Module 6

Horse Social Structure

Horses live in complex social groups, with a dominant stallion typically leading a harem of mares and their offspring

Harem

A social group of horses typically consisting of about 7-8 mares and their offspring, usually associated with one or more stallions

Bachelor Group

A group joined by immature male horses after leaving their natal herd, where they remain until mature enough to challenge stallions for mates

Contactual Behavior

Behavior related to seeking affection, protection, or other benefits through physical contact

Ingestive Behavior

Behavioral activities associated with eating and drinking

Eliminative Behavior

Behavioral activities associated with defecation and urination

Sexual Behavior

Behavior related to mating between male and female horses

Epimeletic Behavior

Caregiving behavior, commonly seen between a mare and foal or among horses

Allelomimetic Behavior

Behavior in which animals mimic each other, such as one horse running and others following

Investigative Behavior

Curiosity-driven behavior involving exploration of surroundings, objects, horses, or new places

Agonistic Behavior

Behavior associated with conflict or fighting, including aggression, submission, and fleeing

Dominance/Submission

Social behaviors that establish or maintain a hierarchy or "pecking order" within a group

Horse Sleep

Horses accumulate about 6-7 hours of sleep per day, mainly during daylight hours, with most sleep occurring while standing

Horse Feeding Activity

Adult stabled horses spend about 47% of their time feeding, while weanlings spend about 30%

Mutual Grooming

Horses groom each other, commonly forming pairs of similar age and size

Horse Greeting

Nose-to-nose contact and sniffing are important forms of greeting between horses

Aggressive Behavior

Behavior often associated with fear, stress, competition, establishing dominance, or defending territory

Passive Behavior

Behavior often indicating submission, fear, or uncertainty, especially in unfamiliar situations

Horse Vision

Horses have large eyes positioned laterally, giving them a wide field of vision and allowing monocular and binocular vision

Monocular Vision

Seeing with one eye

Binocular Vision

Seeing with both eyes

Dichromat

An animal with two types of color receptors; horses have difficulty distinguishing green and gray shades of similar brightness

Horse Hearing

Horses are sensitive to high-pitched noises and may release stress hormones in response to sudden loud sounds

Vomeronasal Organ (VNO)

Also called the organ of Jacobson; located in the hard palate and involved in detecting pheromones

Flehmen Response

A behavior associated with olfactory investigation and detecting reproductive odors, particularly during heat detection

Horse Nutritional Wisdom

Horses lack nutritional wisdom and may consume more feed than needed when given a variety of feeds

Sensitive Areas of Horse Touch

The nose, lips, mouth, ears, and flanks are highly sensitive areas

Neigh/Whinny

The horse's loudest sound; used to maintain or regain contact with companions or offspring and often serves as a confident greeting

Nicker

A greeting sound commonly used when food arrives or an affiliate returns; mares may use it to reinforce their bond with their foal

Groans and Grunts

Sounds associated with pain, effort in standing, relaxation, or combat behaviors

Squeal

A sound that can indicate defensive or aggressive behavior during conflict or frustration during unwanted sexual advances

Snort

A sound produced by vibrations in the nostrils and associated with startled reactions, pain, fear, olfactory exploration, or upper airway function

Snoring

A sound occurring during sleep, especially when the horse is lying down

Blow

A sound associated with arousal during exploratory sniffing

Relaxed Horse Visual Signs

Lowered head, relaxed ears, licking of lips, chewing, dropped tail, and deep breaths

Forward Ears

Indicate focus on a stimulus in front of the horse

Swiveling Ears

Associated with pain or discomfort

Airplane Ears

Ears held sideways with openings facing downward, signaling low interest

Closed Eyes

May indicate pain or exhaustion

Half-Closed Eyes

Indicate peaceful relaxation or submission

Wide Open Eyes

Express fear

Flared Nostrils

May occur in response to excitement or fear

Swishing Tail

Indicates irritation

Tail Raising

Associated with heightened arousal and an intention to move forward

Tail Lowering

Occurs when horses retreat from a threat

Pawing

Indicates frustration and the desire to move; excessive pawing may become a stereotypy

Tactile Communication

Communication through physical contact, including flank and groin contact, nose-to-nose sniffing, grooming, and nuzzling

Olfactory Communication

Communication using scent for greeting, recognition, identifying foals and group members, and detecting estrus

Unsoundness

An abnormal deviation in the structure or function of a horse

Blemish

A condition that does not interfere with the service ability of the horse

Cataract

Cloudy or opaque appearance of the eye

Overshot (Parrot Mouth)

The lower jaw is shorter than the upper jaw

Undershot (Monkey Mouth)

The upper jaw is shorter than the lower jaw

Poll Evil

Inflammation of the poll or supra-atlantal bursa; an acquired and treatable condition

