Veterinarians generally focus on keeping the performance horse in work but they need to be mindfu... more Veterinarians generally focus on keeping the performance horse in work but they need to be mindful of ways in which the work itself may jeopardise the animal's welfare and health. Elements of a horse's work may expose it to the risk of injury but insults to wellbeing, which are far more common and far more sustained, although less overt, also deserve consideration. A good example is the way in which chronic physiological stress responses arising from inhumane training techniques may compromise immunity and tissue repair. This article explores the physiological and musculoskeletal insults that can result from ridden work, alongside the gear and training paradigms that can compromise welfare. It also considers issues relating to the use of pharmaceuticals in the ridden horse. With stress reduction as a primary focus, it emerges that veterinarians are uniquely placed to comment on the somatic effects of psychological stressors, including the social and ethological challenges resulting from the work required of the so-called elite equine athlete. Whether the profession will step up to meet this significant challenge is also discussed.
... Goodwin, D., McGreevy, Paul, McLean, A., Waran, N. and Warren-Smith, A. (eds.) (2005) Proceed... more ... Goodwin, D., McGreevy, Paul, McLean, A., Waran, N. and Warren-Smith, A. (eds.) (2005) Proceedings of the 1st International Equitation Science Symposium, Melbourne, Australia, Post Graduate Foundation ... Furthermore, devices such as whips and spurs are also used by some. ...
... parameters Amyeline de Cartier d'Yves 12: 00 Lunch 1: 00 Demonstration: Roun... more ... parameters Amyeline de Cartier d'Yves 12: 00 Lunch 1: 00 Demonstration: Roundpen session Lucy Rees 2: 00 Discussion session All 2: 30 Afternoon Tea Chairs: Debbie Goodwin and NatalieWaran 3: 30 ... Furthermore, devices such as whips and spurs are also used by some. ...
Journal of Veterinary Behavior Clinical Applications and Research, 2014
ABSTRACT The importance that vendors attribute to safety when selling a horse may be estimated by... more ABSTRACT The importance that vendors attribute to safety when selling a horse may be estimated by examining the relationship between the use of positive and negative descriptive terms associated with horse safety and the advertised price of recreational riding horses. In this study, we gathered data for non-Thoroughbred horses from 524 advertisements on price, safety and warning descriptors and other characteristics including age, height, sex, colour, breed, registration and experience in order to investigate variates associated with pricing in the Australian adult riding horse market. We did this by examining the Allrounders and Adult Riding Club sections in six consecutive 2009 editions of the leading Australian horse-trading magazine Horse Deals. From these, we identified 67 descriptive terms and phrases that vendors used to describe their horses and assigned them to four categories based on the extent to which they communicated a behavioral or biological characteristic of the animal relevant to rider/handler safety. Three of these categories reflected degrees of perceived positive assurance, the fourth contained covert warning (negative) descriptors. Linear regression analysis of log(price) revealed that variates such as a larger total sum of performance experience and bigger advertisements (p<0.001), breed registration (p=0.03)and sex stated as gelding (p=0.006) all significantly increased the price set by vendors. The inclusion of covert warning descriptors had a detrimental influence on price (p=0.007). The inclusion of positive descriptive terms associated with safety had a rather smaller and less significant effect (p<0.023) on price. Overall, these findings highlight the need for further exploration of the attitudes and beliefs that vendors, purchasers, and recreational riders in general, place on safety.
