Here I will keep feeding different questions and their answers to help all learn about their horses.
If there are any particular questions that you have, just call or email me, I am always happy to help.
"My 6 year old TB mare has been chewing and eating the fencing for the past few months. She only this behaviour since our first snowfall. Is this something to worry about? Do you have any idea why she might be doing this?"
As with all behaviours I would initially advise getting your mare fully checked out by your vet and equine dentist to eliminate any medical causes. With organic causes eliminated, we could then explore the behavioural element to this abnormal behaviour.
Commonly our domestic horses develop such patterns, termed as a stereotypie commonly known as a ‘stable vice’. I often see this kind of behaviour through my consulting work, whether the horse is stabled or not. It is most often caused by restrictions in the horses’ environment (1) Over sixty-five million years the horse has developed certain strategies to survive. Being domesticated for a relatively mere few thousand years, means that these well evolved instinctual drives are still present in the minds of our own horses. Our domestic horses still have these drives to roam with a large herd for 24 hours a day, to graze browse and forage for around 18 hours a day, they need to explore different sights, sounds, tastes and have the freedom to flee from dangerous situations (2) Often this is hard to replicate for us owners and our horses can become stressed as a result, adopting abnormal behaviours to cope with the restrictions that they face (3)
As you said, your mare adopted this coping strategy after your first snowfall. The snow must have been difficult in terms of your management routine and your mare would have noticed these changes, developing this behavioural pattern.
The easiest way to reduce such behaviours is through a simple enrichment programme, adding more choice, variety and freedom to behave as necessary. Think of the social stability that your horse has, does she have access to a herd for 24 hours a day? If you do stable her, would you be able to stable her companion next door? Are you able to increase stimulation, providing toys and objects to play and explore, a great example is to drop an apple in a water bucket for ‘apple bobbing’ or a swede on the floor for her to push around and eat as she chooses.
Looking inside the horses’ brain, there are certain chemicals working to cause feelings of satisfaction, depression, aggression and so on. To increase relaxation, encourage natural foraging behaviours by scattering hay on the floor, dropping carrots and other veggies amongst the hay for exploration and positive reward.
This is really brief so I would strongly recommend consulting with your local qualified equine behaviourist, someone who will work alongside your vet and only uses purely positive techniques to relieve underlying stress. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask at anytime.
Katie B Wade
www.practicalhorsepeople.com
References
1. Kiley-Worthington, M. (1987) The Behaviour of Horses: In Relation to Management and Training, J. A. Allen, United Kingdom
2. McDonnell, S. (2003) A Practical Field Guide to Horse Behaviour: The Equid Ethogram, The Blood Horse Inc., United States
3. Barnard, C. and Hurst, J. (1996) Welfare by Design: The Natural Selection of Welfare Criteria, Animal Welfare, Vol. 5, pp. 415-433
BIO
Katie B Wade is a fully qualified and experienced animal behaviourist, working alongside veterinary clinics, rescue centres, societies, breeders as well as individual owners to assist with various aspects of animal behaviour and training. With professional experience handling, training, breeding and rehabilitating the competition horse, Katie went on to study a degree in Psychology and then on to specialise in Equine Behaviour with The Natural Animal Centre. Katie provides scientifically sound advice to the general public, building a bridge between academic research and practical horse ownership.
Katie B Wade
info@practicalhorsepeople.com
www.practicalhorsepeople.com
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Monday, 25 January 2010
Food Aggression and Your Horse
Aggression is a natural and sometimes necessary trait for horses, particularly those living in a domestic setting. Food aggression comes from a basic desire to protect resources, and therefore although common in the domestic setting, is not seen in wild herds where resources are plentiful (1).
Causes
Different species hold different resources in high esteem. Horses require space for grazing, exploration, play, body care and vascularisation, as well as a variety of different herbage and browsing, water, shelter, shade, and mares for reproduction (2) .
Resource Holding Potential refers to an evolutionary strategy that has stood the test of time. In the wild, each horse understands what resources the other members of the herd have ‘first refusal’ to, eliminating the need to fight. This is a far more accurate way to describe the social hierarchy of a mammal, differing to the commonly believed notion of ‘pecking order’ only observed in birds. Resource Holding Potential status differs for different resources and between individuals.
When resources become scarce or poor quality, an animal becomes ill or there is a change in group structure, this strategy is de-stabilised and the individual becomes motivated to ‘hold on to what he has got’ protecting the limited resources available, it is a simple survival instinct.
In a typical livery yard where herds are not permanent, grazing space is small, feeds are not regular, stables are used daily and turnout time short, horses quickly learn to protect the limited resources available to them, whether it is simply not being caught or adopting aggressive behaviour to handlers or other horses.
Solutions
Effective treatment will depend on the severity of the problem, how long the behaviour has gone on for and the individual, however in my experience, allowing for more natural behaviours and providing additional resources resolves approximately 70% of the problem within a couple of days.
