ANS 201 Final Prep Pt 1

What tool is used to clean horse's feet?

hoof pick with brush

Horses have very poor color vision and will have trouble differentiating yellow and green from gray.

true

How many blindspots do horses have?

2

If a horse's ears are pinned back it means:

a.The horse is angry or aggressive

b.The horse is interested in something

c.The horse is excited to see you

d.The horse is tired

A. the horse is angry or aggressive

The leader (or alpha) of a herd of wild horses is usually an older stallion.

false → usually the oldest mare

You should always approach a horse from what area?

from the shoulder

To halter a horse, you approach from the left side, go over the horse's neck and grab the crownpiece of the halter with your right hand, scoop the nose up, and buckle the halter completely. Why is this the ideal method for haltering?

it helps you maintain control of the horse

T/F: horse is a prey animal

true! It runs away as its best defense from cougars, wolves, or bears

T/F: horse has a very fast response time?

true

Can horses be desensizited from scary stimuli?

YES! They can be taught not to fear things.

Why is it important to make a horses first training session good?

They remember bad situations well. When training understand that horses will either see something as safe enough to be explored or ignored, or they will see something to fear and run.

T/F: horses are so large, thus humans cannot dominant them?

FALSE

The horse is a herd animal?

YES! Domiance and hierarchy are easily established. Human dominance can be established during training without needing a whole lot of force.

How do horses exert dominance?

They control the movement of their peers. Horses accept dominance when humans or another horse get them to move or we prevent their movement when they want to run. You can use a pen, longe line, or hobbles.

You see a horse chasing another one away, who is the more dominant one?

The one doing the chasing.

How do horses communicate?

They are highly social and communicate through vocalization and body language. Trainers need to be able to read horse body language because it is unique to the equine species.

T/F: horses are precocial species?

TRUE! They are neurologically mature at birth.

What colors can horses differentiate?

They can differentiate red and blue from gray hues (they can see spiderman)

What colors can horses not differentiate?

Yellow and green from gray

T/F: horses have poor depth perception when only using one eye

true! Their preception is improved by 5x when using both eyes.

Why do horses cock their heads?

they can instantly change their focus from near to far. they do it to see close vs far objects.

Horses have the acute ability to detect what?

movement: this is why they are way flightier on windy days, things that are usually motionless are now on the move.

Horses CANNOT see well at night

FALSE! They can actually see pretty well, but not as good as a cat.

What type of vision do horses have?

Panoramic:

Where are the horses blindspot(s)

with a small spot directly in front and directly behind as their blind area

T/F: a horse can see two things at once, one from each eye

TRUE! That allows each side of its brain to work separately. Like humans, horses have a dominant side (right-handed or left-handed); however, unlike humans, horses need to be taught things twice: on the right side and on the left side.

Do you have to teach things to horses twice?

YES! Like humans, horses have a dominant side (right-handed or left-handed); however, unlike humans, horses need to be taught things twice: on the right side and on the left side.

Can the expression in a horses eye be used to indicate their behavior?

YES! The wide open with white showing is scared

What do horses use their hearing for?

hey use their hearing for three primary functions: to detect sounds, to determine the location of the sound, and to provide sensory information that allows the horse to recognize the identity of these sources. Their hearing is much better than ours.

Horses can hear low to very high frequency sound, in the range of _____ to _____ (human range = 20 Hz to 20 kHz).

14 Hz to 25 Hz

Can horses move their ears well?

YES! They can move them 180 degrees using 10 different muscles (humans only have 3 muscles). This allows the horse to orient itself toward the sounds to be able to determine what is making the noise.

T/F: Horses’ tactile sensation or touch is extremely sensitive.

TRUE!!! Their entire body is as sensitive as our fingertips. They can feel a fly on a single hair and any movement of the rider

Horse tail is high:

they are alert or excited

Horse tail is low:

it is a sign of exhaustion, fear, pain or submission

If the horse tail is held high over its back

as seen in most foals) they are playful or are very alarmed

If a horse tail is swishing

they are irritated.

If a horse is pawing

they are frustrated

If a horse has one leg lifted

can be a mild threat (or a normal stance sometimes when eating)

If a horses back leg is lifted

often a defensive move to a threat

If a horse is stamping

indicates a mild threat or protest (or they may be getting rid of insects or flies biting their legs).