Figure 4. Frequency of reasons for using layers between horse's back and saddle. Respondents ... more Figure 4. Frequency of reasons for using layers between horse's back and saddle. Respondents could nominate more than one reason. Break out graph shows top four reasons of-fered in other category. Even though helping to balance the saddle represented 27% of responses there is no evidence to suggest that layers can address poor saddle fit issues in the longer term. The well represented dressage group and the smaller showing group report similar influences as the "riding long periods" group with the addition of layer type (p= 0.02) and using the layer to help balance the rider (p = 0.036). Dressage respondents preferred a contoured layer while the smaller showing group preferred flat layer . There is no indication in the literature that any type of layer between saddle and horse can contribute to rider balance. It suggests a lack of understanding of not only equipment and materials but also equine and human biomechanics.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2015
ABSTRACT The apparatus that riders use to restrain or communicate with horses have progressed ove... more ABSTRACT The apparatus that riders use to restrain or communicate with horses have progressed over time. With the increased awareness of animal welfare, the use of some of these devices are now questioned more deeply. Many equestrian disciplines have rules about apparatus to which competitors must adhere. In this study we aimed to identify the routine use of various items of apparatus in particular disciplines. Using an online questionnaire, we surveyed the use of common bitted and bitless bridles, nosebands, whips and spurs in relation to each of the 1,101 respondent’s preferred discipline. We also explored the use of nosebands, whips and spurs in relation to preferred bridle type. We found that dressage riders were more likely to use a noseband and a whip but, possibly as a reflection of the rules, were unlikely to use a bitless bridle. Western performance riders were most likely to use a curb bit and spurs, but do not often use nosebands or whips. These results provide no indication of the techniques associated with each piece of gear, the way in which they are used or any welfare problems associated with them. Nevertheless, the results inform the growing debate about the mandatory use of apparati, especially severe bits, in certain sports.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2014
ABSTRACT The importance that vendors attribute to safety when selling a horse may be estimated by... more ABSTRACT The importance that vendors attribute to safety when selling a horse may be estimated by examining the relationship between the use of positive and negative descriptive terms associated with horse safety and the advertised price of recreational riding horses. In this study, we gathered data for non-Thoroughbred horses from 524 advertisements on price, safety and warning descriptors and other characteristics including age, height, sex, colour, breed, registration and experience in order to investigate variates associated with pricing in the Australian adult riding horse market. We did this by examining the Allrounders and Adult Riding Club sections in six consecutive 2009 editions of the leading Australian horse-trading magazine Horse Deals. From these, we identified 67 descriptive terms and phrases that vendors used to describe their horses and assigned them to four categories based on the extent to which they communicated a behavioral or biological characteristic of the animal relevant to rider/handler safety. Three of these categories reflected degrees of perceived positive assurance, the fourth contained covert warning (negative) descriptors. Linear regression analysis of log(price) revealed that variates such as a larger total sum of performance experience and bigger advertisements (p<0.001), breed registration (p=0.03)and sex stated as gelding (p=0.006) all significantly increased the price set by vendors. The inclusion of covert warning descriptors had a detrimental influence on price (p=0.007). The inclusion of positive descriptive terms associated with safety had a rather smaller and less significant effect (p<0.023) on price. Overall, these findings highlight the need for further exploration of the attitudes and beliefs that vendors, purchasers, and recreational riders in general, place on safety.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2015
Within the emerging discipline of Equitation Science the application of consistent methodology, 1... more Within the emerging discipline of Equitation Science the application of consistent methodology, 17 including robust objective measures, is required for sound scientific evaluation. This report aims to 18