If the horse is allowed to be turned out for 24 hours a day, put in an area with ample grazing, foraging and browsing, in a stable herd, the results will come sooner. However if the horse really does have to be stabled, simple enrichment ideas go a long way. Here are a few to try…
- Hang tree branches in a corner of the stable, and add licks, carrots, slices of apple.
- Attach a door mat to the shed and a sturdy fence post or tree to enable self-grooming maintenance.
- Provide different varieties of hay and herbage, scattered loose on the floor rather than in a hay net or feed bowl.
- Allow straw bedding for its deep bed, texture and thermal properties.
- Produce a new variety of vegetable for each day of the week.
After relieving this initial frustration, you can begin to work on the other 30% of the problem. This part deals with the deeply learnt side of this behaviour, simply learning that this strategy works!
To ‘undo’ this learning (3) I would advise that you speak with a qualified animal behaviourist who uses only positive reinforcement, as this part of the solution requires a detailed understanding of the individual and his or her background.
Anyway I hope this helps anyone who needs it, for more specific advice just ask!
Take Care
Katie
www.practicalhorsepeople.com
References
(1) Maynard Smith, J. (1982) Evolution and the Theory of Games, Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom
(2) McDonnell, S. (2003) A Practical Field Guide to Horse Behaviour: The Equid Ethogram, The Blood Horse Inc., United States
(3) Beck, A. (1976) Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders, International Universities Press, United States
Causes
Different species hold different resources in high esteem. Horses require space for grazing, exploration, play, body care and vascularisation, as well as a variety of different herbage and browsing, water, shelter, shade, and mares for reproduction (2) .
Resource Holding Potential refers to an evolutionary strategy that has stood the test of time. In the wild, each horse understands what resources the other members of the herd have ‘first refusal’ to, eliminating the need to fight. This is a far more accurate way to describe the social hierarchy of a mammal, differing to the commonly believed notion of ‘pecking order’ only observed in birds. Resource Holding Potential status differs for different resources and between individuals.
When resources become scarce or poor quality, an animal becomes ill or there is a change in group structure, this strategy is de-stabilised and the individual becomes motivated to ‘hold on to what he has got’ protecting the limited resources available, it is a simple survival instinct.
In a typical livery yard where herds are not permanent, grazing space is small, feeds are not regular, stables are used daily and turnout time short, horses quickly learn to protect the limited resources available to them, whether it is simply not being caught or adopting aggressive behaviour to handlers or other horses.
Solutions
Effective treatment will depend on the severity of the problem, how long the behaviour has gone on for and the individual, however in my experience, allowing for more natural behaviours and providing additional resources resolves approximately 70% of the problem within a couple of days.
If the horse is allowed to be turned out for 24 hours a day, put in an area with ample grazing, foraging and browsing, in a stable herd, the results will come sooner. However if the horse really does have to be stabled, simple enrichment ideas go a long way. Here are a few to try…
- Hang tree branches in a corner of the stable, and add licks, carrots, slices of apple.
- Attach a door mat to the shed and a sturdy fence post or tree to enable self-grooming maintenance.
- Provide different varieties of hay and herbage, scattered loose on the floor rather than in a hay net or feed bowl.
- Allow straw bedding for its deep bed, texture and thermal properties.
- Produce a new variety of vegetable for each day of the week.
After relieving this initial frustration, you can begin to work on the other 30% of the problem. This part deals with the deeply learnt side of this behaviour, simply learning that this strategy works!
To ‘undo’ this learning (3) I would advise that you speak with a qualified animal behaviourist who uses only positive reinforcement, as this part of the solution requires a detailed understanding of the individual and his or her background.
Anyway I hope this helps anyone who needs it, for more specific advice just ask!
Take Care
Katie
www.practicalhorsepeople.com
References
(1) Maynard Smith, J. (1982) Evolution and the Theory of Games, Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom
(2) McDonnell, S. (2003) A Practical Field Guide to Horse Behaviour: The Equid Ethogram, The Blood Horse Inc., United States
(3) Beck, A. (1976) Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders, International Universities Press, United States
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
WHAT IS YOUR HORSE REALLY DOING ALL DAY?
We all want our horses to develop with us, we want their brains to be sharp enough to take on all that we teach them. But is our management affecting the effectiveness of our training?
Much research has been done looking at the horses brain, how it develops and how horses learn. The circuits within their brain need to be stimulated in a positive way, they need to explore their environment, learn and develop every day.
But do our management practices impose in the development of our horses?
In an unrestricted environment, our horses would be ....
To Put This Into Practical Terms
Here is one example of a typical yard routine ...
7am hard feed in morning
9am turned out to graze
5pm returned to yard, groomed and ridden
6pm stabled overnight
7pm hard feed and haynet with 2/3 sections
What Does This Mean?
10 ½ hrs eating (15 min am feed/8hrs grazing/15 min pm feed, hay lasts max. 2 hrs)
20 mins grooming, tacking up
40 mins exercise
and then sleepin
g…
only 4 hours spent sleeping and drowsing on and off....
