Hormonal and heart rate responses to a surprise stimulus and isolation stress in horses

Bachman, Alvin H.; Thompson, Don; Walker, N.L.; Southerland, C.V.

doi:10.1016/j.jevs.2017.03.063

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…are as yet largely untested/unvalidated in horses include oxytocin (urinary prolactin (which has been measured in horses and increases in response to exercise: Digiovanni et al, 2015; in response to stall confinement and transportation: King et al, 2009; and more recently in response to a surprise stimulus and social isolation: Bachman et al, 2017). McBride et al (2017) reviewed the use of spontaneous blink rate (SBR) as a marker of dopamine transmission in rodents, with increased dopamine associated with an elevated SBR.…”

Section: Physiological Components Warranting Further Investigation Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing equine emotional state

Hall

Randle

Pearson

et al. 2018

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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The scientific study of animal emotion has recently become an important focus for animal behaviour and welfare researchers. For horses used by humans for work, recreation or sport, the question of the significance of their life experiences in terms of their emotional response, is an important one if we are to provide for their welfare needs. Horses have received relatively less scientific attention than many livestock species when it comes to investigating emotional state or affective experience, although their behavioural responses during sporting or recreational performance are often described anecdotally using terminology indicating an underlying presumption of equine emotions. Indeed, the international governing body for equestrian sport, the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), include the concept of 'the Happy Equine Athlete' into their rules, as a key objective during training and competition. This review presents available evidence to date of the physiological, behavioural and cognitive components of equine emotion and evaluates the extent to which the question concerning 'how horses feel' can be answered. The characterization of equine emotion in terms of level of arousal and valence, based on physiological, behavioural and cognitive indicators, offers a way forward to determine the impact of different situations and experiences on horses during their working lives. There is a need to develop robust validated methods for accessing equine emotions, to underpin a universally agreed method for/approach to providing an accurate assessment of equine welfare that can be utilized in a variety of contexts. This will 2 provide a means of monitoring and improving the horse's experience, ensuring that the horse enjoys a good life, rather than one that is just worth living.

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Section: Physiological Components Warranting Further Investigation Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing equine emotional state

Hall

Randle

Pearson

et al. 2018

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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show abstract

“…Heart rate is regulated by both the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Increased heart rate, due to an increase in sympathetic activity, has been associated with a number of husbandry practices including branding procedures, restraint, transport, and social isolation (50, 56) In this study, no significant difference was observed in HR between TTA and C groups over time. However, there was a trend for heart rate to increase atT2 with TTA and to decrease following TT removal.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 49%

The effect of tongue-tie application on stress responses in resting horses

Marsh

McGreevy

Hazel

et al. 2019

Preprint

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2Tongue-ties (TT) are commonly applied to both Standardbred and Thoroughbred racehorses to increase control, 3 by preventing them from getting their tongue over the bit, and as a conservative treatment for equine respiratory 4 conditions, principally dorsal displacement of the soft palate. This study investigated responses to TT application 5 in horses, at rest, using both behavioural (head-tossing, ear position, gaping and lip licking) and physiological 6 (salivary cortisol concentrations, eye surface temperature and heart rate) indices. Twelve Standardbred horses (six 7 of which were naïve to TT) were used in a randomised crossover design. The study comprised 3 phases; Phase 1 8 (Baseline), Phase 2 (Treatment), and Phase 3 (Recovery). At phase 2, tongue tie application (TTA) was performed 9 using a rubber band that was looped around the tongue and secured to the mandible for 20 minutes. The control 10 treatment (C) incorporated 30 secs of tongue manipulation, at the start of the 20 min, however no TT was applied. 11Behaviours (head-tossing, ear position, mouth gaping and lip-licking) and heart rate (HR) were recorded for the 12 duration of the study and analysed in ten minute intervals. Salivary samples were taken at the end of each phase 13 for subsequent cortisol assays and infrared thermography images were taken of each eye at 5-minute intervals.14 Statistical analyses were performed in SPSS using linear mixed effects models and repeated measures general 15 linear models, to determine differences between treatments and within treatments, over time. Compared to control, 16there was more head-tossing/shaking (p<0.001), gaping (p<0.001) and backwards ear position (p<0.001) and less 17 forward ear position (p<0.001) during TTA, in Phase 2. Horses with previous experience of TT showed more 18 head-tossing (p=0.040) and gaping (p=0.030) than naïve horses. Lip-licking was more frequent after TTA 19 treatment than control, during Phase 3 (p<0.001). Salivary cortisol concentrations increased after TTA 20 (1846.1pg/mL ± 478.3pg/mL vs 1253.6pg/mL ± 491.6pg/mL, p=0.047). Mean HR, and mean right and left eye 21 temperature did not differ significantly between treatments in any phase (all p> 0.05). The findings of this study 22 suggest the application of a tongue-tie causes changes to both behavioural and physiological parameters suggestive 23 of a stress-related response. Further research is needed that will enable racing and sport horse regulatory bodies 24 to make informed decisions about the appropriate use of tongue-ties in horses. 25 26

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Beyond the Miracle Foal: A Study into the Persistent Effects of Gestational Immaturity in Horses

Clothier¹,

Brown²,

Small³

et al. 2019

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Hormonal and heart rate responses to a surprise stimulus and isolation stress in horses

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

Assessing equine emotional state

Assessing equine emotional state

The effect of tongue-tie application on stress responses in resting horses

Beyond the Miracle Foal: A Study into the Persistent Effects of Gestational Immaturity in Horses

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