Veterinarians generally focus on keeping the performance horse in work but they need to be mindfu... more Veterinarians generally focus on keeping the performance horse in work but they need to be mindful of ways in which the work itself may jeopardise the animal's welfare and health. Elements of a horse's work may expose it to the risk of injury but insults to wellbeing, which are far more common and far more sustained, although less overt, also deserve consideration. A good example is the way in which chronic physiological stress responses arising from inhumane training techniques may compromise immunity and tissue repair. This article explores the physiological and musculoskeletal insults that can result from ridden work, alongside the gear and training paradigms that can compromise welfare. It also considers issues relating to the use of pharmaceuticals in the ridden horse. With stress reduction as a primary focus, it emerges that veterinarians are uniquely placed to comment on the somatic effects of psychological stressors, including the social and ethological challenges resulting from the work required of the so-called elite equine athlete. Whether the profession will step up to meet this significant challenge is also discussed.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2014
This review considers the importance of safety for various species of domestic animals and explai... more This review considers the importance of safety for various species of domestic animals and explains how the need for safety may motivate them to offer a variety of unwelcome responses. We argue that the value of safety to animals is often overlooked by trainers and handlers. As a result, animal owners, handlers, trainers, and veterinarians are regularly injured, and training may fail. Reinforced responses that increase the animal's perceived sense of safety but simultaneously endanger the safety of handlers or trainers may lead to the inadvertent training of dangerous responses. This review offers suggestions about how safety can be used effectively and humanely as a resource in operant training. Training calmness in the presence of a specific stimulus that is associated with safety may deserve closer attention. The ethics of creating the need for safety in domestic animals as part of a training regime are discussed. It emerges that the highly prized attribute of so-called trust in animaletrainer dyads may, at least sometimes, be a manifestation of trainers acting as safety signals. Similarly, animals said to have confidence in and regard for their handlers may value the relative safety they afford.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2014
ABSTRACT The purpose of this short report is to describe the influences on the pricing of Thoroug... more ABSTRACT The purpose of this short report is to describe the influences on the pricing of Thoroughbred (TB) horses for the adult recreational riding market. Research into the association between horse breed and specific behaviours supports the view that some breeds are more reactive than others. There is anecdotal evidence that TBs may be more likely than other breeds to show traits that compromise rider safety. Having been bred for speed and reactivity, TBs may have reduced habituation tendencies. In addition, those that have raced may have had more training to accelerate than to decelerate and as such may be predisposed to uncontrollable flight responses. We examined data from advertisements to determine which descriptors influence the price of TBs (n=220) entering the adult riding horse market. Linear regression analysis of log(price) revealed that variates such as a larger total sum of performance experience and bigger advertisements (p<0.001), all significantly increased the price set by vendors. The inclusion of trail riding in the advertisement had a detrimental influence on price (p<0.001). Dressage experience was associated with increased pricing (p=0.002). The inclusion of positive descriptive terms associated with safety had a rather smaller and less significant effect (p=0.012) on price. The average advertised price of $3,286 for a TB was significantly cheaper than the average advertised price of a non-TB horse ($7,384, P <0.001). In contrast to the findings for the ponies and non-TBs previously reported using the same method, reassuring descriptors had a significant positive influence on price of TBs. These data confirm that TBs are valued differently to other breeds in the Australian adult riding horse market.
The long-held belief that human dominance and equine submission are key to successful training an... more The long-held belief that human dominance and equine submission are key to successful training and that the horse must be taught to 'respect' the trainer infers that force is often used during training. Many horses respond by trialling unwelcome evasions, resistances and flight responses, which readily become established. When unable to cope with problem behaviours, some handlers in the past might have been encouraged to use harsh methods or devices while others may have called in a so-called 'good horseman' or 'horse whisperer' to remediate the horse. Frequently, the approaches such practitioners offer could not be applied by the horse's owner or trainer because of their lack of understanding or inability to apply the techniques. Often it seemed that these 'horse-people' had magical ways with horses (e.g., they only had to whisper to them) that achieved impressive results although they had little motivation to divulge their techniques.
Trained responses are said to be under stimulus control when they appear reliably and exclusively... more Trained responses are said to be under stimulus control when they appear reliably and exclusively on cue.
