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| Author |
Baragli, P.; Scopa, C.; Maglieri, V.; Palagi, E. |
Title  |
If horses had toes: demonstrating mirror self recognition at group level in Equus caballus |
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Journal Article |
| Year |
2021 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
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Mirror self-recognition (MSR), investigated in primates and recently in non-primate species, is considered a measure of self-awareness. Nowadays, the only reliable test for investigating MSR potential skills consists in the untrained response to a visual body mark detected using a reflective surface. Here, we report the first evidence of MSR at group level in horses, by facing the weaknesses of methodology present in a previous pilot study. Fourteen horses were used in a 4-phases mirror test (covered mirror, open mirror, invisible mark, visible colored mark). After engaging in a series of contingency behaviors (looking behind the mirror, peek-a-boo, head and tongue movements), our horses used the mirror surface to guide their movements towards their colored cheeks, thus showing that they can recognize themselves in a mirror. The analysis at the group level, which 'marks' a turning point in the analytical technique of MSR exploration in non-primate species, showed that horses spent a longer time in scratching their faces when marked with the visible mark compared to the non-visible mark. This finding indicates that horses did not see the non-visible mark and that they did not touch their own face guided by the tactile sensation, suggesting the presence of MSR in horses. Although a heated debate on the binary versus gradualist model in the MSR interpretation exists, recent empirical pieces of evidence, including ours, indicate that MSR is not an all-or-nothing phenomenon that appeared once in phylogeny and that a convergent evolution mechanism can be at the basis of its presence in phylogenetically distant taxa. |
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1435-9456 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ Baragli2021 |
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6631 |
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Krueger, K.; Esch, L.; Byrne, R. |
| Title |
Need or opportunity? A study of innovations in equids |
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Journal Article |
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2021 |
Publication |
Plos One |
Abbreviated Journal |
Plos One |
| Volume |
16 |
Issue |
9 |
Pages |
e0257730 |
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Debate persists over whether animals develop innovative solutions primarily in response to needs or conversely whether they innovate more when basic needs are covered and opportunity to develop novel behaviour is offered. We sourced 746 cases of “unusual” behaviour in equids by contacting equid owners and caretakers directly and via a website (https://innovative-behaviour.org), and by searching the internet platforms YouTube and Facebook for videos. The study investigated whether differences in need or opportunity for innovation were reflected in the numbers of different types of innovations and in the frequencies of repeating a once-innovative behaviour (i) with respect to the equids' sex, age, and breed type, (ii) across behavioural categories, and whether (iii) they were affected by the equids' management (single vs group housing, access to roughage feed, access to pasture, and social contact). We found that the numbers of different types of innovation and the frequency of displaying specific innovations were not affected by individual characteristics (sex, age, breed or equid species). Few types of innovation in escape and foraging contexts were observed, whilst the comfort, play, and social contexts elicited the greatest variety of innovations. We also found higher numbers of different types of innovations in horses kept in groups rather than in individual housing, and with unlimited rather than with restricted access to pasture and roughage. Equids in permanent social contact performed high rates of once-innovative behaviour. We suggest that equids produce goal-directed innovations and repeat the behaviour at high frequency in response to urgent needs for food and free movement or when kept in conditions with social conflict. However, equids devise the greatest variety of innovations when opportunity to play and to develop comfort behaviour arises and when kept in good conditions. |
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Public Library of Science |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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6653 |
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Solmsen, E.-H.; Bathen, M.; Grüntjens, T.; Hempel, E.; Klose, M.; Krüger, K.; Martin, H.; Meyer, A.; Schütte, P.; Vogel, L.; Wiezorek, S.; Wittor, B. |
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Protecting horses against wolves in Germany |
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Journal Article |
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2021 |
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Carnivore Damage Prevention News |
Abbreviated Journal |
CPDnews |
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23 |
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12-19 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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6661 |
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Solmsen, E. - H.; Bathen, M.; Grüntjens, T.; Hempel, E.; Klose, M.; Krüger, K.; Martin, H.; Meyer, A.; Schütte, P.; Vogel, L.; Wiezorek, S.; Wittor, B. |
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Protecting horses against wolves in Germany. |
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Journal Article |
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2021 |
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Carnivore Damage Prevention News |
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CDPNews |
| Volume |
23 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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6682 |
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Christensen, J.W.; Munk, R.; Hawson, L.; Palme, R.; Larsen, T.; Egenvall, A.; König von Borstel, U.U.; Rørvang, M.V. |
| Title |
Rider effects on horses' conflict behaviour, rein tension, physiological measures and rideability scores |
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Journal Article |
| Year |
2021 |
Publication |
Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. |
| Volume |
234 |
Issue |
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Pages |
105184 |
| Keywords |
Equitation science; Heart rate; Horse riding; Sport horse; Temperament; Training cues |
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Many breeding organisations include a subjective scoring of rideability by a professional rider into their evaluation of sports horses, but the consistency and reliability of the scoring system is debateable. The aim of this study was to investigate (i) whether professional riders agree in their scoring of rideability, and (ii) whether rideability scores are affected by rein tension, horse conflict behaviour, heart rate, and salivary cortisol, and (iii) whether riders induce different levels of conflict behaviour and physiological responses in the horses. Ten professional, female riders each rode 10 dressage horses (level M German scale; n = 100 combinations) through a standardised dressage test (10 min warm-up followed by a 4-min test) and subsequently scored the horses for rideability on the official 1-10 scale (1 = poor to 10 = excellent) from the Danish Riding Federation. Rein tension, horse heart rate, saliva cortisol and conflict behaviour were measured for each rider-horse pair. The riders were inconsistent in their scoring of rideability to the individual horses, e.g. scores for one of the horses ranged from 1 to 8. There was a significant effect of rider (P = 0.003) and the frequency of conflict behaviour (undesired head movements: P < 0.001, breaking the gait: P = 0.013, and other evasive behaviour: P = 0.032) on rideability scores, i.e. the more conflict behaviour the lower the score. There was no significant effect of rein tension and the physiological measures on rideability scores. However, there was a significant effect of rider on rein tension, horses' heart rate and increases in saliva cortisol concentrations and a tendency for some types of conflict behaviour, suggesting that some riders induced more discomfort in the horses. Future studies could help shed light on which elements of riding style are particularly important for sports horse welfare. In conclusion, this study found a large variation in rideability scores assigned to ten sports horses by ten professional riders. Rideability scores were dependent on the level of horse conflict behaviour, but not rein tension and physiological measures. Further studies are needed to improve the objectivity, consistency and reliability of rideability assessment of sports horses. |
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0168-1591 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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6696 |
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Lagos, L.; Blanco, P. |
| Title |
Testing the use of dogs to prevent wolf attackson free ranging ponies in Iberia? |
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Journal Article |
| Year |
2021 |
Publication |
Carnivore Damage Prevention News |
Abbreviated Journal |
CDPnews |
| Volume |
23 |
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20-27 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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6679 |
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