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Fazio, E.; Medica, P.; Cravana, C.; Giacoppo, E.; Ferlazzo, A. |
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Title |
Effect of Short-Distance Road Transport on Thyroid Function, Rectal Temperature, Body Weight and Heart Rate of Stallions |
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2008 |
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IESM 2008 |
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horses, iodothyronines, rectal temperature, body weight, heart rate, transport |
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Aim of study was to investigate the effects of transport stress on thyroid response, body weight, rectal temperature and heart rate changes in one hundred twenty-six healthy stallions in basal conditions, before and after short road transport. One hundred twenty-six Thoroughbreds and crossbreds stallions with previous travelling experience, aged 4 to 15 yr, were transported by road in a commercial trailer for a period of 3 h (distance <300 km). Blood samples and physiological parameters were collected at 0800 (basal I) and at 1100 (basal II), in each horse“s box, one week before the loading and transport in basal conditions, and one week later, at 0800 immediately before loading (pre-transport), and after 3 h period of transport and unloading, on their arrival at the breeding stations (post-transport), in each new horse”s box, within 30 min. Increases in circulating T3, T4 and fT4 levels (P < 0.01), but not for fT3 levels, were observed after transport, as compared to before loading values, irrespective of different breed. Lower T4 and fT4 levels were observed in basal II (P < 0.01) than basal I and before loading values (pre-transport). After transport Thoroughbreds showed higher fT3 (P < 0.05) and fT4 (P < 0.01) levels than crossbred stallions. No significant differences for T3 and T4 changes were observed. A significant increase in rectal temperature (P < 0.01) and heart rate (P < 0.05) was observed after transport, as compared to before loading values (pre-transport). No differences between basal I, basal II and before loading values (pre-transport) for physiological parameters were observed.
The highest T3, T4 and fT4 levels recorded after short transport seem to suggest a preferential release from the thyroid gland. The results indicate that short road transport stress contributes significantly to thyroid hormone changes, according to different breed, and to the increase in rectal temperature and heart rate. No differences related to different age were observed. |
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Department of Morphology, Biochemistry, Physiology and Animal Production – Unit of Veterinary Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Messina, Polo Universitario Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy |
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Cravana, C. |
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IESM 2008 |
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Poster IESM 2008 |
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yes |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4494 |
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Boross, B.; Maros, K. |
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Title |
Possible indicators of the human-horse relationship among adult horses |
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2008 |
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IESM 2008 |
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According to scientists human-horse relationship is influenced by management conditions (Hausberger et al.; 2007) including handling methods (Henry et al.; 2005). Furthermore, Henry et al. (2005) show that mares foals“ behaviour toward humans may be influenced even by the mares. Although the familiarity of the testperson is said to be an important variable measuring relationship (Waiblinger et al.; 2006), other studies show that horses generalize from the experimenter to unfamiliar humans (Henry et al.; 2005) or from the caretaker to other human beings (Hausberger et al.; 2002).
Methods: 51 horses were observed in a 20x20 sandy arena (familiar to the subjects) to evaluate their relationship with a testperson.
First an arena test was carried out for 5 minutes. The horse was put into the arena alone. After that the person test came in which the testperson interacted with the horse.
The person test consisted of 3 or 4 different phases according to the horse”s behaviour. The phases were: (1.) voluntary animal approach test in which the testperson stood still and the subject was allowed to move wherever it wanted (Appr-vol); (2.) the testperson calling the horse to himself (Appr-call); (3.) the testperson making the horse stay beside him (Stand-still); (4.) the testperson making the horse follow him (without any tools and food reward) (Follow).
First 51 horses were tested with testpersons who were familiar to the animals. After that 39 horses were retested with unfamiliar testpersons within more than one week.
To analyze the potential effects of different human-related factors on the horse behaviour in the person test, such as time spent with training the horse (grooming, riding, working etc.), training methods, number of trainers etc. a questionnare has been used.
