Equine behavior and body language

Basic Needs of a horse

Friends, Forage and Freedom

What does it mean for a horse to need friends?

Mutual grooming reducing heart rate and relaxes them, 4-6 best

What does it mean for a horse to need Forage?

16 hrs a day eating, psychological need to chew, large volume of low calories

What does it mean for a horse to need Freedom?

Post inhibitory rebound after restriction. Horses that live out most of time have reduce risk of injury

Restriction of basic needs of the horse can cause

Physiological stress response

Stereotypies Definition

Repetitive actions or sounds

Stereotypies often arise from

Stress responses

Stereotypies are __ once a habit is formed

Very difficult to stop

Prevention of Stereotypies

Keeping horses in a stimulating and non-stressful environment

Crib biting/cribbing

When a horse bite something like the stable door of fence post - can chew down on it

Crib biting can result in or have increased risk of:

Damage to the teeth

Wind sucking

When a horse crime bites and gulps air

Wind sucking can result in or have increased risk of:

Damage to teeth, colic, gastric ulcers, simple colonic obstruction and epiploic foramen

Box walking

Repetitive walking often in circles around the stable or small paddock

Repetitive pattern, can persevere for hours

Box walking and Weaving can result in or have increased risk of:

Lameness or exacerbate lameness

Weaving

Rocking motion side to side, leaning weight over each foot and often bobbing their head of the stable door

Used to be thought of as learned from other horses, but now understood as an individual response to their environment

Very difficult to stop after they have started

Best way to prevent Stereotypies

Ensure they have an interesting environment

Types of interesting environments

Friends near by, able to mutually groom

Regular supply of forage and need

Routine

Toys in stable

Mirror in stable

Mental or physical stimulation

Owner perception of ‘bad’ behavior: Bucking/Rearing

Can be associated with pain (think back), lameness, being too ‘fresh’ (too much energy) or rider error

Bucking Definition

When the horse kicks out with its back legs

Rearing Definition

When the horse brings itself up onto its hind legs

Owner perception of ‘bad’ behavior: Napping

Can be associated with multiple issues neck pain, lameness, dental pain or rider error

Napping Definition

Resisting the bit when ridden, not moving in the direction the rider requests

Ideal is for horses to accept the bit and ride in collection when asked

Owner perception of ‘bad’ behavior: Spooking

Inexperienced horse (green)

Tense rider

Pain

Poor vision

Spooking Definition

Bolting when frightened

Owner perception of ‘bad’ behavior: Girthy

Pain - gastric ulcers or musculoskeletal pain

Girth Definition

A band of material (usually leather) that fastens the saddle so it doesn’t move, when tightened some horses react

Owner perception of ‘bad’ behavior: Girthy

When the girth is being tightened on the saddle the horse may be reactive

Horses as evolved as Prey animals meaning the have a

Strong fight or flight response

What does a relaxed horse look like

Ears forward

Head low/shoulder level

Sclera not showing

No flaring of nostrils

Tail relaxed

What does a excited horse look like

Ears pinned forward

Brow furrowed

Tail slightly raised

Some sclera showing

Nostril flared

What does a nervous horse look like

Ears perked towards the source

High head carriage

Tension around eyes/sclera visible

High tail carriage

What does a stressed/aggressive horse look like

Ears pinned back

Brow furrowed

Tense neck

Tail high or swishing

Nostrils flared

Tense muzzle

Yawning

Thought to be a stress or mild pain response

Some horses with mild abdominal pain/colic do this more frequently

Not due to tiredness

Equine learning theory

Learn through trial and error learning

Success reinforces the actions

Example of positive learning

Owner gives the horse a treat as soon as the horse stands still, horse learns to stand still and calm

Example of negative learning

Pain when injected, horse reacts to pain by lifting head. Gets away from the source of pain, can progress to rearing when being injected or anticipating injection

Horses have a __ short-term memory

Short

Horses have a __ long term memory

Long

Unwanted behaviors are a results of

Inadvertent reinforcement

Different ways to respond to an action to try and create a learned response

Positive reinforcement

Negative reinforcement

Positive punishment

Negative punishment

Positive reinforcement example

Clicker training to stand still for injections

Negative reinforcement example

Release the pressure on the rope when the horse takes a step forwards

Positive punishment example

Striking or shouting at a horse that will not stand still

Negative punishment

Removing food from a horse that kicks our when eating