...so this accounts for 15 ½ hours – but there are 8 ½ hours with the horse in a stable with nothing to do.
Many researchers, across all species, have noted that when not stimulated, the brain does not develop as well as it should. if your horses brain is not as well developed as it could be, you will not be able to achieve as much as you would be able to.
So What Can We Do?
The simple answer is turnout, as much as you can, if possible with other horses. There are Barn Management Systems that can be implemented to allow even the finest TB to be allowed 24 access to turnout throughout the winter months.
However we all know that sometimes this is not an option, and in that case there are some really simple enrichment ideas that can be brought into the stable, encouraging exploration and brain development. Here are a few to get you started...
References
McDonnell, S. (2003) A Practical Field Guide to Horse Behaviour: The Equid Ethogram, The Blood Horse Inc., United States
Pavlov, I. P. (1927-1960) Conditional Reflexes, Dover Publications, New York
Rees, L. (1984) The Horse’s Mind, Stanley Paul Ltd., United Kingdom
BIO
Katie B Wade is a fully qualified and experienced animal behaviourist, working alongside veterinary clinics, rescue centres, societies, breeders as well as individual owners to assist with various aspects of animal behaviour and training. With professional experience handling, training, breeding and rehabilitating the competition horse, Katie went on to study a degree in Psychology and then on to specialise in Equine Behaviour with The Natural Animal Centre. Katie provides scientifically sound advice to the general public, building a bridge between academic research and practical horse ownership.
Katie B Wade
Any questions, queries or just for a chat ...
info@practicalhorsepeople.com
07841 517543
Much research has been done looking at the horses brain, how it develops and how horses learn. The circuits within their brain need to be stimulated in a positive way, they need to explore their environment, learn and develop every day.
But do our management practices impose in the development of our horses?
In an unrestricted environment, our horses would be ....
- Grazing a variety of herbage and browsing and foraging for around 18 hours per 24 hour period.
- Grooming and being groomed, with other horses on and off for 24 hours a day.
- Playing with objects and other horses on and off for 24 hours a day.
- Exploring their environment to learn and adapt to all that is around, throughout the 24 hour period.
- With regards to sleeping behaviour, for the adult horse, studies have found that they will choose to be fully awake for around 20 hours out of each 24 hour period. The 4 hours remaining largely constitutes drowsing periods, with this prey species alert, only fully sleeping for around 2 hours, broken up into periods of sleeping for minutes at a time.
To Put This Into Practical Terms
Here is one example of a typical yard routine ...
7am hard feed in morning
9am turned out to graze
5pm returned to yard, groomed and ridden
6pm stabled overnight
7pm hard feed and haynet with 2/3 sections
What Does This Mean?
10 ½ hrs eating (15 min am feed/8hrs grazing/15 min pm feed, hay lasts max. 2 hrs)
20 mins grooming, tacking up
40 mins exercise
and then sleepin
g…only 4 hours spent sleeping and drowsing on and off....
...so this accounts for 15 ½ hours – but there are 8 ½ hours with the horse in a stable with nothing to do.
Many researchers, across all species, have noted that when not stimulated, the brain does not develop as well as it should. if your horses brain is not as well developed as it could be, you will not be able to achieve as much as you would be able to.
So What Can We Do?
The simple answer is turnout, as much as you can, if possible with other horses. There are Barn Management Systems that can be implemented to allow even the finest TB to be allowed 24 access to turnout throughout the winter months.
However we all know that sometimes this is not an option, and in that case there are some really simple enrichment ideas that can be brought into the stable, encouraging exploration and brain development. Here are a few to get you started...
- Hang ‘kebabs’, throw carrots in loose hay and provide Swedes for exploration.
- Hang branches in a corner of the stable. Add licks, carrots, slices of apple.
- Allow companion horse to live next door.
- Attach a door mat to the stable walls to enable self-grooming maintenance.
- Provide different varieties of hay and herbage, scattered loose on the floor.
- Produce a new variety of vegetable for each day of the week.
- Scatter feeds as well as hay piles on the floor, amongst carrots and more
- Explore a range of treats and lick-its
References
McDonnell, S. (2003) A Practical Field Guide to Horse Behaviour: The Equid Ethogram, The Blood Horse Inc., United States
Pavlov, I. P. (1927-1960) Conditional Reflexes, Dover Publications, New York
Rees, L. (1984) The Horse’s Mind, Stanley Paul Ltd., United Kingdom
BIO
Katie B Wade is a fully qualified and experienced animal behaviourist, working alongside veterinary clinics, rescue centres, societies, breeders as well as individual owners to assist with various aspects of animal behaviour and training. With professional experience handling, training, breeding and rehabilitating the competition horse, Katie went on to study a degree in Psychology and then on to specialise in Equine Behaviour with The Natural Animal Centre. Katie provides scientifically sound advice to the general public, building a bridge between academic research and practical horse ownership.
Katie B Wade
Any questions, queries or just for a chat ...
info@practicalhorsepeople.com
07841 517543
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