Training young horses to social separation: Effect of a companion horse on training efficiency

Abstract

Summary Reasons for performing study: The intensity with which a horse responds to separation from its group and subsequently to being alone is relevant for both horse and handler safety. Identification of training methods that may reduce responses to separation would be useful in practice. Objectives: To investigate whether the initial presence of a familiar companion horse modifies responses to separation from the group, lowers stress levels (as measured by heart rate) and increases training efficiency. Hypothesis: Habituation to separation proceeds more quickly if the horse is first trained with a companion, and heart rate is lower when the horse is subsequently trained alone, compared to control horses trained individually from the start. Methods: Young mares (n = 32), kept in groups of 4 were exposed to social separation: 2 horses of the group were trained singly (S1, n = 16) and the remaining 2 horses (n = 16) were trained first with a companion (P2) and then alone (P1). The training comprised 3 steps whereby distance from the group was gradually increased. The final learning criterion was met when a horse fed calmly alone inside a test arena (Step 3). Horses that were trained in a pair had to succeed in Step 3 together before they repeated the steps alone. Feeding behaviour and heart rate were recorded. Results: There were no significant differences between S1 and P1 horses, indicating that the initial pair‐training did not reduce responses in P1 horses. However, heart rate was significantly lower when horses were trained in pairs (P2) compared to when the same horses were subsequently trained alone (P1). Conclusions and potential relevance: It may not be efficient to habituate naïve young horses to social separation initially with a partner as these horses appear to have to relearn being in the test situation alone when switching to the individual training.

Salivary cortisol and eye temperature changes during endurance competitions

“…Exercise is a naturally a stressor per se and induces a biologic response that can be either an enhancer or a limiting factor for an athlete’s sporting ability [ 11 ]. Yet, in competitions, equine athletes face a mixture of other stressors including transportation [ 12 ], veterinary examinations [ 13 ], rider’s ability [ 14 ], a new and a noisy environment [ 15 ], separation from stablemates [ 16 ] and, specifically in endurance, exposure to large conglomerations of unfamiliar horses in large starts, and musculoskeletal pain from an injury that might arise [ 17 ] that can also elicit a stress response. Moreover, individual intrinsic factors such as age, gender, breed, inherited temperament, experience, and previous training [ 11 ] are known to impact stress biomarkers.…”

From the Horse’s Perspective: Investigating Attachment Behaviour and the Effect of Training Method on Fear Reactions and Ease of Handling—A Pilot Study

“…Similarly, it is possible that our experimental set-up, i.e., separating horses from conspecifics and releasing them in an indoor arena with novel objects and two passively standing humans, was an insufficient stressor to fully activate the attachment system among multiple horses. Even though social separation from conspecifics constitutes a challenge for many horses [ 45 , 46 ], the adult school horses used in our study may well have experienced repeated separation from companions previously during training, veterinary care or transport. Likewise, wariness and consequent avoidance of strangers may be generally low in horses that have been frequently handled and trained by many humans, especially if repeated interactions are perceived by the horse as positive [ 27 , 42 ].…”

Possibilities of reducing fearfulness and stress in horses by prophylactic methods and behavioural therapies

“…W badaniach Goodwin i wsp. (19) (23). W badaniach Feh (13) wykazano, że zachowania stereotypowe i inne nienormalne zachowania występujące u koni utrzymywanych pojedynczo nigdy nie były zaobserwowane u koni dzikich, żyjących w stadach w środowisku naturalnym.…”