Feather

A small white scar on the cornea; considered a blemish unless it affects vision

Fistulous Withers

Inflammation and swelling of the supraspinous bursa at the withers; an acquired and treatable unsoundness

Sweeney

Shoulder muscle atrophy causing a visible depression

Sweeney Causes

May result from disuse atrophy or neurogenic atrophy due to damage to the suprascapular nerve

Sway Back (Lordosis)

A condition in which the back sags into a concave curve between the withers and hips; may be acquired or hereditary

Hunter's Bump

An enlarged, hard area of ossification at the highest point of the croup, usually in the lumbar or sacral region

Ringbone

Bony growths above the coronary band on the front or hind foot; the pastern bones may fuse

Founder (Laminitis)

Inflammation of the sensitive laminae that attach the hoof to the fleshy part of the foot, causing lameness

Navicular Disease

Inflammation of the navicular bone and bursa resulting in persistent lameness

Corns

Reddish spots in the sole, usually on the inner front feet near the bars; may ulcerate and can result from bruising, poor shoeing, or contracted feet

Thrush

A bacterial infection caused by decomposing manure around the bars and frog of the foot that may cause lameness

Greasy Heel

Inflammation and scabs on the back of the fetlocks

Wind/Road Puffs

Small swellings around the ankles and lower legs, common in overworked or older horses; considered blemishes

Capped Elbow/Shoe Boil

A blemish at the elbow caused by injury from the shoe when the horse folds its front leg under its body while lying down

Bowed Tendons

Thickening of the back of the leg above the fetlock involving one or more ligaments or tendons

Bone/Jack Spavin

Bony enlargement at the base and inside back of the hock that may cause fusion of bones and limited joint movement

Bog Spavin

Soft swelling on the inside front of the hock, often caused by excess synovial fluid

Thoroughpin

Soft swellings above and behind the hock joint that can shift from side to side when pressed

Curbs

Swelling at the back of the hock caused by inflammation and thickening of the tendon sheath; may or may not cause lameness

Capped Hocks

Thickened skin or a large callus at the point of the hock, typically caused by bumping the hocks during trailering

Stringhalt

A nervous system disorder causing sudden, exaggerated flexing of one or both hocks, especially after standing or while backing

Stereotypy

A repetitive, stylized behavior that appears to have no function and is often seen in stalled horses

Stall Vices

Stereotypic behaviors commonly seen in domestic horses, often associated with boredom, stress, restricted natural behavior, and possibly hereditary predisposition

Causes of Stall Vices

Boredom, restricted natural behaviors, stress, and possible hereditary predisposition

Stable Vice Prevention

Increase turnout, provide longer feeding time, allow visual contact with other horses, provide enrichment, divide feed into smaller meals, and increase grooming or grazing

Weaving

Side-to-side swaying of the head, neck, and forequarters while standing

Circling/Fence Walking/Gate Pacing

Locomotor stereotypies when excessive and when they replace normal resting or eating

Effects of Locomotor Stereotypies

They may cause strained ligaments, poor performance, and reduced physical condition

Weaving Cause

Often associated with frustration from confinement and inability to leave the stable or reconnect with other horses

Stall Kicking

Repetitive striking of stall walls with the hooves or hocks, or stomping a hind leg without a target animal

Stall Kicking Cause

Often begins around feeding time because horses associate kicking or pawing with receiving food

Pawing

Repeated digging motion, commonly at stall openings or feeders; becomes stereotypic when excessive

Pawing Causes

Confinement, desire to approach another horse, anticipation of food, pain, anxiety, or unfamiliar surroundings

Cribbing

A horse grabs a surface with its incisors, flexes its neck, and swallows air

Aerophagia

Swallowing of air, which occurs during cribbing

Cribbing Causes

High-concentrate diets, lower gastric pH, and learning behavior among young horses

Cribbing and Colic

Cribbing is linked to colic because swallowed air may contribute to gastrointestinal discomfort

Cribbing Prevention

Remove attractive surfaces, use deterrent substances, use cribbing muzzles, and other management approaches

Wood Chewing

Tearing or ingesting wood without swallowing air

Wood Chewing Causes

Highly concentrated or pelleted diets, infrequent meals, and insufficient roughage

Wood Chewing Prevention

Remove or cover wood surfaces, increase roughage, reduce concentrates, increase exercise, and use unpleasant substances on wood

Self-Mutilation in Stallions

Repetitive self-directed behavior, commonly involving biting the flanks, chest, or limbs

Causes of Stallion Self-Mutilation

Stress, frustration, fear, isolation from other horses, or seeing mares without contact

Treatment of Stallion Self-Mutilation

Removing other stallions may help, and castration often reduces or eliminates the behavior

Coprophagia

Consumption of feces

Adult Horse Coprophagia

Adult horses generally avoid eating feces