|   | 
Details
   web
Records
Author (up) Marinier, S.L.; Alexander, A.J.
Title Coprophagy as an avenue for foals of the domestic horse to learn food preferences from their dams Type Journal Article
Year 1995 Publication Journal of Theoretical Biology Abbreviated Journal J. Theor. Biol.
Volume 173 Issue 2 Pages 121-124
Keywords
Abstract Observation of foal development shows that the appearance of adult-type motor grazing behaviour, selection of grass vs. non-grass and the avoidance of poisonous plants occur concurrently between the ages of 4 and 6 weeks. Suckling behaviour and close association of foal with dam change with time but show no particular coincidence with grazing behavioural changes. Coprophagy of the foal on maternal faeces does, however, correspond chronologically with the foal learning to graze selectively. This correspondence suggests that, as well as other uses, in domestic horses coprophagy may function to imprint on the foal the food-selective values of its dam.
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 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 3626
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Marinier, S.L.; Alexander, A.J.
Title The use of a maze in testing learning and memory in horses Type Journal Article
Year 1994 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 39 Issue 2 Pages 177-182
Keywords Horses; Learning; Memory; Maze; Exercise
Abstract Two mazes were used to test the learning ability and memory of horses, and changes in these abilities. Testing was done on four occasions. On Occasion 1, the horses were run through Maze A until they had reached the criterion of three consecutive correct runs. A week later (Occasion 2), they were retested in Maze A to the same criterion as a measure of memory. On Occasion 3,2 months later, the horses were run through Mazes A and B until they reached the criterion. Occasion 4 took place 1 week later when they were run through Mazes A and B. An estimation of changes in ability to learn came from a comparison of results from Occasions 1 and 3. Similarly, changes in ability to remember came from a comparison of results from Occasions 2 and 4. Nine horses with a variable amount of riding training were the subjects. All horses were able to learn the maze, but the ability varied among horses. There was no obvious correlation between quality of handling of the horses and learning ability. Once the horses had learned the maze, they remembered it perfectly on subsequent occasions. There were changes in the memory and learning ability of the horses, but no clear explanation for this could be found.
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 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 3573
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Marinier, S.L.; Alexander, A.J.
Title Selective grazing behaviour in horses: development of methodology and preliminary use of tests to measure individual grazing ability Type Journal Article
Year 1991 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 30 Issue 3-4 Pages 203-221
Keywords
Abstract Methods are described to assess horses' selective grazing ability that includes choosing, sorting and the adaptive value of this behaviour. Choosing ability was tested by the experimenter presenting pairs of cut plant species that were then alternated at each presentation until the test horse had taken three bites of one of the plant pair. The results were analysed in relation to five measures of choosing behaviour: (1) the strength of the choice; (2) correspondence between first bite and the final choice; (3) constancy of the choice over a number of trials; (4) the comparison of the horses' ranking of the species over a number of trials; (5) the constancy of the linear arrangement of the plants over a number of trials. Sorting ability was tested using two methods. A mixture of two plant species was presented either in a clamp or loose in a trough. Results were based on number and weight of plant residues. The adaptive value of the behaviour related to the bitterness of toxic plants. This bitterness was represented in testing by quinine sulphate and a poisonous Senecio species. An extremely bitter substance “Bitrex” was also used in this context but was totally accepted by the horses. The horses' reactions to these substances were monitored using a behavioural score chart. The results from 12 horses revealed that the horses differed individually in their grazing ability. On this basis, the horses were classified as efficient, semi-efficient, or inefficient grazers. This finding has practical implications in deciding which horses may safely graze on pastures infested with toxic plants.
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 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4230
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Marinier, S.L.; Alexander, A.J.; Waring, G.H.
Title Flehmen behaviour in the domestic horse: Discrimination of conspecific odours Type Journal Article
Year 1988 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 19 Issue 3-4 Pages 227-237
Keywords
Abstract American Saddlebred horses were used to test the responses of domestic horses to the odours of conspecifics. In all cases the odours were tested in the absence of the donor animal. Thus the test animal's behavioural responses were concentrated on the olfactory stimuli, and possible interference from donor behaviour was eliminated. Stallions were significantly more responsive than mares and geldings. This was shown in both flehmen and sniffing behaviour to urine/vaginal secretions and in sniffing behaviour to faecal samples. Only stallions were used for subsequent tests. Stallions showed no significant differences in response to the odour of urine/vaginal secretions of an oestrus mare from that when she was not in season. Parameters used for analysis of data were frequency, latency and duration of flehmen as well as duration of responsiveness to samples. In testing for differences in odours between individual mares, two methods were used. The stallions differentiated between samples from individual mares. In some cases this differentiation was exhibited when the stallions were merely presented with the two samples in sequence. In other cases statistically significant differences in response to the odours were shown only by simultaneous presentation of the two samples to the test stallion. Parameters used for data analysis were frequency and duration of flehmen and duration of responsiveness.
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 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 507
Permanent link to this record