What does snapping mean (horses)

This is seen in foals showing submission to an older horse. They will open their mouths and draw back the corners, then open and shut their jaws.

What does jaws open with teeth exposed mean

this shows aggression or possible attack.

What is the flehmen response?

This is caused by an intense or unusual smell, usually in stallions when they sense a mare in heat. They stick their nose in the air and curl the upper lip over their nose.

Flared nostrils: horses

usually means they are excited or alert.

What does showing the whites around the eyes mean for horses?

Showing white around the eyes: usually means they are angry or scared. (White around the eyes is also a normal characteristic of the Appaloosa breed.)

When a horses’s ears are neutral?

is when the ears are held loosely upward, openings facing forward or outward.

Pricked ears (horse)

ears held stiff with openings pointed directly forward means the horse is alert.

Airplane ears (horse)

Airplane ears: the ears flop out laterally with openings facing down, usually meaning the horse is tired or depressed.

Dropped ears (horse)

hang down loosely to the side, usually meaning tiredness or pain.

Ears angled backward (horse)

(with openings directed back towards a rider): usually mean attentiveness to the rider or listening to commands.

Ears pinned flat against the neck (horse)

Ears pinned flat against the neck: (see picture below) the means watch out! The horse is angry and aggressive

What does a squeal or scream mean in horses

which usually denotes a threat by a stallion or mare

What are nickers

low-pitched and quiet. A stallion will nicker when courting a mare; a mare and foal nicker to each other; and domestic horses nicker for food.

Neighs or whinnies

are the most familiar: high pitched, drawn out sounds that can carry over distances. Horses whinny to let others know where they are and to try to locate a herd mate. They also respond to each other’s whinnies even when out of sight.

What is blowing

a strong, rapid explusion of air resulting in a high pitched whoosing sound, which usually is a sign of alarm used to warn others.

What does snorting mean:

passive, shorter lower pitched version of blowing and is usually just a result of objects entering the nasal passage.

What are horse signs of friendship:

Mares and foals nudge and nuzzle each other during nursing or for comfort, and mutual grooming, when two horses nibble at each other, is often seen.

Who is the herd leader

the older mare (the alpha mare) → even though in a herd of wild horses, there are one of two stallions in the group, along with mares and their foals.

• She maintains her dominant role even though she may be physically weaker than the others. The older mare has had more
  experiences, more close encounters, and survived more threats than any other horse in the herd.

How does the older mare establish dominance:

Dominance is established not only through aggression but also through attitudes that let the other horses know she expects to be obeyed.

What is the stallions job

be the herd’s guardian and protector, while maintaining reproductive viability. The stallion’s harem usually consists of 2 to 21 horses. 8 of those are mares and the rest are the offspring

T/F: When the colts are old enough to be on their own, they form a bachelor herd

true! The filies will either remain in their orginial herd or disperse into other herds, or form a new herd with a bachelor stallion

T/F: As soon as a stallion becomes too old
to maintain his status as herd owner he is replaced by a younger stallion from a bachelor herd

true

The average time for a stallion to remain leader is about ___ years, but some can last more than _____.

The average time for a stallion to remain leader is about _2__ years, but some can last more than _10 years____.

Is this true: horses are most vulnerable when they are eating or drinking. So when they are being submissive, it will simulate eating by lowering its ad and chewing or licking its lips

true (this is also similar to snapping, which is another submissive behavior).

Horses naturally graze for

12 to 16 hours

What causes vice behaviors in horses

Vices are negative activities that occur due to various causes, including stress, boredom, fear, excess energy, and nervousness.

What is cribbing

occurs when the horse bites onto a fixed surface (e.g., stall door edge, grain bin, fence rail), arches his neck and sucks in air, making a grunting noise. This causes a release of endorphins which relieves the unpleasant situation.

• This becomes addictive, even when removed from the unpleasant situation.

• Cribbing can lead to weight loss, poor performance, gastric colic, and excessive tooth wear

What is weaving

when the horse stands by the stall door and rhythmically shifts its weight back and forth on its front legs while swinging its head

• This is also caused by boredom or excess energy, and can lead to weight loss, poor performance and weakened tendons.