Results: Arena test: Horse behaviour was affected neither by their age (2-24 years) nor by their gender (30 geldings and 1 stallion vs 20 mares), however, mares spent more time in the entrance of the arena.
In the test with unfamiliar testpersons (retest) horses stood longer and walked less, which could reflect some habituation to the situation.
Person test: Gender and age of horses or time (years) elapsing since the horse started to be trained did not have any effect on the reactions of horses.
There was a positive correlation between the time (hours) spent with the horse weekly and the time of Follow.
The number of trainers had a significant effect on the Appr-vol and Follow responses: the less the number of the trainers, the sooner the horse approached the familiar testperson and the longer the animal followed him.
In the person test, significant difference was observed only in Appr-vol, thus horses followed the familiar testpersons much longer than the unfamiliar ones. Horses trained to follow their trainers without a lead rope followed significantly longer than animals without this kind of trainings.
Conclusion: Followership seemed to be the most sensitive behavioural response to human familiarity and it may also indicate some other aspects of horse-human relationship, however, training has a clear effect on this human related reaction. |
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Department of Organic Agriculture and Animal Welfare, Szent István University |
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Maros, K. |
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IESM 2008 |
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Talk 15 min IESM 2008 Fullpaper |
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yes |
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Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4480 |
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Baragli,P.; Cozzi,A; Rugani, R.; Sighieria, C.; Regolin, L. |
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Delayed search for non-social goals by Equids (Equus caballus and Equus asinus) |
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2008 |
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IESM 2008 |
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cognitive abilities, delayed-response, Equids, working memory. |
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Delayed-responses have been traditionally employed to investigate the temporal characteristics of animals“ ability to represent and recall objects that have disappeared. In the typical condition, the animal, usually a mammal, observes the experimenter hiding an interesting goal (e.g. some food) in a certain location. A delayed-response task (DRT) was administered to 4 female Esperia pony (2 years old) coming from a free-range breed (Frosinone, Italy) and to 7 female Amiata donkeys (4.2±2 years old) coming from a conservation stock (University of Pisa, Italy). The DRT's apparatus was located in a square fence. A single ”U-shaped“ screen (330x160x140 cm) made by wood shavings blocks was positioned in the centre of the fence. A gap (40x50 cm) on the ground was in the middle of the central side of the U-shaped-screen and served to make the food-attractor disappear. The food-attractor consisted in cereal flakes and fresh grass for ponies and cereal flakes for donkeys. A bucket full of food was placed on a dolly tied on a rope which could be pulled by an experimenter. In a preliminary training each animal was allowed to eat food from the bucket and, while the animal was eating, the dolly was gently pulled away from the animal, and beyond the screen through the gap. The subjects needed to move around of the screen in order to retrieve the food. As a reinforcement, they were allowed to eat some food from the bucket once behind the screen. From trial to trial, the bucket was presented farther and farther (starting with a distance of 1 m in front of the screen to reach 7 m). Therefore subjects were tested in the DRT requiring them to rejoin the bucket with the goal-food disappearing behind the screen as in the preliminary training but following a 10 s delay. For the DRT, the bucket was placed 7 m in front of the screen, 3 m away from the animal's starting area. Then the dolly was pulled away from the animal. Ten seconds after the disappearance of the dolly behind the screen the animal was released from the starting area. The DRT ended when the subject had reached the attractor behind the screen on 3 consecutive trials. Results showed that all animals were able to rejoin the food behind the screen after 10 s delay. The mean time of the delayed-response (mean±sd, in s) in the ponies (1st: 19.8±8; 2nd: 10.8±2.2; 3rd: 12.8±2.8) and in the donkeys (1st: 28.4±10; 2nd: 26.9±13; 3rd: 24.3±16.6) showed a trend to decrease from first trial to third. These preliminary results suggest that like other mammals our ponies and donkeys can maintain a working memory trace of the location where biologically attractive objects have been seen to disappear. In conclusion, this study paves the way to set up a viable model system for the investigation of the more sophisticated aspects of Equids” cognitive abilities such as working memory. |
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Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2 – 56124, Pisa, Italy |
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Cozzi, A |
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IESM 2008 |
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Talk 15 min IESM 2008 |
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yes |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4475 |
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De Pasquale, A.; Ingala, A.; Innella, G.; Luigiano, G.; Malara, L.; Panzera, M. |
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The influence of the enriched environment on the reactivity of the precociously handled foals (Equus caballus L.). |
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2008 |
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IESM 2008 |
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Foal, Handling, Enriched environment, Reactivity. |
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In a preliminary study, we evaluated the effect of precocious handling (at birth, 10, 30 and 60 days) and enriched environment on foal. Two experimental groups were created:
- 3 foals not handled and stabled in semi-enriched environment (Group A).
