteristics in horses: predictability, endogenous and environmental factors Type Journal Article
  Year 1996 Publication Journée d`Etude Abbreviated Journal Journée d`Etude  
  Volume 22 Issue (up) Pages 113- 123  
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  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Insitute du Cheval Place of Publication Paris Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5023  
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Author Hausberger, M.; Fureix, C. pdf  openurl
  Title On the significance of puzzling behaviours: what do yawning and adult play tell us about horse (Equus caballus) welfare? 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 (up) Pages  
  Keywords welfare indicators, yawning, adult play, altered welfare, horse  
  Abstract Some behaviours remain a mystery and their determinants are still uncertain. Here we propose a critical interpretation of two puzzling behaviours, i.e. yawning and adult play, recorded in large samples of domestic horses kept in sub-optimal conditions (e.g. time-restricted feeding practices, social isolation). Yawning is involved in behavioural state changes, especially in quiet contexts of motor relaxation, but seems also to be triggered by stress and emotional contexts. Thus, we investigated specific correlates of yawning and stereotypic behaviours in two large samples of working horses (n1 = 87, n2 = 59). A clear co-occurrences of yawning and stereotypic behaviours appeared: stereotypic horses yawned more than the non-stereotypic horses (Fisher test, p < 0.02), yawning increased at the same time periods as stereotypic behaviours did (Wilcoxon tests, p < 0.05 to 0.001) and yawning frequency was even sometimes positively correlated with stereotypic behaviour frequencies (Spearman correlations, p < 0.005). Play, more typical of young stages in healthy individuals, occurs rarely at adult stages but then more often in captive/domestic animals (which can be challenging to welfare) than in animals living in natural conditions. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that adult play may reflect altered welfare states in horses, where, as in several species, play rarely occurs at adult stages in natural conditions. We observed the behaviour (in particular social play) of 29 adult riding school horses during occasional outings in a paddock and measured several stress indicators (health-related, behavioural and physiological) when these horses were in their home individual boxes. Results revealed that the number of horses and rates of adult play appeared very high compared to field report data and that most stress indicators measured differed between “players” and “non-players”, revealing that most “playful” animals were more prone to suffer from chronic stress contrarily to “non-playful” horses (Fisher, Chi-square, Mann-Whitney and Spearman correlation tests, p < 0.05 to 0.001). Altogether, these results show that yawning and adult play can both reflect altered welfare states in horses, highlighting that these puzzling behaviours should not be considered, as currently thought, as reliable indicators of good welfare states and / or expression of positive emotions.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Hausberger, M. 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 5516  
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Author Rochais, C.; HENRY, S.; Sankey, C.; Nassur, F.; Gorecka-Bruzda, A.; HAUSBERGER, M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Visual attention, an indicator of human-animal relationships? A study of domestic horses (Equus caballus) Type Journal Article
  Year 2014 Publication Frontiers in Psychology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 5 Issue (up) Pages  
  Keywords  
  Abstract BACKGROUND: As visual attention is an intrinsic part of social relationships, and because relationships are built on a succession of interactions, their establishment involves learning and attention. The emotional, rewarding or punishing, content can modulate selective attention. In horses, the use of positive/negative reinforcement during training determines short and long-term human-horse relationships. In a recent study in horses, where either food or withers' grooming were used as a reward, it appeared that only the food-rewarded horses learned the task and show better relationship with humans. In the present study, we hypothesized that this differential effect of grooming/food rewards on learning performances could be due to attentional processes. Monitoring, gazes and behaviors directed towards the trainer revealed that the use of a food reward (FR) as positive reinforcement increased horses' selective attention towards their trainer. Conversely, horses trained with grooming reward (GR) expressed more inattentive responses and did not show a decrease of “agitated” behavior. However, individual plotting of attention vs. rate of learning performances revealed a complex pattern. Thus, while all FR horses showed a “window” of attention related to faster learning performances, GR horses' pattern followed an almost normal curve where the extreme animals (i.e., highest and lowest attention) had the slowest learning performances. On the other hand, learning was influenced by attention: at the end of training, the more attentive horses had also better learning performances. This study, based on horses, contributes to the general debate on the place of attentional processes at the interface of emotion and cognition and opens new lines of thought about individual sensitivities (only individuals can tell what an appropriate reward is), attentional processes and learning.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1664-1078 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5909  
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Author Rochais, C.; Henry, S.; Fureix, C.; Hausberger, M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Investigating attentional processes in depressive-like domestic horses (Equus caballus) Type Journal Article
  Year 2016 Publication Behavioural Processes Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 124 Issue (up) Pages 93-96  
  Keywords Horses; Attention; Cognition; Welfare; Depression  
  Abstract Abstract Some captive/domestic animals respond to confinement by becoming inactive and unresponsive to external stimuli. Human inactivity is one of the behavioural markers of clinical depression, a mental disorder diagnosed by the co-occurrence of symptoms including deficit in selective attention. Some riding horses display ‘withdrawn’ states of inactivity and low responsiveness to stimuli that resemble the reduced engagement with their environment of some depressed patients. We hypothesized that ‘withdrawn’ horses experience a depressive-like state and evaluated their level of attention by confronting them with auditory stimuli. Five novel auditory stimuli were broadcasted to 27 horses, including 12 ‘withdrawn’ horses, for 5 days. The horses’ reactions and durations of attention were recorded. Non-withdrawn horses reacted more and their attention lasted longer than that of withdrawn horses on the first day, but their durations of attention decreased over days, but those of withdrawn horses remained stable. These results suggest that the withdrawn horses’ selective attention is altered, adding to already evidenced common features between this horses’ state and human depression.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0376-6357 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6023  
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Author Lesimple, C.; Sankey, C.; Richard, M.-A.; HAUSBERGER, M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Do Horses Expect Humans to Solve Their Problems? Type Journal Article
  Year 2012 Publication Frontiers in Psychology Abbreviated Journal Front. Psychol.  
