Equine

Assessment of horses’ welfare: Behavioral, hormonal, and husbandry aspects

Horse practitioners have difficulties with undesirable behaviors exhibited by their horses (Equus caballus), such as cribbing, weaving, or head shaking. It has been suggested that most of behavioral disorders originate from the animals' attempt to cope with a suboptimal environment....

Year Published: 2021Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Arena, I., Marliani, G., Sabioni, S. et al. 2021. Assessment of horses' welfare: Behavioral, hormonal, and husbandry aspects. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 41, 82-90.

Exploring stable-based behaviour and behaviour switching for the detection of bilateral pain in equines

Efficient and sensitive animal pain detection approaches are increasingly studied with the goal of improving animal welfare and monitoring the efficacy of treatment and rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to determine the potential of various behaviours as sensitive...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Egan, S., Kearney, C. M., Brama, P. A. J. et al. 2021. Exploring stable-based behaviour and behaviour switching for the detection of bilateral pain in equines. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 235, 105214.

Development, validation, and reliability of a sedation scale in horses (EquiSed)

The lack of standardization of sedation scales in horses limits the reproducibility between different studies. This prospective, randomized, blinded, horizontal and controlled trial aimed to validate a scale for sedation in horses (EquiSed). Seven horses were treated with intravenous detomidine...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Anesthesia & SedationAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Oliveira, A. R., Gozalo-Marcilla, M., Ringer, S. K. et al. 2021. Development, validation, and reliability of a sedation scale in horses (EquiSed). Frontiers in Veterinary Science 8, 611729.

Anxiety and pain in horses measured by heart rate variability and behavior

As a herd species, the horse strongly desires social contact and interaction with conspecifics. Anxiety associated with social isolation may confound the display and interpretation of behavior associated with pain. This study examined the effect of anxiety (social isolation) on...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Social Housing & Companionship, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Reid, K., Rogers, C. W., Gronqvist, G. et al. 2017. Anxiety and pain in horses measured by heart rate variability and behavior. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 22, 1-6.

Potential role for selenium in the pathophysiology of crib-biting behavior in horses

Crib-biting is a repetitive and compulsive behavior that is characterized by “grasping a fixed object with incisor teeth and aspirating air with an audible grunt.” Little is known about etiology and pathophysiology of crib-biting behavior in horses. Previously, we have...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Omidi, A., Jafari, R., Nazifi, S. et al. 2018. Potential role for selenium in the pathophysiology of crib-biting behavior in horses. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 23, 10-14.

Zylkéne to load? The effects of alpha-casozepine on compliance and coping in horses during loading

Horses are routinely transported for access to safe off-road riding, veterinary care, breeding, sale, or moving to a new home environment. However, transport is a known stressor in horses. For this reason, problem behavior when loading is a commonly reported...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Ijichi, C., Green, S., Squibb, K. et al. 2019. Zylkéne to load? The effects of alpha-casozepine on compliance and coping in horses during loading. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 30, 80-87.

Body language: Its importance for communication with horses

Body language is important for communication between individuals. Body language is based on the fact that the thought of performing a known action, alone, will activate the motor neurons used for the action, resulting in a slight contraction of the...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Animal Training, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Ladewig, J. 2019. Body language: Its importance for communication with horses. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 29, 108-110.

Effect of density and relative aggressiveness on agonistic and affiliative interactions in a newly formed group of horses

Group housing provides horses with social contact, a lack of which is associated with health and behavior problems. Despite the benefits of group housing for horses, horse owners are concerned about aggression and resulting injuries. This study focused on agonistic...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Pierard, M., McGreevy, P., Geers, R. 2019. Effect of density and relative aggressiveness on agonistic and affiliative interactions in a newly formed group of horses. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 29, 61-69.

Clicker training in horses; the importance of the time between click and reward

Timing of reward is very important when training horses. Incorrect timing can lead to confusion and deleterious behaviors and learning will be impaired. Clicker training can be used as an important tool in training. However, the optimal timing between the...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Animal TrainingAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Huisman, I., Van Iwaarden, S., Hughes, E. et al. 2019. Clicker training in horses; the importance of the time between click and reward. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 29, 148. (13th International Society of Equitation Science (ISES) Conference Abstract)

A code of welfare for horses and donkeys: establishing standards for the welfare of equids in New Zealand

New Zealand's code of welfare for horses and donkeys was developed by the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC), under provisions in the Animal Welfare Act 1999, and issued by the Minister for Primary Industries in 2016. This code applies...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Regulations & Ethical ReviewAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Cross, N. 2019. A code of welfare for horses and donkeys: establishing standards for the welfare of equids in New Zealand. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 29, 148-149. (13th International Society of Equitation Science (ISES) Conference Abstract)