This article examines the recently completed equid ethogram and shows how analogues of social int... more This article examines the recently completed equid ethogram and shows how analogues of social interactions between horses may occur in various human-horse interactions. It discusses how some specific horse-horse interactions have a corresponding horse-human interaction -some of which may be directly beneficial for the horse while others may be unusual or even abnormal. It also shows how correspondent behaviours sometimes become inappropriate because of their duration, consistency or context.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2014
Rein cues have been used for millennia when controlling horses. Recent research has quantified th... more Rein cues have been used for millennia when controlling horses. Recent research has quantified the range of tensions exerted on the horse's mouth by bit and rein apparatus under a variety of conditions and investigating the tension horses will freely tolerate. Given the importance of rein tension in terms of controlling horses and the potential for welfare issues arising from use of apparatus in the horse's mouth, this study the tensions created by riders (n ¼ 12) performing walk to halt gait transitions on a model horse. The mean tension when applying the deceleration cue of the left rein (mean tension, 8.58 N; standard deviation ¼ 5.15; range ¼ 3.14-28.92 N) was greater than the right rein (mean tension, 6.24 N; standard deviation ¼ 4.1; range ¼ 2. 27-16.17 N). Little correlation was found between rider morphometry and rein tension. Although the deceleration cue was significantly higher than the resting tension by 51% for the right rein (P < 0.001) and by 59% for the left rein (P < 0.001), there was large variation between and within riders. These findings suggest the need for greater awareness of the potential for rein tensions to vary from principles of good horse welfare and training principles.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2011
Horse-riding is a particularly dangerous activity for children especially before they have accrue... more Horse-riding is a particularly dangerous activity for children especially before they have accrued significant riding experience. It is reasonable to suppose that children in this relatively naïve group would be riding ponies and, accordingly, they and their caregivers are the target market for ponies presented for sale. We examined whether there was a relationship between the use of descriptive terms associated with pony safety and the advertised price. This would indicate that vendors valued safety characteristics in their pricing decisions in the Australian pony market. We examined the Ponies and Pony Club sections in 6 consecutive 2009 editions of Horse Deals, the leading Australian horse trading magazine. A pilot analysis identified 66 descriptive terms and phrases that vendors used to describe their ponies. These descriptors were assigned to 4 categories based on the extent to which they communicated a behavioral or biological characteristic of the pony relevant to rider/handler safety. Of these 4 categories, 3 reflected degrees of perceived positive assurance and the fourth contained covert warning (negative) descriptors. Data on price, descriptors, and other characteristics (age, height, gender, color, breed, registration, experience) were gathered for 875 advertisements. A linear regression model analysis revealed that price significantly increased with factors such as height and stated experience in showing and dressage (P , 0.001). Positive descriptors were not associated with an increased asking price in the Ponies or in Pony Club markets. However, there was a significant decrease in asking price (P , 0.05) for every warning descriptor that appeared in advertisements. We concluded that safety descriptors do not contribute to pricing of ponies in the Australian horse market but warnings about possible unsafe aspects of the animal can have a deleterious effect on pricing decisions of pony vendors. Our findings concur with previous research carried out in other horse markets and may provide further evidence that vendors value characteristics that are different from those valued by buyers. We recommend that the potential purchasers in these markets become better informed of the importance of safety and predictability in animals bred and trained to be ridden by younger riders.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2007
By definition, ethology is primarily the scientific study of animal behavior, especially as it oc... more By definition, ethology is primarily the scientific study of animal behavior, especially as it occurs in a natural environment; applied ethology being the study of animal behavior in the human domain. The terms equine ethology and ethological training are becoming commonplace in the equestrian domain, yet they seem to be used with a conspicuous lack of clarity and with no mention of learning theory. Most of what we do to train horses runs counter to their innate preferences. This article summarizes the ethological challenges encountered by working horses and considers the merits and limitations of ethological solutions. It also questions the use of terms such as "alpha" and "leader" and examines aspects of learning theory, equine cognition, and ethology as applied to horse training and clinical behavior modification. We propose 7 training principles that optimally account for the horse's ethological and learning abilities and maintain maximal responsivity in the trained horse. These principles can be summarized as: (1) use learning theory appropriately; (2) train easy-to-discriminate signals; (3) train and subsequently elicit responses singularly; (4) train only one response per signal; (5) train all responses to be initiated and subsequently completed within a consistent structure; (6) train persistence of current operantly conditioned responses; and (7) avoid and disassociate flight responses. Adherence to these principles and incorporating them into all horse training methodologies should accelerate training success, reduce behavioral wastage of horses, and improve safety for both humans and horses.
Veterinarians generally focus on keeping the performance horse in work but they need to be mindfu... more Veterinarians generally focus on keeping the performance horse in work but they need to be mindful of ways in which the work itself may jeopardise the animal's welfare and health. Elements of a horse's work may expose it to the risk of injury but insults to wellbeing, which are far more common and far more sustained, although less overt, also deserve consideration. A good example is the way in which chronic physiological stress responses arising from inhumane training techniques may compromise immunity and tissue repair. This article explores the physiological and musculoskeletal insults that can result from ridden work, alongside the gear and training paradigms that can compromise welfare. It also considers issues relating to the use of pharmaceuticals in the ridden horse. With stress reduction as a primary focus, it emerges that veterinarians are uniquely placed to comment on the somatic effects of psychological stressors, including the social and ethological challenges resulting from the work required of the so-called elite equine athlete. Whether the profession will step up to meet this significant challenge is also discussed.
