In:
Animals, MDPI AG, Vol. 11, No. 9 ( 2021-09-14), p. 2694-
Abstract:
Horses in a herd develop and maintain a dominance hierarchy between all individuals. There are many situations in riding facilities and studs in which horses have to be separated out of a group. The aim of the study was to determine the rate of behaviours, level of locomotor activity and cardiac activity variables in a herd of horses during a short social separation of individuals differently ranked in the dominance hierarchy. Twelve adult Arabian mares were involved. A behavioural test had been performed before the main experiment to determine the rank order of the mares in this social herd. Three tests were performed when a dominant, mixed and submissive three-member group of mares was separated for 10 min. The response of the remaining herd was determined by a rate of behaviours, time of locomotor activity and cardiac parameters. The results of the experiment reveal evident changes towards emotional arousal in the social herd elicited by a short separation of some conspecifics. The herd created by humans preserves the sensitivity to a temporary loss of its members. The response of the remaining herd does not depend strictly on the composition of the separated mares regarding their rank in the dominance hierarchy.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
2076-2615
Language:
English
Publisher:
MDPI AG
Publication Date:
2021
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2606558-7
SSG:
23
