8. Equine Behaviour

Question 1

What is the origin of equids

Answer 1

4 ancestral breeds, originally ponies
pony is <14.2 hands high, 4 inches to a hand, measured sole of foot to witheres

Question 2

What is average social behaviour of a przewalski horses>

Answer 2

lives i harems of 10/20 horses
35% resting, 45% eating, 15% moving
night will lay down for 10% of time, longer in foals

Question 3

What are social behaviours in domesticated horses?

Answer 3

Lg groups of mares controlled by stallion
yng colts + filies stay till 2-3 yrs old - live alone for few months, join group, stallions no breed w/ daughter
yng stallions form bachelor bands, groups of mares and geldings with no stallion group under boss mare or gelding
in band, relationships are linear
dominant determines order in horses obtain resources (stallion access, drinking water or food)

Question 4

What are the grazing habits and pasture utilization of domesticated horses?

Answer 4

60-80% of daylight hours grazing, can eat sufficient in 4 hrs of good pasture
only lie down for 10-15% of day
horses avoid feces(latrines), avoided forages w/ lots of stem, results in roughs and lawns (good areas

Question 5

What are the special senses of smell and hearing in horses?

Answer 5

Pheromones given off by individual horse to help identify to others - sexual status

hearing is better than humans, can move independently with 180 rotation, where horses ears are are there thoughts, also their mood

Question 6

What are the special senses of horses vision

Answer 6

eyes vry lg, on sides of hear to see 340 degrees
blind spots in front of 1m, and directly behind them
Smh range of binocular vision
visual streak in retina w/ high conc of receptors
needs to adjust position of head to see objects in 3d, extends head to look at distant objects in 3d, flex head to look at ground,
limited eye color (blue green)
very good monochromatic vision in low light

Question 7

What are the special senses of a horses touch

Answer 7

Tactile hairs on muzzle + eyes
lips very mobile
sensitive around head (ears), legs, ribs and flank, mutual grooming for social aspect

Question 8

What are the types of vocalization a horse makes, what do they mean?

Answer 8

Squeal/scream - threat
snort - fear
whinny(neigh) - greeting
blow -curious
nicker - quiet comms

Question 9

How does a horse lie down or get up?

Answer 9

Lie down - all 4 feet under body, back end down then front

get up - front legs swing out, push up w/ hind legs

Question 10

What are some handlers risks whend ealing w/ horses?

Answer 10

can accurately kick u, range of 6-8 ft, can kick to side
strike with front legs
can bite
can run over + step on feet
crush risk

Question 11

What are some risks for the horse when handling?

Answer 11

separation anxiety
injury from capture/restraint equipment- escapes chutes or fenced area
injury from houses - nails, broken boards, wire

Question 12

what is the flight zone for handling horses

Answer 12

3-10m
ensure horses attention on u when approaching
evasive maneuvers, faces butt to you
no approach from rear
when walking around, give room or close circle,

Question 13

what might indicate necessary restraint?

Answer 13

when safety is affected for vet personnel, client or patient
legalities - liability for injury

Question 14

How to catch a horse

Answer 14

approach curve to withers, not look at face directly, look at withers, approach gentle voice, scratch withers in mutual grooming, horses moves away stand until calm

Question 15

proper tying of a horse/

Answer 15

Loc at shoulder or higher
tied at solid fence post
short length
tied w/ quick release knot
no unattended horse

Question 16

what are some warning signs of horses?

Answer 16

ears flat backwards
rapid tail movement
snaking
pawing
squaling
threat to kick/bite

Question 17

what are types of aggression

Answer 17

to people - stall aggression, due to dominance or fear, a counter condition by offering treats, grooming or exercise
to horses - breeding, dominance, territorial, introduce new horses gradually, separated by two fences, castration can help

Question 18

Describe maternal and stallion aggression

Answer 18

maternal - first days of foal birth, accustom mare to care givers prior to delivery, minimize contact

stallion - overused, out of season, no like mare (tends to not want to mate mared they were stabled with as colts) forced mating = aggression
treated w/ mare change, AI, restraint like hobbles, desense and clicker train

Question 19

what is wood chewing and how do you treat?

Answer 19

chews on wood, problem in indoor horses, fed concentrate or hay cubes and no long stem hay or straw
tx - more roughage, long stem hay, pasture/turnout

Question 20

what is waving/box walking and how do you treat it? risks/tx

Answer 20

as name implied. in front of opening normally
risks - mature warmbloods/thoroughbreds, weaned in stall/stable/barn, not turned out, lack of windows, lack of straw bedding and forage
can colic
tx w mirror, turn out, social contact, more forage

Question 21

describe repro behav in horses

Answer 21

mature @ 2-3 urs, seasonally polyestrous, no cycle in fall/winter unless under lights
cycle 21 days if no preggo
gestation is 340 +- 20 d

pasture breeding,

Question 22

describ mating courtship

Answer 22

stallion prances sniffs may, show flehmen response, nuzzles/grooms mare

mare will pin ears, squal, kick, move away if not in head
mares will stand, flagging tail, urinate, squak and wink (vulvar labia), quarters to stallion if in heat

Mares rectally palpated for estrus and ovulation time, end of estrus

Question 23

describe parturition of horses

Answer 23

udder gradually enlarges last month of preg
teats enlarge, point to side, they are close, colostrum on end of teats in dried beads, waxing, starts prior to birth, drip milk birth within 24 hr
pelgvic muscles relax - hollow area side of tail head
vulva swells and relaxes partition within days

Question 24

describ the stages of labor

Answer 24

1 - restless, kicking at belly, looking at flank, sweating, quiet birthing place
2 - rupture of allantois, normal foaling is 20-40 min
3 - passage of placenta, tied in a not while hangs to help passage, placenta passes within 3 hrs of foaling

Question 25

describe foal bonding

Answer 25

mare nickers at foal, grooms, lie down roll up to hour, foal stands within hour and sucks colostrum within 2

Question 26

describe the first few months of foal life

Answer 26

fully developed senses at birth, month close to dam period of dependence

socialize 2-3 mo, colts mount and fight more,f illy groom and run more, colts only groom fillies, fillies groom both sexes, handled gently first 42 days
from 4 mo independence increases, more time grazing/resting

Question 27

Describe foalr ejection