Normal behaviours (3 F’s)
1 friends (social)
2 forage (trickle feeders - never leave without food for <3hrs)
3 freedom (prey animals)
Domestication: how human behaviour has changed the social structure of horses (old vs new)
- Free roaming + close contact with other horses > indiv housed
- Family bands > unstable herd hierarchy/herds created by humans/no natural bands/usually separated based on age/gender
Reproduce freely > reproduction, exercise, diet dictated by humans
Modern management practices of horses tailor to
convenience
injury prev.
Modern management of horses - 4 implications on equine welfare:
- Isolation
- Access to forage
- Opp to sleep
- Resp disease (stable)
Abnormal repetitive behaviours:
points to note
- Not goal orientated
- Prevalence varies between discipline
- 2 categories: oral + locomotive
- CANNOT be ‘learnt’ by watching other horse
- Very difficult to stop (prevention>cure)
ABNORMAL REP. BEHAVIOURS:
CAUSES: (+4E.G.S)
sub optimal conditions in current OR prev env.
e.g.
- Inapp diet/feeding practices
- Limited soc contact
- Inapp housing = locomotive restrictions
- Inapp/abrupt weaning methods
ARBs: oral behaviours (2)
1) Wind sucking - arching neck and gulping air (no contact with surfaces)
2) Crib-biting - grasping surface w teeth, gulp of air
ARBs: locomotive (2)
1) Box walking - constant movement around stable
2) Weaving - rocking body/swinging head from side to side
ABNORMAL REP. BEHAVIOURS: PREVENTION
3 physical methods (note: welfare implications, physical/surgical means NOT recommended)
- Cribbing strap/collar
- Averse liq
- Anti weaving bars
3 ‘bands’ of social structure
- harem/family
- mare + offspring
- bachelor (young males/old that are no longr in harem)
relaxed/low arousal signs
head level w withers
droopy bottom lip
resting HL
ears relaxed/occasionally moving back + forth
high arousal signs
head above withers
teeth bared
ears alert/flat against head
limbs constantly moving