Stall kicking, stall walking, pawing, or digging

• caused by boredom or excess energy that can lead to weight loss, poor performance, and weakened tendons

To decrease the frequency of this behavior, you might try adding another mealtime, placing toys in the stall, or providing more roughage or turn out time.

Wood chewing, eating bedding, or dirt, and self-mutilation

are caused by lack of exercise or boredom. However, nutritional deficiencies could also cause these vices. To eliminate this as a cause, provide more roughage in the diet, and free choice salt or minerals. This may decrease the frequency of the vice.

What is the importance of grooming your horse?

You can use this as a time to bond with your horse, make sure their are no injuries or changes in behavior, and you can also prevent things like thrush, hoof rot, or rain scald.

How can brushing impact health?

Brushing may stimulate blood flow to the skin and spread natural oils throughout the coat. Increased circulation supports skin health, while natural oils condition hair and make your horse shine.

How does grooming impact skin conditions

Removing debris from the coat and keeping skin clean also decrease the risk of common skin diseases. Wet, dirty hair provides an ideal environment for bacterial growth.

keeping hooves clean reduces the risk of other hoof conditions like ____

thrush. Picking out hooves is an ideal time to examine the feet (is the shoe still seated properly), and look for signs of other hoof problems (laminitis?)

What is thrush in horses?

Thrush is a bacterial and fungal infection affecting the frog of the hoof, commonly caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum

• damp and dirty environments cause thrush development

What are signs of thrush?

Typical signs of a thrush infection include hoof tenderness and a foul-smelling, black discharge from the hoof. The condition is often diagnosed by visually assessing the hoof and checking the health of the frog tissue.

• It can cause permanent lameness if it results in extensive damage to hoof tissues.

• treatment includes removing necrotic tissue from the hoof, disinfecting it, and keeping it clean during the healing process.

• It can affect one or all hooves at the same time!

Why is it not good to tack up a dirty horse?

Following a grooming routine before riding is especially important. Tacking up a dirty horse can lead to chafing under equipment, which causes discomfort for your horse during riding.

• After a ride, you should do proper grooming in order to back sure there is no ill-fitting equipment. It also allows you to remove sweat, which can cause coat fading

Grooming can also be a bonding activity?

Horses will groom each other, so this is a way to promote relaxation.

T/F: you should groom your horse before each ride?

true

What is the tool used to clean horse feet?

Hoof pick. It has a metal hook that remove mud and debris. Some hoof picks also have stiff bristles for brushing dirt off the foot

What does a curry comb do?

it has short teeth, nubs, or serrated ridges that loosen debris from the coat and massage the skin.

• They are typically rubber or plastic

What are metal curry combs?

These are also known a shedding blades. They help clean other brushes but are generally too hard for grooming horses. They can be used to shed out winter coats.

• DON’T ever use them on the legs and joints to prevent injury

Curry combs with large, firm teeth are suitable for removing ____ and ______ large muscles.

Curry combs with large, firm teeth are suitable for removing _mud___ and __massaging____ large muscles.

• Fine curry combs with soft teeth are better for more sensitive areas like the legs or head.

What does a stiff brush do?

These have long, hard bristles designed to remove debris loosened by the curry comb. Horse owners also refer to this as a dandy brush. The hairs are typically plastic, but more expensive brushes use natural materials such as rice stems.

What should you use if your horse has very sensitive skin?

• Medium brush!

• medium firm bristles are great for removing finer particles of dirt or dust. They can have long or short bristles.

What is a soft brush used for.

It smooths the hair and distributes oils throughout the coat at the end of a grooming session.

• It promotes a shiny finish and most horses find them very soothing. A soft brush with short bristles is called a body brush.

What is a face brush?

similar to the body brush, but a lot smaller. The side makes it easier to use around the horse’s face and eats.

T/F: mane and tail brushes are similar to human hairbrushes?

true! But using a plastic wide-tooth comb instead is often better for preventing hair breakage.

What can be used to clean the more delicate areas of the body?

A soft sponge: this helps clean the eyes, nose, and lips.

