Researchers in France have studied the effects of these holiday periods on horse behaviour. Their results suggest that being at pasture does improve horse welfare, but also that several days of adaptation would be needed.
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A team of researchers have looked at the link between gut health and the behaviour, management and discipline of horses. They have found that behaviours indicated in poor welfare – such as stereotypies and aggression – are linked to the composition of their gut bacteria.
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The current coronavirus crisis has changed all our lives. We’ve been forced into situations that most of us will never have experienced in our lifetimes. Some of the human behaviour problems that have appeared as a result can be compared to what we see regularly in our horses…
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Separation anxiety is a common behavioural problem in horses. Most yards have a horse who is anxious about leaving the yard or panics when his friend is removed. Why does this happen? And why are some horses affected more than others?
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A recent study by a team of researchers in Slovenia has looked at the behaviour of eight horses when fed breakfast at regular or irregular feeding times and found they do become stressed if their meal arrives late.
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Horses sometimes lick and chew during training and this has often been interpreted as a sign that the horse is learning or showing ‘submission’ to the trainer. However, a new study suggests that this non-nutritive licking and chewing behaviour is a natural behaviour that is shown after a stressful situation.
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There have been several studies looking at the effect of music on horse behaviour in various situations like daytime stabling and travelling, but none have looked at the effect on nocturnal behaviour or sleep.
A team of researchers at Hartpury University have found that playing classical music to horses at night does have a significant effect on their behaviour.
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Horse owners rarely consider how much they control their horse’s life and the impact that could have on their behaviour and temperament. Most aspects of our horses’ lives are controlled. We decide everything for them – where they go, what they eat, who they socialise with, even how they move their bodies and for how long all those things occur.
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One of the toughest pressures to deal with in the horse world is 'other people'. Everyone seems to have an opinion on what is best for your horse – telling you what you should do and where you are going wrong in your horse's management and training. This can often lead to horses being bullied and abused both mentally and physically.
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Horses are grazing animals that have evolved over millions of years to eat low value, high fibre food for up to 18 hours a day, browsing on bushes, trees and shrubs. It is critical for both their physical and mental health that horses have access to low calorie food round the clock – and that includes night-time.
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Japanese researchers have investigated whether horses try to communicate with humans during a problem solving task and found they ask us for help.
Eight horses and their student caretakers at Kobe University took part in a clever experiment looking at how horses communicate with their handlers.
Use of the whip in horse sport has become a hot topic as the public are starting to question ‘normal’ equestrian practice.
Two studies looking at different aspects of whip use were presented this week at the International Society for Equitation Science conference in Guelph, Canada…
Does your horse react when you put his saddle on or girth him up? If so, it could be sign of underlying pain that needs to be addressed urgently.
'Girthiness' is so common that some horse owners consider it normal behaviour, but if your horse reacts when you are tightening his girth then he will be trying to tell you something isn't right.
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Chestnut horses have had a reputation for ‘bad’ or excitable behaviour for some time, with chestnut mares being perceived as particularly difficult. This stereotype of them being hot-headed and crazy is often quoted amongst horse owners, but is there any truth to it?
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We often see riders slapping their horse on the neck enthusiastically at the end of a showjumping round or dressage test. Patting is considered by many to be a way of telling the horse that they have performed well – but is this the reward we think it is, or could it cause them discomfort?
Sleep is essential for life.
The quality and quantity of a horse’s sleep directly affects their health and well-being. However, sleep is rarely considered as part of a horse’s management plan. A new study has found that poor management or physical problems can lead to horses becoming sleep deprived and at risk of serious injury.
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Horses communicate primarily using body language and they display a number of facial expressions.
Their eyes, in particular, can be very expressive and are thought to reveal how a horse is feeling. Many equine behaviourists and horse owners believe the wrinkles above a horse’s eye may be associated with discomfort, fear, stress or anxiety – they are often called ‘worry lines’.
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A recent Danish study has looked into the injuries caused by bits, nosebands, whips and spurs in 3,414 competition horses and the results are fascinating.
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Are you considering sending your horse to a trainer to be backed or reschooled? If you are then please think long and hard about where and who you send your horse to, or even if you send them away at all. Many horses come home with worse problems than they started with, and understandably so.
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Great film looking at the causes of gastric ulcers in horses. Equine vet Dr Kerry Ridgeway states "We do know that there are basically only two kinds of horses – those who have ulcers and those who will have ulcers!"
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