Abstract: 300 Multiple ChoicesThis is a pdf-only article and there is no markup to show you.full-text.pdf

Abstract: Animal management often involves procedures that, while unlikely to cause physical pain, still cause aversive responses. The domestic horse (Equus caballus) regularly has excessive hair clipped off to facilitate its use as a riding/driving animal and this procedure causes adverse behavioral responses in some animals. The aim of this study was to compare behavioral and physiological measures to assess the aversive effect of this procedure. Ten horses were selected on the basis of being either compliant (C: n=5) or non-compliant (NC: n=5) during this procedure. The horses were subjected to a sham clipping procedure (SC: where the blades had been removed from the clippers) for a period of ten minutes. Measures were taken pre, during and post SC (-10min to +30min) and mean values calculated for ALL horses and for C and NC separately. Behavioral activity was scored (scale 1-5) by twenty students from video footage in (phase/group-blind scoring). Heart rate (HR), salivary cortisol and eye temperature were monitored throughout the procedure. The NC horses were found to be significantly more behaviorally active/less relaxed throughout the trial than C horses (p<0.05) with the greatest difference occurring during the SC procedure (p<0.01). NC horses were more active/less relaxed during, compared with pre or post SC (p<0.05), but showed no behavioral difference pre and post SC. HR of the NC horses was higher than that of the C horses throughout the trial but only significantly so after 10min of SC (p<0.01). ALL horses showed a significant increase in HR between +5 and +10min into the procedure (p<0.05). There was a significant increase in salivary cortisol concentration in ALL horses post procedure (p<0.01) with levels peaking at 20minute post SC. No significant differences in salivary cortisol concentration between C and NC were found at any stage of the trial. Eye temperature increased significantly in ALL horses during SC, peaking at +10min into the procedure (p<0.05) and then decreased substantially when SC had ceased (p<0.01). Although no significant differences were found between C and NC per se, there was a significant interaction between group and phase of trial (p<0.05) with the NC group showing a greater decrease in eye temperature post SC. There was a significant positive correlation between changes in salivary cortisol concentration and eye temperature (p<0.01) but no correlation between any of the other measures. Although the behavioral response of C and NC to this procedure was significantly different the physiological responses indicated that ALL horses found the procedure aversive. Eye temperature could be used as an objective and immediate measure of how an animal is responding to a specific situation in order to evaluate management procedures and adapt them where appropriate to reduce the negative impact on animal health and welfare.

Abstract: In recent years, Przewalski’s horses have been increasingly kept in semi-reserves. However,there areonly few studies ontheir behaviour and their ability to adaptto management interventions.In the main part of my dissertation, I focus on investigatingthe animals’ behaviour in different semi-reserves with varyinghabitats and living spaces. In addition, I investigate the horses’ behaviour during various management interventionsand analysetheensuing changes instress levels. Another aspect of my dissertation is the studyof social behaviour inPrzewalski’s horses. I investigate theparameters that should be used to demonstrate social bonds between individualsandassess whichdata provide the most meaningful results.In the commentary tochapter 1,several studies investigatingsocial bonds in horsesare discussed. Comparing the various studies, it is strikingthat no homogeneous analyses orevaluation criteria exist. While some authors only considersocial grooming, others include data onthe spatial proximity of the individuals in their evaluations, and various definitionsof proximity can also be found in the literature. Additionally, someauthors use friendly approaches between individuals asa furtherparameter wheninvestigating the social bonds.Continuing with this theme, in chapter 2I investigate the social behaviour of the horses and compare various analysis methods. I show that proactive behaviour, such as friendly approaches, is a good alternative to spatial proximity when investigating social bonds between group members, andis also useful for expanding the often very small data sets of mutual grooming in horses. Comparing Przewalski’s horses with wild living horses, I found no significant differences in the social behavior and the frequency of social interactions, regardlessof group size, group composition, habitat, and individual parameters such as age and gender.Inchapter 3,I investigate the behaviour of a Przewalski’s horse group when exploring a new area of their enclosure. Their behaviour changed, showing less resting and more feeding. Furthermore, the animals maintained greater distances from each other, and the alpha male, instead of herding the group from behind, led the group around the new area and walked in front of the other group members. Moreover, he showed a substantial increase in stress level during the first day.A general comparison of the behaviour of the Przewalski’s horses in different semi-reserves is provided in chapter 4. In it, the habitat choice of the animals and their reactions to various management interventions are investigated. It is shown that Przewalski’s horses prefer open grassland to dense woods, although keeping Przewalski’s horses in a pine forest does not influence the animals’ stress level. In contrast to habitat, food range, and changes in the group composition, which do not appear to change stress levels, individual factors, such as the hierarchy, influence the glucocorticoid level of the animals significantly. The largest increases in stress hormones were demonstrated when the horses were temporarily confined in smaller areas.The importance of the available space is also discussed in chapter 5, where it is shown that horses show less aggressive behaviour when more space is provided. In contrast, the husbandry system does not influence the animals’ aggression, but the way of feeding can additionally reduce agonistic behaviour, for example if food is offered ad libitum.In summary, the results of this study provide indications for the optimization of keeping Przewalski’s horses in semi-reserves. The animals can adapt themselves to the environment and thrive in habitats which do not correspond to their original steppe-like home. Nevertheless, the semi-reserves should provide sufficient grassland, as the horses prefer this type of habitat. General speaking, any types of habitat can only offer a suitable living space if the food range is sufficient for the number of horses. Otherwise, and especially during could winter months, supplementary feeding is necessary according to the body condition of the animals. This is particularly important for older, weakened, or very young animals, which are still adapting to life in the semi-reserve. Without sufficient food, stress hormones can increase and negatively influence the well-being of the horses. The same is true for management interventions: restricting the animals to small enclosures, for example, can adversely affect the horses’ well-being and should be only done if absolutely necessary. Targetedbehaviour observations allow the animals that have a special meaning for the group to be identified, and these should not be taken out of the group unless it is unavoidable, as young and unexperienced horses orientate themselves on those animals. This is especially true for the alpha male in a bachelor group, as these groups are often composed of young horses and the alpha-male provides the necessary stability and experience. Social bonds between individuals can be investigated by observing friendly and proactive behaviour, and social grooming and friendly approaches yield suitable data for such analysis.