- 6 foals handled and stabled in an enriched environment (Group B).
All nine foals were tested with a novel object test (umbrella) at three months of age, to assess the Heart Rate (HR) values measured by a telemetric heart rate monitor (Polar Horse Trainer), during opening, touching and closing of the umbrella.
The statistical analysis carried out by means of the Mann-Whitney test showed lower HR values of the foals of group B (P<0.05).
Furthermore we have investigated 10 foals born between 2006 and 2008 to study the influence of enriched environment and precocious handling on behavioural responsiveness. The foals were housed on a farm which ensured an enriched environment and made social intra and interspecific interactions easier, alias autoshaping. They were submitted to:
- Handling within 24 hours from birth.
- Handling and reactivity test (arena test) executed at 10, 30 and 60 days.
The temporal correlation was studied among ages and baseline HR values, using the
Spearman"s test, to assess the beginning of neurovegetative HR control.
In fact statistically significant differences were obtained (r = -0.431; P<0,02). Temporal values of obtained HR baseline, using the Wilcoxon test, showed lower values at 60 days. The comparison was significant among mean and max baseline HR values of 30 vs 60 and 10 vs 60 (P<0.05), while no differences were observed during the reactivity test. This shows that adequate conditions of management associated to a precocious and continuous handling allow the foals to maintain their natural investigative behaviour disappearing fear and flight reactions. |
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Dept. of Experimental Sciences and Applied Biotechnologies, Unit of Applied Physiology and Comparative Ethology , Faculty of Veterinary Medicine – University of Messina, Italy. |
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De Pasquale, A |
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IESM 2008 |
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Notes |
Talk 15 min IESM 2008 |
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yes |
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Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4486 |
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Malara, L.; De Pasquale, A.; Ingala, A.; Innella, G. |
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The influence of management on horse behavioural reactivity in therapeutic riding programs. |
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2008 |
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IESM 2008 |
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Management; Horses; Therapeutic Riding; Behaviour; Reactivity |
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We investigated 8 horses in five therapeutic riding centres situated in San Cataldo (Caltanissetta – I), Nicosia (Catania – II), Pellaro (Reggio Calabria – III), San Gregorio (Catania – IV), Niguarda Hospitals (Milan – V). The managements of the animals were of different typologies: Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3. In type 1 the horses were used for therapeutic riding only. Furthermore intra and interspecific social interactions were not allowed. In type 2 the horses played kinetic activities and made social interactions. In type 3 the horses were free in paddock, as intra and interspecific social interactions were allowed. The centre I, with a management of type 1, housed 1 horse (A1); the centre II, with a management of type 2, housed 1 horse (B2); the centre III, with a management of type 1, housed 1 horse (C1); the centre IV, with a management of type 2, housed 2 horses (D2 and E2); the centre V, with a management of type 3, housed 3 horses (F3, G3 and H3). Breeds of horses were: Anglo-Arab (n°1), Avelignese (n°3), Italian Selle (n°3), draught-horse crossbreed (n°1). They were 2 geldings and 6 females. Their ages ranged from 12 to 23 years. We observed a total of 64 patients affected by different pathologies: autism, motory handicap, blindness and deafness, children“s cerebral paralysis, relational problems, mental deficiency, Down”s syndrome.
