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Author Lovrovich, P.; Sighieri, C.; Baragli, P. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Following human-given cues or not? Horses (Equus caballus) get smarter and change strategy in a delayed three choice task Type Journal Article
  Year 2015 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 166 Issue Pages 80-88  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Highlights

�Horses remember the location of food hidden by the experimenter after a delay.

�They understand the communicative meaning of a human positioned close to the target.

�The same horses are capable of changing their decision-making strategy.

�They are able to shift from accuracy inferred from human given cues to speed.

�Horses can use human cues or not depending on time, cost, experience and reward.

Abstract

To date, horses have seemed capable of using human local enhancement cues only when the experimenter remains close to the reward, since they fail to understand the communicative meaning of the human as momentary local enhancement cue (when the human is not present at the moment of the animal's choice). This study was designed to analyse the ability of horses to understand, remember and use human-given cues in a delayed (10 s) three-choice task. Twelve horses (experimental group) had to find a piece of carrot hidden under one of three overturned buckets after seeing the experimenter hide it. The results were then compared with those of a control group (twelve horses) that had to find the carrot using only the sense of smell or random attempts. At the beginning, the experimental horses made more correct choices at the first attempt, although they took more time to find the carrot. Later the same horses were less accurate but found the carrot in less time. This suggests that the value of the proximal momentary local enhancement cues became less critical. It seemed, in fact, that the experimental and control group had aligned their behaviour as the trials proceeded. Despite this similarity, in the second half of the trials, the experimental group tended to first approach the bucket where they had found the carrot in the immediately preceding trial. Our findings indicate that horses are capable of remembering the location of food hidden by the experimenter after a delay, by using the human positioned close to the target as valuable information. The same horses are also capable of changing their decision-making strategy by shifting from the accuracy inferred from human given cues to speed. Therefore, horses are able to decide whether or not to use human given-cues, depending on a speed-accuracy trade-off.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Elsevier 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 doi: 10.1016/j.applanim.2015.02.017 Approved (up) no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5849  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bentley-Condit, V.; Smith, E.O. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Animal tool use: current definitions and an updated comprehensive catalog Type Journal Article
  Year 2010 Publication Behaviour Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 147 Issue 2 Pages 185-32  
  Keywords TOOL USE; CATALOG; ANIMAL  
  Abstract Despite numerous attempts to define animal tool use over the past four decades, the definition remains elusive and the behaviour classification somewhat subjective. Here, we provide a brief review of the definitions of animal tool use and show how those definitions have been modified over time. While some aspects have remained constant (i.e., the distinction between 'true' and 'borderline' tool use), others have been added (i.e., the distinction between 'dynamic' and 'static' behaviours). We present an updated, comprehensive catalog of documented animal tool use that indicates whether the behaviours observed included any 'true' tool use, whether the observations were limited to captive animals, whether tool manufacture has been observed, and whether the observed tool use was limited to only one individual and, thus, 'anecdotal' (i.e., N = 1). Such a catalog has not been attempted since Beck (1980). In addition to being a useful reference for behaviourists, this catalog demonstrates broad tool use and manufacture trends that may be of interest to phylogenists, evolutionary ecologists, and cognitive evolutionists. Tool use and tool manufacture are shown to be widespread across three phyla and seven classes of the animal kingdom. Moreover, there is complete overlap between the Aves and Mammalia orders in terms of the tool use categories (e.g., food extraction, food capture, agonism) arguing against any special abilities of mammals. The majority of tool users, almost 85% of the entries, use tools in only one of the tool use categories. Only members of the Passeriformes and Primates orders have been observed to use tools in four or more of the ten categories. Thus, observed tool use by some members of these two orders (e.g., Corvus, Papio) is qualitatively different from that of all other animal taxa. Finally, although there are similarities between Aves and Mammalia, and Primates and Passeriformes, primate tool use is qualitatively different. Approximately 35% of the entries for this order demonstrate a breadth of tool use (i.e., three or more categories by any one species) compared to other mammals (0%), Aves (2.4%), and the Passeriformes (3.1%). This greater breadth in tool use by some organisms may involve phylogenetic or cognitive differences � or may simply reflect differences in length and intensity of observations. The impact that tool usage may have had on groups' respective ecological niches and, through niche-construction, on their respective evolutionary trajectories remains a subject for future study.  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
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  Notes Approved (up) no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ :/content/journals/10.1163/000579509x12512865686555 Serial 5859  
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Author Töpfer, D.; Wolter, R.; Krueger, K. openurl 
  Title Fallstudie zum Platzangebot, Verhalten und Wohlbefinden der Pferde (Equus caballus) in Mehrraum-Außenlaufställen mit Aus-lauf und Bewegungsställen [A case study to space, behavior and well-being of horses (Equus caballus) in open stables and open active stables] Type Manuscript
  Year 2014 Publication KTBL Schriften Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Verhaltensbeobachtungen erfolgten an 112 Pferden in Mehrraum-Außenlaufställen mit Auslauf und Bewegungsställen. Bei vermehrtem Platzangebot sinkt das agonistische Verhalten in Bewegungsställen außerhalb des Fressbereiches. Mit zunehmender Stallgröße (überdachte Fläche und Auslauf) steigt in beiden Haltungsverfahren das affiliative Verhalten während das agonistische Verhalten mit Verletzungsrisiko sinkt. Daher wird für beide Haltungsverfahren ein möglichst großzügiger Stall je Pferd empfohlen. Die beobachteten Erkrankungen der letzten zwölf Monate zeigen vermehrt Hautkrankheiten in den Mehrraum-Außenlaufställen mit Auslauf, wohingegen Hufgeschwüre in Bewegungsställen auftraten. Wird der Fütterungsaspekt in den Bewegungsställen betrachtet, so ist die Transponderfütterung in Kombination mit ad libitum Fütterung aufgrund des deutlich geringeren, agonistischen Verhaltens beim Fressen, der reinen Transponderfütterung vorzuziehen. Mehrraum-Außenlaufställe mit Auslauf haben den Vorteil der synchronen Nahrungsaufnahme.