Abstract: REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Little is known in quantitative terms about the influence of different head-neck positions (HNPs) on the loading pattern of the locomotor apparatus. Therefore it is difficult to predict whether a specific riding technique is beneficial for the horse or if it may increase the risk for injury. OBJECTIVE: To improve the understanding of forelimb-hindlimb balance and its underlying temporal changes in relation to different head and neck positions. METHODS: Vertical ground reaction force and time parameters of each limb were measured in 7 high level dressage horses while being ridden at walk and trot on an instrumented treadmill in 6 predetermined HNPs: HNP1 – free, unrestrained with loose reins; HNP2 – neck raised, bridge of the nose in front of the vertical; HNP3 – neck raised, bridge of the nose behind the vertical; HNP4 – neck lowered and flexed, bridge of the nose considerably behind the vertical; HNP5 – neck extremely elevated and bridge of the nose considerably in front of the vertical; HNP6 – neck and head extended forward and downward. Positions were judged by a qualified dressage judge. HNPs were assessed by comparing the data to a velocity-matched reference HNP (HNP2). Differences were tested using paired t test or Wilcoxon signed rank test (P<0.05). RESULTS: At the walk, stride duration and overreach distance increased in HNP1, but decreased in HNP3 and HNP5. Stride impulse was shifted to the forehand in HNP1 and HNP6, but shifted to the hindquarters in HNP5. At the trot, stride duration increased in HNP4 and HNP5. Overreach distance was shorter in HNP4. Stride impulse shifted to the hindquarters in HNP5. In HNP1 peak forces decreased in the forelimbs; in HNP5 peak forces increased in fore- and hindlimbs. CONCLUSIONS: HNP5 had the biggest impact on limb timing and load distribution and behaved inversely to HNP1 and HNP6. Shortening of forelimb stance duration in HNP5 increased peak forces although the percentage of stride impulse carried by the forelimbs decreased. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: An extremely high HNP affects functionality much more than an extremely low neck.

Abstract: Rollkur, the usually coercively obtained hyperflexion of the horse's neck, is employed as a training method by some dressage riders; however, its use is controversial as it may cause discomfort and adversely affect the horse's welfare. The objectives of this study were to determine: (1) if horses showed differences in stress, discomfort and fear responses as measured by heart rate and behaviour when ridden in Rollkur (R) obtained by pressure on the reins compared to regular poll flexion (i.e. with the nose-line being at or just in front of the vertical; N), and (2) if they showed a preference between the two riding styles when given the choice. Fifteen riding horses were ridden 30 times through a Y-maze randomly alternating between sides. Riding through one arm of the Y-maze was always followed by a short round ridden in R, whereas riding through the other arm was followed by a short round ridden in N. Immediately after the conditioning phase, horses were again repeatedly ridden into the maze; however, riders left it to the horse to decide which arm of the maze to enter. During R, horses moved slower and showed more often behavioural signs of discomfort, such as tail-swishing, head-tossing or attempted bucks (P < 0.05), and 14 of the 15 horses chose significantly (P < 0.05) more often the maze-arm associated with N rather than R. Subsequently, eight of the horses were also subjected to two fear tests following a short ride in N as well as a ride in R. During R, horses tended to react stronger (P = 0.092) to the fear stimuli and to take longer (P = 0.087) to approach them. These findings indicate that a coercively obtained Rollkur position may be uncomfortable for horses and that it makes them more fearful and therefore potentially more dangerous to ride. Further studies need to assess horses' reaction to gradual training of Rollkur, as opposed to a coercively obtained hyperflexion, in order to decide whether the practice should be banned.