The horses“ behaviour was observed at rest and during therapeutic activities with these patients. The Heart Rate (HR) was used as physiological parameter for an ethological evaluation, measured by a telemetric heart rate monitor (Polar Horse Trainer). Horses were analysed with a reactivity test for emotional homeostasis evaluation, too. Heart rate values were studied with non parametrical statistical analysis methods.
Distinct management typologies provided statistically different basal mean values of heart rate (intergroup and intragroup): Type 1 vs Type 2 (P~0.05) and Type 1 vs Type 3 (P<0.05). The comparison of heart rate during therapeutic activities of diverse management showed the following results: A1 vs B2 (P<0.05), B2 vs C1 (P<0.05), Type 1 vs Type 2 (P<0.01). Different managements, both in the same or different typologies, gave significantly diverse results (A1 vs E2: P~0.05; C1 vs E2: P~0.05; B2 vs E2: P~0.05).
This study shows that the statistic differences obtained by therapies with autistic patients derive from management conditions of Type 1. In reactivity test there aren”t any significant differences among the three management typologies. However, we recorded strong variation between medium and maximum values of heart rate, especially in Type 1 and Type 2 of management.
These high variations of heart rate indicated fear reaction of the horse to new stimuli.
This reaction could lead to dangerous accidents for patients during therapeutic activities.
Horses used in therapeutic riding programs must be evaluated before this employment. Horse's behaviour can be assessed by an ethological observation and a reactivity test. Furthermore, the horses must be guaranteed welfare conditions and must live in an environment enriched with sensorial stimuli and respectful of their physiological and ethological needs. |
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Dept. of Experimental Sciences and Applied Biotechnologies, Unit of Applied Physiology and Comparative Ethology , Faculty of Veterinary Medicine – University of Messina, Italy. |
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Innella, G. |
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IESM 2008 |
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Poster IESM 2008 |
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yes |
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Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4491 |
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Toewe,B.; Fey, K.; Würbel, H. |
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Title |
Effect of an omeprazole (GastroGard) treatment on cribbiting in horses suffering from gastric ulceration |
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2008 |
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IESM 2008 |
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Cribbiting is a common stereotypy in domestic horses and is associated with stress and low fibre/high concentrate diets, which are known to cause gastric inflammation and ulceration. Recent studies indicate that antacid supplements can reduce both gastric inflammation and cribbiting. However, stereotypies are also associated with altered brain functions and these are thought to be responsible for emancipation. Emancipation refers to a process by which stereotypies become increasingly independent of the causal factors and may therefore persist with age, regardless of the conditions. Emancipation complicates therapy and points to the importance of prevention.
To further examine the relationship between gastric health and cribbiting and its relation to age at onset, we examined the effect of the proton-pump inhibitor omeprazole (GastroGard, Merial) on gastric inflammation/ulceration and on cribbiting in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Thirty-one horses of different sex, breed and age were randomly allocated to treatment and placebo and divided into three groups depending on age: 0-5 years (n=11), 5-10 years (n=11) and >10 years (n=9), whereby age at onset of cribbiting was ≤ 5 years for all horses. Treatment and placebo were administered orally by syringe once every day for 28 days by the horse owners. Treatment consisted of 4mg/kg omeprazole for the first four days and 1mg/kg for the following 24days.
Using scan sampling and behaviour sampling, general activity and the number of crib-bites were assessed in the home pens one day before and one day between day 21 and 28 of treatment. Observations were made for three hours each around morning and evening feeding times, respectively. Prior to pre-treatment observations and after post-treatment observations, the horses were transported to the clinic and endoscoped for signs of inflammation and ulceration in the oesophagus, the squamous area, the glandular area and the first part of the duodenum using a common scoring system (Andrews et al. 1999).