[The behaviour of 112 horses was observed in open stables and open active stables. Horses show less agonistic behaviour outside of the feeding area in open active stables as the space for each horse is augmented. Also the affiliative behaviour increases as a function of more space per horse while agonistic behaviour with a risk for injury decreases. These results are independent from the husbandry system. Due to this fact a stable with a larger area per horse is recommended. Diseases of the last twelve month were recorded and show skin diseases in open stables and abscesses in the hooves in open active stables. To consider the feeding in open active stables it was found that horses which were fed with hay controlled by transponders showed more agonistic behaviour in contrast to horses being fed using transponders but with access to hay ad libitum. Thus transponder feeding in combination with ad libitum feeding is recommended. Open stables have the advantage of synchronized feeding.]
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher KTBL Place of Publication Darmstadt Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title KTBL Schriften Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved (up) no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5862  
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Author Krueger, K. openurl 
  Title Das Pferd im Blickpunkt der Wissenschaft Type Book Whole
  Year 2010 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
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  Publisher Xenophon Verlag Place of Publication Wald Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved (up) no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6009  
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Author Gaunitz, C.; Fages, A.; Hanghøj, K.; Albrechtsen, A.; Khan, N.; Schubert, M.; Seguin-Orlando, A.; Owens, I.J.; Felkel, S.; Bignon-Lau, O.; de Barros Damgaard, P.; Mittnik, A.; Mohaseb, A.F.; Davoudi, H.; Alquraishi, S.; Alfarhan, A.H.; Al-Rasheid, K.A.S.; Crubézy, E.; Benecke, N.; Olsen, S.; Brown, D.; Anthony, D.; Massy, K.; Pitulko, V.; Kasparov, A.; Brem, G.; Hofreiter, M.; Mukhtarova, G.; Baimukhanov, N.; Lõugas, L.; Onar, V.; Stockhammer, P.W.; Krause, J.; Boldgiv, B.; Undrakhbold, S.; Erdenebaatar, D.; Lepetz, S.; Mashkour, M.; Ludwig, A.; Wallner, B.; Merz, V.; Merz, I.; Zaibert, V.; Willerslev, E.; Librado, P.; Outram, A.K.; Orlando, L. doi  openurl
  Title Ancient genomes revisit the ancestry of domestic and Przewalski's horses Type Journal Article
  Year 2018 Publication Science Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 360 Issue 6384 Pages 111-114  
  Keywords  
  Abstract The Eneolithic Botai culture of the Central Asian steppes provides the earliest archaeological evidence for horse husbandry, ~5,500 ya, but the exact nature of early horse domestication remains controversial. We generated 42 ancient horse genomes, including 20 from Botai. Compared to 46 published ancient and modern horse genomes, our data indicate that Przewalski's horses are the feral descendants of horses herded at Botai and not truly wild horses. All domestic horses dated from ~4,000 ya to present only show ~2.7% of Botai-related ancestry. This indicates that a massive genomic turnover underpins the expansion of the horse stock that gave rise to modern domesticates, which coincides with large-scale human population expansions during the Early Bronze Age.  
  Address  
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  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 (up) no  
  Call Number Admin @ knut @ Serial 6212  
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Author Guidi, A.; Lanata, A.; Valenza, G.; Scilingo, E.P.; Baragli, P. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Validation of smart textile electrodes for electrocardiogram monitoring in free-moving horses Type Journal Article
  Year 2017 Publication Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research Abbreviated Journal J. Vet. Behav.  
  Volume 17 Issue Pages 19-23  
  Keywords  