• Grooming mitts made of sheepskin remove dust and perform touch-ups after grooming. Some horses may prefer sheepskin grooming mitts over other brushes on sensitive areas.

What are scissors used for in horse grooming?

These are used to keep the horse trimmed and tidy.

How are mane’s commonly trimmed

by pulling: to both thin the mane and reduce the length, but scissors can be helpful if large knots are impossible to untangle

Long body hair on horses is best trimmed using what?

Clippers. Show horses and heavily exercised horses are clipped to prevent sweat accumulation during seasons when horses cannot be rinsed after exercise.

T/F: daily grooming is recommended

TRUE! BUT, if you cannot do a grooming session everyday, at least run your hands over your horse to check for lumps, bumps, bruises, etc. Horses that are not working need to be groomed at least once a week.

How often should horses not working be groomed

once a week.

Why should you try to avoid shampooing your horse more than once a week?

because it can strip the horse’s hair of natural oils

T/F: Detangling products help horse owners brush through knots in their horse’s mane and tail while minimizing breakage.

true! Coat conditioners can help moisturize the skin and coat, but they can’t fully replace the benefits of natural oils and regular grooming.

How long do regular sessions of grooming usually take?

around 20 minutes

Grooming a horse step by step:

1. pick hooves:

2. Curry brush the horses body: using a curry comb to loosen dirt, loose hair, and caked-on mud. Begin at the top of the neck and work in a circular motion across the large muscles of your horse’s body towards his hind end.

3.Curry face and legs: use a fine teeth curry comb that is rubber to prevent pain. Use light pressure. Some horses want the softer curry comb for the girth, belly, and spine.

4. Remove the debris with a hard brush: currying brings up the dandruff, dirt, and loose hair. Then use the dandy brush to do short, quick strokes that push the debris to the rear.

5. Lift dust with medium brush: using long strokes in the direction of the hair growth, flick the wrist to remove the dust. Medium brushes with dense bristles can help lift large debris off more sensitive areas such as the face and legs. However, these brushes are best used after a stiff brush to remove finer dust particles from your horse’s body.

6. Comb through mane and tail: Applying detangler before combing helps prevent breakage. To brush the tail. Stand to the side and gently grab the tail in your hand. Use a wide-toothed comb to carefully work through the hair from the bottom to the top.

7. Polish with soft body brush: Using the soft body brush is one of the last steps to polish the horse. Brushing your horse’s mane and tail may have released some dirt onto his coat, which the soft brush can help remove.

   1. Long, sweeping strokes in the direction of the hair will help remove the final layer of dust and distribute natural oils for a shiny coat. A sheepskin grooming mitt can also help add a final polish, and a face brush is ideal for smoothing hair around the eyes and ears.

8. Wipe eyes and nose: Horses can get crud around their eyes and nose. Use a clean, soft towel or sponge to wipe these areas gently. You can also use towels and sponges to clean delicate areas around your horse’s dock and groin.

9. Apply products: Wait to use the coat conditioners until after you finished brushing. A moisturizing conditioner can help keep your horse’s coat in good condition, especially if your horse gets frequent baths that remove natural oils. Spray conditioners evenly over your horse’s body and use a soft body brush, grooming mitt, or towel to distribute.

   1. Baby oil can add some shine and moisture to the nose and mouth.

   2. Adding fat supplement can support skin health and coat shine. Fat may promote sebum production, which can add to the shine.

1. Check general health: look for cuts or illness. Even if you don’t have time for an entire grooming session, a quick daily once-over can help catch minor issues before they become serious.

What does the soft body brush do?

This is the polishing brush: the step of brushing the main and tail may have kicked up some debris that the soft brush can remove. You want to do long, sweeping strokes in the direction of the hair. This removes the dust and distributes the oils.

How to brush horse tail?

stand to the side and gently grab the tail in your hand. Use a wide-toothed comb to carefully work through the hair from the bottom to the top. Firmly grasping the hair just above where you’re working will avoid tugging.

• Use your hands to work through tangles and avoid forcing a knot out. Excessive or aggressive brushing can lead to breakage. Some owners use scissors to keep their horse’s tail trimmed above the fetlocks so they can’t step on it and rip hairs out.