All 31 horses showed signs of gastric inflammation/ulceration which decreased significantly from a median score of 1,2 to 0,6 in the treatment group (Wilcoxon signed rank test, z=-3,186, p=0,001), while there was no change in the placebo group (z=-0,577, p=1.0). However, there was no significant difference in cribbiting before and after treatment, neither in the treatment group (z=-1,834, p=0,068), nor in the placebo group (z=-0,415, p=0,734). Moreover, there were no significant effects of age on gastric inflammation/ulceration (2-way ANOVA, F=1,112, p=0,345) or cribbiting (F=1,113, p=0,344).
These results contrast with the recent studies on the effects of antacids on gastric health and cribbiting. There are two possible explanations for this: First, cribbiting may become rapidly established and may thus have persisted even in the youngest age group. Second, omeprazole acts specifically by reducing gastric acid secretion into stomach, while antacids may also have an effect on the intestine. However, these results shed doubts on the hypothesis that cribbiting is caused by gastric inflammation/ulceration. |
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Division of Animal Welfare and Ethology, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Germany |
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Toewe,B. |
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IESM 2008 |
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Poster IESM 2008 |
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yes |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4466 |
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Kuhne, F.; Struwe, R.; Balzer, H.U. |
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A new, non-invasive method to assess specific strain in horses |
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2008 |
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IESM 2008 |
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Horses" reactions to normal environmental and training situations play an important
role the human-horse relationship. These demands on horses can either lead some
individuals to withdrawal, immobility or aggressive defence. However, the reaction to
such situations varies greatly among horses, which is reflected in individual
differences in sympathetic, parasympathetic and muscular reactivity. The observable
behavioural responses of the horses seem to be qualitatively related to the internal
state of physiological arousal. In future it should be possible to identify behavioural
signs which really do reflect internal states of the autonomic nervous system to
provide general advice concerning human handling and training in view of reducing
stress in horses.
For these purposes, we have determined responses of the vegetative nervous
system based on variation in skin potential, skin resistance and electromyogram
using non-invasive real-time measurements. All these parameters can be measured
by a SMARD-Watch-System (System of non-invasive Measurement and Analysis
for Regulatory Diagnostics), which can be externally attached to the horses using a
harness.
The physiological data will assess using a time series analysis. Thereby the changes
in the regulatory processes in each of the three physiological systems can be
determined in detail. Based on this analysis characteristic behaviour patterns will be
analysed by the variability of the regulatory processes. According to temporary shifts
in regulatory processes, stable and unstable regulation states will be determined.
Depending on the proportions of unstable regulation processes during and after
external threat, four types of regulation can be defined: the Control, Cope,
Compensate and Non-cope- type. Defined time-windows, for example a ten minutes
lasting pre- and post-test phase and a ten or twenty minutes lasting time-window for
the execution of the specific stimulus have to be chosen to decide these regulation
types.
These four regulation types and the preferred individual behaviour strategies have to
be compared to evaluate the relative frequency of occurrence of a behaviour strategy
depending on responses of the vegetative nervous system. In view of validating
behavioural indicators of emotional reactivity, the aim of this new method is to
characterize individual differences in the behavioural and physiological responses of
horses to normal environmental and training stimuli.