  Abstract This article focuses on the validation of smart textile electrodes used to acquire electrocardiogram (ECG) signals in horses in a comfortable and robust manner. The performance of smart textile electrodes is compared with standard Ag/AgCl electrodes in terms of the percentage of motion artifacts (MAs, the noise that results from the movement of electrodes against the skin) and signal quality. Seven healthy Standardbred mares were equipped with 2 identical electronic systems for the simultaneous collection of ECGs. One system was equipped with smart textile electrodes, whereas the second was equipped with standard Ag/AgCl electrodes. Each horse was then monitored individually in a stall for 1 hour, without any movement constraints. The ECGs were visually examined by an expert who blindly labeled the ECG segments that had been corrupted by MAs. Finally, the percentage of MAs (MA%) was computed as the number of samples of the corrupted segments over the whole length of the signal. The total MA% was found to be lower for the smart textiles than for the Ag/AgCl electrodes. Consistent results were also obtained by investigating MAs over time. These results suggest that smart textile electrodes are more reliable when recording artifact-free ECGs in horses at rest. Thus, improving the acquisition of important physiological information related to the activity of the autonomic nervous system, such as heart rate variability, could help to provide reliable information on the mood and state of arousal of horses.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Elsevier Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1558-7878 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes doi: 10.1016/j.jveb.2016.10.001 Approved (up) no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6213  
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Author Vetvik, H.; Grewal, H.M.S.; Haugen, I.L.; Åhrén, C.; Haneberg, B. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Mucosal antibodies can be measured in air-dried samples of saliva and feces Type Journal Article
  Year 1998 Publication Journal of Immunological Methods Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 215 Issue 1–2 Pages 163-172  
  Keywords Saliva; Feces; IgA; IgG; Air-drying  
  Abstract IgA antibodies reflecting airways or intestinal mucosal immune responses can be found in saliva and feces, respectively, and IgG antibodies reflecting serum antibodies can be found in saliva. In this study, antibodies were detected in samples of saliva and feces which had been air-dried at room temperature (+20°C) or +37°C, and stored at these temperatures for up to 6 months. In saliva the antibody levels increased, while the antibodies in feces decreased upon storage. The individual IgA antibody concentrations which were adjusted by using the ratios of specific IgA/total IgA were relatively stable in both saliva and feces, and correlated with corresponding antibody levels in samples which had been stored at -20°C. The results indicate that air-dried saliva and feces can be used for semiquantitative measurements of mucosal antibodies, even after prolonged storage at high temperatures and lack of refrigeration.  
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  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 0022-1759 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved (up) no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5996  
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Author Sheriff, M.J.; Dantzer, B.; Delehanty, B.; Palme, R.; Boonstra, R. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Measuring stress in wildlife: techniques for quantifying glucocorticoids Type Journal Article
  Year 2011 Publication Oecologia Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 166 Issue 4 Pages 869-887  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Stress responses play a key role in allowing animals to cope with change and challenge in the face of both environmental certainty and uncertainty. Measurement of glucocorticoid levels, key elements in the neuroendocrine stress axis, can give insight into an animal’s well-being and can aid understanding ecological and evolutionary processes as well as conservation and management issues. We give an overview of the four main biological samples that have been utilized [blood, saliva, excreta (feces and urine), and integumentary structures (hair and feathers)], their advantages and disadvantages for use with wildlife, and some of the background and pitfalls that users must consider in interpreting their results. The matrix of choice will depend on the nature of the study and of the species, on whether one is examining the impact of acute versus chronic stressors, and on the degree of invasiveness that is possible or desirable. In some cases, more than one matrix can be measured to achieve the same ends. All require a significant degree of expertise, sometimes in obtaining the sample and always in extracting and analyzing the glucocorticoid or its metabolites. Glucocorticoid measurement is proving to be a powerful integrator of environmental stressors and of an animal’s condition.  
