Unit 4: Equine Behavior Flashcards
(47 cards)
the scientific study of animal behavior/the study of animals in their natural habitat
ethology
7 unique behavioral characteristics of horses
- social herd animals
- herbivores - grazing
- imitation b/t young and old
- seasonal breeders
- form male subgroups at certain times of year
- prey species
- strong pair bond relationships
seeking affection, protection, or other benefits from animal contact
contractual behavior
behaviors associated with eating & drinking
ingestive behaviors
associated with defecation & urination
eliminative behavior
related to mating
sexual behavior
giving care & attention usually b/t mare & foal
epimeletic behavior
related to mimicry; contagious or infectious behavior
allelomimetic behavior
curiosity or exploration of surroundings/objects
investigative behavior
conflict or fighting, anger, aggression, submission, & flight from conflict
agonistic behavior
2 categories of agonistic behavior
- aggression
2. fearfulness
referred to as “pecking order”; dominance hierarchies prevalent; dominance established through agonistic & violent behavior or threatening looks; if lower ranked horse has no place to go there is usually no contact
dominance/submission
horses have mainly monocular or binocular vision?
monocular - visual field only 1 eye
spooking happens when…
it shifts from monocular to binocular vision
does sound arrive at each ear at same or different times?
different times
smell is used to:
- pick out their foal
- identify other horses
- during mating
- determine if feed is spoiled
are horses “nutrition wise”
no - won’t balance own rations and will consume more feed then necessary
sign that horse feels good & is in a playful mood
bucking
behavior when they are playing
rearing
when horse is agitated
tail swishing
sign that it is attentive & listening
ears forward
sign horse is angry & threatening another horse
ears back
listening to something behaving them
1 or 2 ears slightly back
puberty age
fillies: 12-15 months
stallions: 15+ months