Evidence is provided by human and animal data that the non-invasive real-time
measurement of the vegetative nervous system based on variation in skin potential,
skin resistance etc. is a promising approach for evaluating stress and emotional
states in vertebrates. It will be explained that the chronobiological evaluation of
physiological parameters has the potential to contribute much to our understanding
and assessment of the underlying physiological processes of stress responses in
horses. |
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Division of Animal Welfare and Ethology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Germany |
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Kuhne, F. |
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IESM 2008 |
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Notes |
Talk 15 min IESM 2008 |
Approved |
yes |
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Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4465 |
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Author |
Schmidt, A.; Möstl, E.; Neuhauser, S.; Aurich, J.; Müller, J.; Aurich, C. |
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Changes in heart rate and cortisol release during initial training of three-year-old warmblood sport horse stallions |
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2008 |
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IESM 2008 |
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The first weeks of training in young sport horses have been suggested to represent a stressful period and training practises for horses have been questioned recently. So far, only limited data on the stress response of young horses to the initial training are available. Heart rate (HR) provides information on fitness of the horse but is also an indicator of stress or pain. Determination of cortisol metabolites in faeces is a non-invasive technique to determine a prolonged stress response. In our study, three-year-old warmblood sport horse stallions (n=8) were followed through a standardised 10-week classical training programme from lunging to first mounting of a rider and progressing to moderate work. Feed, housing and management were similar for all horses. HR was recorded with a mobile recording System (f810i, Polar, Kempele, Finland) fixed to a girth around the thorax of the horse and was monitored twice weekly from 30 min before to 30 min after training, i.e. including the training period. In addition, cortisol concentrations were determined in faecal samples collected three times daily. Overall basal HR before daily training was 39±2 (SEM) beats/min and mean values did not change significantly over the 10-week study period. Average HR during initial lunging (week 1) was 119±14 beats min and decreased to 95±5 beats/min in week 2. Due to individual variations this decrease did not reach statistical significance. Neither first mounting of a rider (89±10 beats/min) nor an increasing workload (e.g. week 8: 111±4 beats/min) were associated with prolonged increases in mean HR, but transient increases were recorded and the response to mounting of the rider differed markedly between stallions. After daily training, HR decreased rapidly but was slightly, although significantly (p<0.05, Friedman-test) higher than pre-work values (46±2 beats/min). Cortisol metabolite concentrations in faeces tended to decrease during the period of lunging, were not increased when the horses were first mounted by a rider but rose slightly with an increasing work load during the last 4 weeks of the 10-week training period. In conclusion, based on HR and faecal cortisol metabolite concentrations, the initial training of sport horse stallions in the classical German training system is not associated with major stress for the horse. The increase in HR during training is due to physical exercise itself and not associated with specific situations of the training programme.
Supported by a fellowship from Stiftung Forschung für das Pferd to AS |
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Graf Lehndorff Institute, Brandenburg State Stud, 16845 Neustadt (Dosse), Germany; University of Veterinary Science, 1210 Vienna, Austria |
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Schmidt, A. |
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Talk 15 min IESM 2008 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4499 |
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Wöhr, A.C.; Erhard, M. |
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Polysonographic studies, about sleeping behaviour of horses |
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2008 |
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IESM 2008 |
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Objective: In the context of the ongoing discussion about keeping horses in individual stable boxes vs. in herds the lack of relaxation of the horse as a flight animal is an argument often put forward against individual housing. The long-term objective of our investigations is to determine the sleep phases in various housing systems in order to find a substantiated answer to that issue. For that purpose, the sleep waves measured by EEG have to be defined beforehand and allocated to the individual stages of sleep. The experiments described here are intended to support this effort. The objective is to establish a method which by means of a portable polysomnograph allows to capture the sleeping behaviour of horses for the purpose of defining the individual stages of sleep. It was investigated which stages of sleep horses undergo, and to what extent they may be comparable to those of humans.
Animals/materials/methods: Given the high technical effort involved, somnographic examination of large animals has so far been difficult and mostly required the animals to be sedated. Meanwhile, however, instruments such as the Somnoscreen by Somnomedics have become available. This is a completely portable polysomnograph with up to 28 channels and wireless online signal transmission and synchronous video transmission to a PC.
Using this instrument, the sleep profile of 5 Icelandic ponies and 10 horses (different race) aged 5-10 years was recorded and evaluated for 4 or 5 nights per horse. The following parameters were assessed: EEG (electroencephalogram), EOG (electrooculogram), EMG (electromyogram), ECG (electrocardiogram), thoracic and abdominal breathing motions as well as identification of the body posture. Synchronous video recordings were made. EEG recordings were obtained through gold-coated disk electrodes with long flexible cables, applied and secured to the scalp.