  Volume 3 Issue (up) Pages 306  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Domestic animals are highly capable of detecting human cues, while wild relatives tend to perform less well (e.g. responding to pointing gestures). It is suggested that domestication may have led to the development of such cognitive skills. Here, we hypothesized that because domestic animals are so attentive and dependant to humans' actions for resources, the counter effect may be a decline of self sufficiency, such as individual task solving. Here we show a negative correlation between the performance in a learning task (opening a chest) and the interest shown by horses towards humans, despite high motivation expressed by investigative behaviours directed at the chest. If human-directed attention reflects the development of particular skills in domestic animals, this is to our knowledge the first study highlighting a link between human-directed behaviours and impaired individual solving task skills (ability to solve a task by themselves) in horses.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1664-1078 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6568  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Lesimple, C.; Reverchon-Billot, L.; Galloux, P.; Stomp, M.; Boichot, L.; Coste, C.; Henry, S.; Hausberger, M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Free movement: A key for welfare improvement in sport horses? Type Journal Article
  Year 2020 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 225 Issue (up) Pages 104972  
  Keywords Horse; Housing; Free movement; Horse welfare; Stereotypic behaviour; Oxytocin  
  Abstract Horses, and in particular sport horses, remain housed predominantly in single stalls. One of the main reported reasons is the fear that they will become agitated and injure themselves and thereby impair their performance if released in paddocks. The hour spent daily at work is also assumed to be sufficient to satisfy the horses' needs for locomotion. Growing scientific evidence shows that single stall housing has negative consequences on horses' welfare and that time for free movement is necessary. Our aim was to assess the feasibility of allowing sport horses used to staying permanently in their stall (except for 1 h riding/day) daily free time in a paddock and to evaluate its potential impact on their welfare using two behavioural reliable indicators (stereotypic behaviours and ear position), as well as selected blood parameters (blood cell count, oxytocin and serotonin concentrations). Two experiments were conducted on the same site. The first experiment evaluated sport horses' habituation to the novel situation of daily sessions in a paddock, and recorded welfare indicators in their stall before and during the experiment, comparing horses that were taken outdoors (experimental) and those that stayed in their stall (control). The second experiment evaluated the impact of this daily free time in a paddock on horses' welfare and its durability, focusing on positive indicators. Behavioural observations in paddocks showed that even horses that had never experienced free movement outside their stall habituated rapidly to this situation. The presence of hay in the paddock, may have speeded up habituation. Their restricted living conditions were associated with abnormalities in blood cell count that were not overcome during the time of daily paddock sessions but behavioural indicators showed that their welfare improved. In the second study, the experimental horses' welfare improved during the paddock release period, in particular their stereotypic behaviours decreased and oxytocin levels increased. No effects on serotonin concentrations could be evidenced. These effects were directly associated with being in paddock, as the indicators returned rapidly to their previous levels indicating compromised welfare when the paddock release sessions stopped. In conclusion, it can be recommended to release sport horses for free movement in paddocks as welfare is improved and subjective assessment by caretakers indicated minimal risks.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0168-1591 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6619  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Stomp, M.; d'Ingeo, S.; Henry, S.; Cousillas, H.; Hausberger, M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Brain activity reflects (chronic) welfare state: Evidence from individual electroencephalography profiles in an animal model Type Journal Article
  Year 2021 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 236 Issue (up) Pages 105271  
  Keywords Laterality; Electroencephalography; Theta wave; Welfare; Horses  
  Abstract Assessing the animal welfare state is a challenge given the subjective individual cognitive and emotional processing involved. Electroencephalography (EEG) spectrum analysis has proved an ecologically valid recording situation to assess the link between brain processes and affective or cognitive states in humans: a higher slow wave/fast wave ratio has been associated with a positive internal state. In particular, a high production of theta power (3-8 Hz) has been related to positive emotions. On the other hand, it has been hypothesized that a left hemisphere (LH) dominance may be associated with a better welfare state. Here, we test the hypothesis that individual differences in the resting-state quantitative EEG power spectrum of adult horses (N = 18) and its lateralization pattern may reflect individual subjective