Abstract: This article examines the recently completed equid ethogram and shows how analogues of social interactions between horses may occur in various human–horse interactions. It discusses how some specific horse–horse interactions have a corresponding horse–human interaction – some of which may be directly beneficial for the horse while others may be unusual or even abnormal. It also shows how correspondent behaviours sometimes become inappropriate because of their duration, consistency or context. One analogue is unlikely to hold true for all horse–human contexts, so when applying any model from horse–horse interactions to human–horse interactions, the limitations of the model may eclipse the intended outcome of the intervention. These limitations are especially likely when the horse is being ridden. Such analyses may help to determine the validity of extrapolating intra-specific interactions to the inter-specific setting, as is advocated by some popular horse-training methods, and highlight the subsequent limitations where humans play the role of the ‘alpha mare’ or leader in horse handling and training. This examination provides a constructive framework for further informed debate and empirical investigation of the critical features of successful intra-specific interactions.

Abstract: We used an opportunistic review of photographs of different adult and juvenile horses walking, trotting, and cantering (n = 828) to compare the angle of the nasal plane relative to vertical in feral and domestic horses at liberty (n = 450) with ridden horses advertised in a popular Australian horse magazine (n = 378). We assumed that horses in advertisements were shown at, what was perceived by the vendors to be, their best. Of the ridden horses, 68% had their nasal plane behind the vertical. The mean angle of the unridden horses at walk, trot, and canter (30.7 ± 11.5; 27.3 ± 12.0; 25.5 ± 11.0) was significantly greater than those of the ridden horses (1.4 ± 14.1; ?5.1 ± ?11.1; 3.1 ± 15.4, P < 0.001). Surprisingly, unridden domestic horses showed greater angles than feral horses or domestic horses at liberty. We compared adult and juvenile horses in all 3 gaits and found no significant difference. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the longitudinal neck flexion of the degree desirable by popular opinion in ridden horses is not a common feature of unridden horses moving naturally. Moreover, they suggest that advertised horses in our series are generally being ridden at odds with their natural carriage and contrary to the international rules of dressage (as published by the International Equestrian Federation). These findings are discussed against the backdrop of the established doctrine, which states that carrying a rider necessitates changes in longitudinal flexion, and in the context of the current debate around hyperflexion.

Abstract: Dominance hierarchies in horses primarily influence priority access to limited resources of any kind, resulting in predictable contest outcomes that potentially minimize aggressive encounters and associated risk of injury. Levels of aggression in group-kept horses under domestic conditions have been reported to be higher than in their feral counterparts but can often be attributed to suboptimal management. Horse owners often express concerns about the risk of injuries occurring in group-kept horses, but these concerns have not been substantiated by empirical investigations. What has not yet been sufficiently addressed are human safety aspects related to approaching and handling group-kept horses. Given horse's natural tendency to synchronize activity to promote group cohesion, questions remain about how group dynamics influence human-horse interactions. Group dynamics influence a variety of management scenarios, ranging from taking a horse out of its social group to the prospect of humans mimicking the horse's social system by taking a putative leadership role and seeking after an alpha position in the dominance hierarchy to achieve compliance. Yet, there is considerable debate about whether the roles horses attain in their social group are of any relevance in their reactions to humans. This article reviews the empirical data on social dynamics in horses, focusing on dominance and leadership theories and the merits of incorporating those concepts into the human-horse context. This will provide a constructive framework for informed debate and valuable guidance for owners managing group-kept horses and for optimizing human-horse interactions.

Abstract: The degree of lateralization (LI) indicates both the direction and strength of a paw preference. Here, a positive value is indicative of a right paw bias, and a negative value of a left paw bias. Higher numbers on the positive side of the scale and lower numbers on the negative side of the scale indicate a greater strength of that lateralization. The strength of motor lateralization (|LI|) is the absolute value of the LI. The use of absolute value removes directionality (i.e., does not indicate left or right paw bias) and instead indicates only the strength of the paw preference. Both LI and |LI| have been associated with behavioral differences in a range of species. The assessment of motor lateralization in the dog can be conducted by observing the paw used to perform motor tasks. Elevated cortisol concentrations have been associated with fearfulness in many species. Additionally, fearfulness and boldness can be assessed in response to so-called temperament tests. Consequently, in this study we examine the relationship between lateralization, temperament test results, and cortisol concentrations in 43 potential guide dogs, of which 38 were Labrador retrievers and 5 were golden retrievers. Over a 14-month period, the current study assessed motor lateralization and salivary cortisol concentrations 3 times (approximately 6 months of age, 14 months of age, and after the dogs' performance in the guide dog program had been determined) and behavior twice (approximately 6 and 14 months of age). This study is the first to examine the relationship between behavior, lateralization, and cortisol concentrations in dogs. It implemented an objective and quantifiable assessment of behavior that may be of use to a variety of dog-focused stakeholders. Findings show that during the Juvenile testing period (6 months of age), dogs with higher cortisol concentrations were typically less able to rest when exposed to the unfamiliar testing room. Results from both Juvenile and Adult Test (14 months of age) periods showed that a greater |LI| and LI were associated with more confident and relaxed behavior when dogs were exposed to novel stimuli and unfamiliar environments. Significant elevations of cortisol concentrations were found at the completion of guide dog training when compared with results from the 2 prior test periods. This finding may reflect maturation or the effect of the prolonged kenneling which occurred during this period.

Abstract: Over the past 2 decades, numerous studies have been undertaken to assess motor laterality in the domestic dog. In anticipation of growth in this area of enquiry, we decided to review the literature on canine motor biases to identify any shortcomings, reflect on the lessons to be learned from and offer ways forward for future research into canine laterality. The aim of this review is to (i) summarize motor laterality findings in the dog, (ii) highlight areas lacking in standardization, and (iii) propose necessary criteria for future tests and global reporting protocols. Our review of the literature highlighted the lack of standardization between studies in task selection, sample size, number of behavior scores recorded, and the methods by which motor laterality were classified and reported. This review illustrates the benefits of standardizing methods of motor laterality assessment so that comparisons can be made between the populations sampled. By adopting such an approach, researchers should mutually benefit as motor laterality data could then be compared and subjected to meta-analysis.