Results: As with humans, various stages of sleep can also be defined for horses using the above methods of recording. The waking condition is characterised by alpha waves, which just like in humans are within a range of 8-12 Hz. Typical REM phases as in humans were also detected, although not only when stretched completely on their side, as has hitherto always been described, but also when lying on their chest. Phases of deep sleep (stage 4) can also be measured, with the animals mostly in a standing position. The multi-stage human sleeping pattern, which is made up of 4-6 repeat phases of sleep (waking stage eyes open – waking stage eyes closed – REM phase – stage 1 – stage 2 – stage 3 – stage 4 – return to REM phase etc.) was found to be similar in horses in individual sequences. However, the sleep phases are shorter and more frequently interrupted by waking phases.
Conclusions: Horses are flight animals, which is why they have to be “on eye” in every situation so as to be able to flee in the face of danger. In a natural herd lying positions are only assumed if one or more members watch over the herd. In some publications the REM phase is treated as equivalent to the deep sleep phase. Although the REM phase is a phase of total muscle relaxation it is at the same time the dream phase and due to the high frequencies and the low amplitudes in the EOG resembles Stage I. This means that the sleeping horse can be awakened very quickly from this REM phase so as to be able to react to any dangerous situation. It therefore makes sense for the horses to assume a lying position during REM phases as the muscles are relaxed, yet a waking condition can be reached very quickly. A standing position seems to be preferred during deep sleep phases, where waking takes rather long, so that at least the position will not have to be changed. Whether the sleeping behaviour changes depending on age and race has yet to be investigated. |
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Institute of Animal Welfare, Ethology and Animal Hygiene, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Schwere-Reiter-Str. 9, 80637 Munich/Germany, woehr@lmu.de |
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Wöhr, A.C. |
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Talk 15 min IESM 2008 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4498 |
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Takimoto, A.; Fujita, K. |
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Are horses (Equus caballus) sensitive to human attentional states? |
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2008 |
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IESM 2008 |
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Horses; Attentional state; Begging behavior |
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The ability to reliably detect what others are attending to seems important for social species to interact with their partners. Domestic horses (Equus caballus) have lived with humans for over five thousand years, hence they might have developed sensitivity to human attention. In the present study, we investigated whether horses would discriminate the situation in which a human experimenter could see them from the situation in which she could not. Specifically, we tested whether horses understand the role of eyes in human attentional states, produce more visual gestures when the experimenter can see their begging behaviors and produce more auditory or tactile gestures when she can not. We used with a slight modification the paradigm that previously yielded support for chimpanzee understanding of human attention (Hostetter et al. 2007). Twelve horses were offered food by the experimenter who showed various attentional states in front of them. We scored frequency of begging behaviors by the horses. In experiment 1, we set three kinds of condition: hand over the eyes, hand over the mouth and away. In the last condition there was only a food in front of horses, which was a control condition. The results showed that horses produced more auditory or tactile begging behaviors when the experimenter“s eyes were not visible than when her eyes were visible, but there was no difference in visual begging behaviors. In experiment 2, we set two kinds of condition: eyes closed and eyes open. The horses also produced more auditory or tactile begging behaviors when the experimenter”s eyes were closed than when they were open. However, there was no difference in visual begging behaviors. These results show that horses discriminate the situation in which humans can see from that in which humans can not. Of special interest, horses increased only auditory or tactile behaviors, not all types of communicative behaviors, when the experimenter could not see their begging behaviors. This result suggests that horses are sensitive to human attentional states. Moreover, horses may do recognize the eyes as an important indicator of whether or not humans will respond to their behavior and they may be able to behave flexibly depending upon human attentional states |
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Kyoto University |
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Takimoto, A. |
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Poster IESM 2008 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4481 |
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