perception of their conditions of life and welfare state. The results show clear individual differences in the proportions of the different waves and their inter-hemispheric distribution. Three different EEG power spectrum profiles were highlighted, from a bilateral predominance of theta waves in horses in a more positive welfare state to a bilateral predominance of beta waves in horses with clear expressions of compromised welfare. Interestingly, particular correlations were found between wave power activity and welfare parameters. We found a negative correlation between the number of stereotypic behaviours per hour and the median proportion of theta waves in the left hemisphere. and between the overall state (total chronic stress score) of welfare and gamma production in the right hemisphere (RH). These findings go along the hypothesis of a particular involvement of the left hemisphere for positive processing and of the right hemisphere for negative processing. However, the pattern of laterality did not appear as the most important feature here as both extreme clusters in terms of welfare showed bilateral predominance of one wave type. It is possible that hemispheric specialization makes more sense during acute emotion-inducing conditions rather than in this resting-state context (i.e. in absence of any high emotion-inducing stimulation), although the opposition gamma versus theta waves between both hemispheres in the horses with an intermediate welfare state is noticeable and intriguing. It seems that bilateral but also LH theta activity is a promising neurophysiological marker of good welfare in horses, while a bilateral or RH high production of gamma waves should alert about potential welfare alterations. Quantitative resting-state EEG power spectrum appears as a highly promising tool for exploring the brain processes involved in the subjective perception of chronic welfare, as a useful complementary tool for welfare assessment.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0168-1591 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6628  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Stomp, M.; d'Ingeo, S.; Henry, S.; Cousillas, H.; Hausberger, M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Brain activity reflects (chronic) welfare state: Evidence from individual electroencephalography profiles in an animal model Type Journal Article
  Year 2021 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 236 Issue (up) Pages 105271  
  Keywords Laterality; Electroencephalography; Theta wave; Welfare; Horses  
  Abstract Assessing the animal welfare state is a challenge given the subjective individual cognitive and emotional processing involved. Electroencephalography (EEG) spectrum analysis has proved an ecologically valid recording situation to assess the link between brain processes and affective or cognitive states in humans: a higher slow wave/fast wave ratio has been associated with a positive internal state. In particular, a high production of theta power (3-8 Hz) has been related to positive emotions. On the other hand, it has been hypothesized that a left hemisphere (LH) dominance may be associated with a better welfare state. Here, we test the hypothesis that individual differences in the resting-state quantitative EEG power spectrum of adult horses (N = 18) and its lateralization pattern may reflect individual subjective perception of their conditions of life and welfare state. The results show clear individual differences in the proportions of the different waves and their inter-hemispheric distribution. Three different EEG power spectrum profiles were highlighted, from a bilateral predominance of theta waves in horses in a more positive welfare state to a bilateral predominance of beta waves in horses with clear expressions of compromised welfare. Interestingly, particular correlations were found between wave power activity and welfare parameters. We found a negative correlation between the number of stereotypic behaviours per hour and the median proportion of theta waves in the left hemisphere. and between the overall state (total chronic stress score) of welfare and gamma production in the right hemisphere (RH). These findings go along the hypothesis of a particular involvement of the left hemisphere for positive processing and of the right hemisphere for negative processing. However, the pattern of laterality did not appear as the most important feature here as both extreme clusters in terms of welfare showed bilateral predominance of one wave type. It is possible that hemispheric specialization makes more sense during acute emotion-inducing conditions rather than in this resting-state context (i.e. in absence of any high emotion-inducing stimulation), although the opposition gamma versus theta waves between both hemispheres in the horses with an intermediate welfare state is noticeable and intriguing. It seems that bilateral but also LH theta activity is a promising neurophysiological marker of good welfare in horses, while a bilateral or RH high production of gamma waves should alert about potential welfare alterations. Quantitative resting-state EEG power spectrum appears as a highly promising tool for exploring the brain processes involved in the subjective perception of chronic welfare, as a useful complementary tool for welfare assessment.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0168-1591 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6629  
Permanent link to this record
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