Final - Problem Behaviours in Horses

Question 1

What are 4 sterotypies/abberant behaviours of stable horses?

Answer 1

1. Cribbing (crib-biting)
   - Horse bites hard surface, pulls back and sucks in air
   - May be accompanied by wood chewing
2. Wind sucking
   - Sucks in air without biting hard surface
3. Pacing (box or stall walking)
   - Horse continuously paces or walks in circles in stall
4. Weaving
   - horse stands in one spot and shifts weight/rocks from one front leg to another; may swing head and neck from side to side

Question 2

What should always be ruled out before any behavioural therapy is adopted for “unwelcome” behaviours?

Answer 2

Physical causes
- can compromise horse welfare
- can compromise horse performance

Question 3

When are bits used? What for?

Answer 3

A mechanical approach to behaviour
- Used when trainers encounter a horse that rapidly enters conflict and does not want to comply.
- Increased pressure to overcome resistance and bits magnify the pressure that riders can apply
- Many types of bits available on the mkt; none really provide all the answers
- When aversive stimuli have failed to elicit the desired response and have begun to cause behavioural conflict, the application of force is contra-indicated

Question 4

Although tempting to treat unwelcome behaviours in isolation, what is the best approach to show better results?

Answer 4

A holistic approach
- horse-human relationship is nurtured
- use of punishment should be seen in this light as well, as it can undermine the relationship

Question 5

What are 2 commonly accepted horse behaviour modification techniques/

Answer 5

1. Habituation
   - Eg. overcoming fear-related responses
2. Counter-conditioning
   - Relies heavily on the shaping of alternative responses through operant conditioning
   - Including: R+ and subtle R-

Question 6

What should be kept in mind when trying to modify behaivour?

Answer 6

Keep in mind the causal factors responsible for the problem behaviour; must address the underlying cause
- Horse owners and trainers should be extremely competent in learning theory

Question 7

Problem: Biting and bite threats

Answer 7

Causes: aggression to deter approaching personnel

Therapy: total refurbishment of the horse-human bond

Question 8

Problem: Claustrophobia

Answer 8

Cause: Innate fear of enclosed spaces; learned fear of aversive human responses

Therapy:
- Clicker train to approach, stand beside and enter enclosures
- Reinstall leading cues

Question 9

Problem: Difficult to bridle

Answer 9

Causes: Learned evasion of discomfort from bit, crown piece and brow band

Therapy:
- Partially dismantle bridle and apply in parts to identify the most aversive element
- Counter-conditioning; clicker training to stand quietly in usual area used for bridling
- Shape tolerance of key elements of the bridling process

Question 10

Problem: Difficult to saddle-up

Answer 10

Causes: Learned evasion; response to past pain

Therapy: Counter-conditioning; clicker training to stand while being saddled

Question 11

Problem: Difficult to shoe

Answer 11

Cause: Learned evasion from fear

Therapy:
- Habituation
- Counter-conditioning; clicker training

Question 12

Problem: Dislike of grooming

Answer 12

Causes: Innate ticklishness; learned evasion

Therapy:
- Habituation
- Counter-conditioning

Question 13

Problem: Fear of veterinarians

Answer 13

Causes: Innate aversion to pain and learned evasion to associated stimuli

Therapy:
- Habituation
- Counter-conditioning- first the owner, then the vet; clicker training of appropriate responses

Question 14

Problem: Hard to catch

Answer 14

Causes: Learned evasion

Therapy: Clicker training for approaching personnel; extinguish associations with being removed from group

Question 15

Problem: Refusal to load

Answer 15

Cause: learned evasion, claustrophobia

Therapy: reinstall leading cues; clicker training for approaching and entering vehicle

Question 16

Problem: Refusal to stand while being mounted

Answer 16

Cause: Learned evasion of bit pressure; anticipation of kinetic behaviour

Therapy: Reinstall leading cues; clicker training; shape the horse to stand quietly for increasing periods before moving forward

Question 17

Problem: Rearing

Answer 17

Causes: Learned evasion; habituation to pressure from head collar or halter; aggression

Therapy: Reinstall leading cues

Question 18

What are 4 agonistic responses to conflict?

Answer 18

1. Bucking
   - response used to fight conspecifics and dislodge predators
2. Rearing
   - response used to fight conspecifics and predators
3. Balking and bolting home
   - motivation to return to home range or social group is greater than motivation to respond to rider’s signals
4. Rushing fences
   - behavioural mechanism unclear
   - horse travels too rapidly toward fences- thought to be making attempt to reduce the aversiveness of the stimulus by running towards it

Question 19

What are 3 performance problems under saddle?

Answer 19

1. Fatigue
   - lack of energy as distinct from lack of willingness to respond
2. Tripping, toe dragging, stumbling and clumsiness
   - poor locomotion due to fatigue, conformation or excessive hoof growth
3. Hitting fences
   - failure to elevate limbs, especially the leading foreleg while jumping

Question 20

What are 5 rider faults aka poor application of learning theory which confuses the horse?

Answer 20

1. Nagging
   - repeated application of aversive stimuli regardless of response
2. Poor timing
   - application of signals after the response has been offered
3. Inconsistency
   - failure to relieve pressure to reinforce every desirable response
4. Failure to reinforce
   - ignoring the need to relieve pressure
5. Inappropriate punishment
   - punishment for fear responses

Question 21

What does equine behaviour therapy rely on?

Answer 21

1. Consideration of the ethological relevance of unwelcome behaviours
2. Elimination of pain and discomfort as proximate causes
3. The application of learning theory to resolve learned responses

Question 22

What can help to identify the causal factors of an unwanted behaviour?

Answer 22

Consideration of the motivation for undesirable responses in ethological terms