  Address  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1432-1939 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved (up) no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Sheriff2011 Serial 6150  
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Author Mejdell, C.M.; Buvik, T.; Jørgensen, G.H.M.; Bøe, K.E. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Horses can learn to use symbols to communicate their preferences Type Journal Article
  Year 2016 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 184 Issue Pages 66-73  
  Keywords Operant conditioning; Blanket; Rug; Thermoregulation; Cognition; Clicker training  
  Abstract Abstract This paper describes a method in which horses learn to communicate by touching different neutral visual symbols, in order to tell the handler whether they want to have a blanket on or not. Horses were trained for 10–15 min per day, following a training program comprising ten steps in a strategic order. Reward based operant conditioning was used to teach horses to approach and touch a board, and to understand the meaning of three different symbols. Heat and cold challenges were performed to help learning and to check level of understanding. At certain stages, a learning criterion of correct responses for 8–14 successive trials had to be achieved before proceeding. After introducing the free choice situation, on average at training day 11, the horse could choose between a “no change” symbol and the symbol for either “blanket on” or “blanket off” depending on whether the horse already wore a blanket or not. A cut off point for performance or non-performance was set to day 14, and 23/23 horses successfully learned the task within this limit. Horses of warm-blood type needed fewer training days to reach criterion than cold-bloods (P < 0.05). Horses were then tested under differing weather conditions. Results show that choices made, i.e. the symbol touched, was not random but dependent on weather. Horses chose to stay without a blanket in nice weather, and they chose to have a blanket on when the weather was wet, windy and cold (χ2 = 36.67, P < 0.005). This indicates that horses both had an understanding of the consequence of their choice on own thermal comfort, and that they successfully had learned to communicate their preference by using the symbols. The method represents a novel tool for studying preferences in horses.  
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  Corporate Author Thesis  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0168-1591 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved (up) no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6022  
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Author Schuetz, A.; Farmer, K.; Krueger, K. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Social learning across species: horses (Equus caballus) learn from humans by observation Type Journal Article
  Year 2017 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.  
  Volume 20 Issue 3 Pages 567-573  
  Keywords  
  Abstract This study examines whether horses can learn by observing humans, given that they identify individual humans and orientate on the focus of human attention. We tested 24 horses aged between 3 and 12. Twelve horses were tested on whether they would learn to open a feeding apparatus by observing a familiar person. The other 12 were controls and received exactly the same experimental procedure, but without a demonstration of how to operate the apparatus. More horses from the group with demonstration (8/12) reached the learning criterion of opening the feeder twenty times consecutively than horses from the control group (2/12), and younger horses seemed to reach the criterion more quickly. Horses not reaching the learning criteria approached the human experimenters more often than those that did. The results demonstrate that horses learn socially across species, in this case from humans.  
  Address  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1435-9456 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved (up) no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Schuetz2016 Serial 6028  
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