Equine Behavior and Body Language PDF

Equine Behaviour and Body Language Valerie de Boer ILOs CP3023: Advise on appropriate management for common and important behavioural conditions in the cat, dog and horse and recognise the circumstances where euthanasia is required. CP3004: Outline the causes of common and important behavioural co...

Equine Behaviour and Body Language Valerie de Boer ILOs CP3023: Advise on appropriate management for common and important behavioural conditions in the cat, dog and horse and recognise the circumstances where euthanasia is required. CP3004: Outline the causes of common and important behavioural conditions in the cat, dog and horse and synthesise information from a clinical history, examination and other diagnostic testing to propose likely differential diagnoses. Outline ⁻ Recognising equine body language ⁻ Understanding stereotypical behaviours, and how to manage them ⁻ Equine behaviours, and associated diseases ⁻ How to re-train learned negative behaviours to keep you and the owner safe *Training techniques do not replace safety equipment such as your riding helmet * Understanding their body language • Horses are large, powerful animals that can intentionally or unintentionally injure people around them. • Horses display different types of body language to other species. • Understanding this can help keep you safe when interacting with horses. • Evolved as prey animals; strong fight or flight response. Relaxed Ears forward/ relaxed Head low/ shoulder level Sclera not showing No flaring of nostrils Tail relaxed Excited Ears pinned forward Brow Furrowed Tail slightly raised Some sclera showing Muzzle tense Nostril flared Nervous Ears perked towards the source of concern High head carriage Tension around eyes/ sclera visible Flared nostrils High Tail carriage Stressed/ aggressive Ears pinned back Brow furrowed Tense neck Tail high or swishing Nostrils flared Tense muzzle Stereotypies • Stereotypies are repetitive actions or sounds • Often arise from stress responses in horses • Very difficult to stop once a habit is formed • Prevent by keeping horses in a stimulating & non stressful environment Basic needs • Friends – Mutual grooming reducing heart rate and relaxes them. 4-6 horses best. • Forage – 16hrs a day eating, psychological need to chew, large volume low calorie. • Freedom – Post inhibitory rebound after restriction. Horses that live out most of time have reduced risk of injury. Restriction on any of these causes a physiological stress response Yawning • Not because they are tired • Thought to be a stress or mild pain response • Some horses with mild abdominal pain/ colic yawn more frequently Crib biting / Wind sucking • Crib biting/cribbing: when a horse bites something like the stable door or a fence post • Wind sucking: when a horse crib bites and gulps in air • horse cribbing – YouTube Box walking • Repetitive walking often in circles around the stable or small paddock. • Repetitive pattern, can persevere for hours. • May cause or exacerbate lameness. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gikjkcbKVe8 Weaving • Rocking motion side to side, leaning weight over each foot and often bobbing their head over the stable door. • May cause or exacerbate lameness. • Used to be thought of as learned from other horses, but now understood as an individual response to their environment. • Very difficult to stop any stereotypy after they have started. Stereotypies • Prevention is better than cure! • Best way to prevent is to ensure they have an interesting environment: • Friends near by, able to mutually groom • Regular supply of forage/ feed (14-18hrs a day) • Routine • Toys in stable i.e. treat ball • Mirror in stable • Mental or physical stimulation Owner perception of ‘bad’ behaviour • Bucking • Rearing • Napping • Spooking • Girthy Bucking /Rearing • Rearing is when the horse brings itself up onto its hindlegs. • Bucking is when the horse kicks out with its back legs. • Both can be associated with • • • • Pain Lameness Being ‘fresh’ Rider error Napping • Ideal is for horses to accept the bit and ride in collection when asked. Riding in collection – supple • A common complaint is the horse is ‘napping’. • ‘Napping’- resisting the bit when ridden, not moving in the direction the rider request. • Can be associated with multiple issues i.e. • • • • • Neck pain Lameness Dental pain Rider error Fear Not in collection, neck high- not supple Spooking • Spooking – bolting when frightened • Can be huge variety of reasons most common: • • • • -Inexperienced horse (green) -Tense rider -Pain -Poor vision Girthy • The girth is a band of material (usually leather) that fastens the saddle so it doesn’t move. • When tightened some horses react – i.e. pinning ears back, trying to bite, or move away. • Girthy’ – when the girth is being tightened on the saddle the horse may be reactive • Can be strongly associated with pain; - gastric ulcers - musculoskeletal pain Equine Learning Theory • Learn through trial and error learning • Success reinforces the actions Positive: Owner gives the horse a treat as soon as the horse stands still, horse learns to stand still and calm so forms a positive association with standing. Negative: Pain when injected, horse reacts to pain by lifting head. Gets away from the source of pain, this can progress to rearing when being injected or anticipating injection. Equine Learning Theory • Short short-term memory, long long-term memory • Need to reward quickly (ideally within 1 second) after correct behaviour • Triggered by the same scenario triggering a memory • Unwanted behaviours are a result of inadvertent reinforcement How to train your dragon horse! 4 different ways to respond to an action to try and create a learned response: 1. Positive reinforcement 2. Negative reinforcement 3. Positive punishment 4. Negative punishment Interesting resources for managing difficult horses • Don’t break your vet series • Injections : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnwrDMsQGx0&list=PLZLor1KlzkI9X1UpvbOxwllS1BNoLvcmR • Stand still : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp5nFwziBkE&list=PLZLor1KlzkI9X1UpvbOxwllS1BNoLvcmR&index=3 • Head shy : • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34e53LQCyIM&list=PLZLor1KlzkI9X1UpvbOxwllS1BNoLvcmR&index=6 • Extra reading if interested • https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/eve.13354 Questions [email protected]