... Goodwin, D., McGreevy, Paul, McLean, A., Waran, N. and Warren-Smith, A. (eds.) (2005) Proceed... more ... Goodwin, D., McGreevy, Paul, McLean, A., Waran, N. and Warren-Smith, A. (eds.) (2005) Proceedings of the 1st International Equitation Science Symposium, Melbourne, Australia, Post Graduate Foundation ... Furthermore, devices such as whips and spurs are also used by some. ...
... parameters Amyeline de Cartier d&amp;amp;#x27;Yves 12: 00 Lunch 1: 00 Demonstration: Roun... more ... parameters Amyeline de Cartier d&amp;amp;#x27;Yves 12: 00 Lunch 1: 00 Demonstration: Roundpen session Lucy Rees 2: 00 Discussion session All 2: 30 Afternoon Tea Chairs: Debbie Goodwin and NatalieWaran 3: 30 ... Furthermore, devices such as whips and spurs are also used by some. ...
Journal of Veterinary Behavior Clinical Applications and Research, 2014
ABSTRACT The importance that vendors attribute to safety when selling a horse may be estimated by... more ABSTRACT The importance that vendors attribute to safety when selling a horse may be estimated by examining the relationship between the use of positive and negative descriptive terms associated with horse safety and the advertised price of recreational riding horses. In this study, we gathered data for non-Thoroughbred horses from 524 advertisements on price, safety and warning descriptors and other characteristics including age, height, sex, colour, breed, registration and experience in order to investigate variates associated with pricing in the Australian adult riding horse market. We did this by examining the Allrounders and Adult Riding Club sections in six consecutive 2009 editions of the leading Australian horse-trading magazine Horse Deals. From these, we identified 67 descriptive terms and phrases that vendors used to describe their horses and assigned them to four categories based on the extent to which they communicated a behavioral or biological characteristic of the animal relevant to rider/handler safety. Three of these categories reflected degrees of perceived positive assurance, the fourth contained covert warning (negative) descriptors. Linear regression analysis of log(price) revealed that variates such as a larger total sum of performance experience and bigger advertisements (p&lt;0.001), breed registration (p=0.03)and sex stated as gelding (p=0.006) all significantly increased the price set by vendors. The inclusion of covert warning descriptors had a detrimental influence on price (p=0.007). The inclusion of positive descriptive terms associated with safety had a rather smaller and less significant effect (p&lt;0.023) on price. Overall, these findings highlight the need for further exploration of the attitudes and beliefs that vendors, purchasers, and recreational riders in general, place on safety.
Figure 4. Frequency of reasons for using layers between horse's back and saddle. Respondents ... more Figure 4. Frequency of reasons for using layers between horse's back and saddle. Respondents could nominate more than one reason. Break out graph shows top four reasons of-fered in other category. Even though helping to balance the saddle represented 27% of responses there is no evidence to suggest that layers can address poor saddle fit issues in the longer term. The well represented dressage group and the smaller showing group report similar influences as the "riding long periods" group with the addition of layer type (p= 0.02) and using the layer to help balance the rider (p = 0.036). Dressage respondents preferred a contoured layer while the smaller showing group preferred flat layer . There is no indication in the literature that any type of layer between saddle and horse can contribute to rider balance. It suggests a lack of understanding of not only equipment and materials but also equine and human biomechanics.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2015
ABSTRACT The apparatus that riders use to restrain or communicate with horses have progressed ove... more ABSTRACT The apparatus that riders use to restrain or communicate with horses have progressed over time. With the increased awareness of animal welfare, the use of some of these devices are now questioned more deeply. Many equestrian disciplines have rules about apparatus to which competitors must adhere. In this study we aimed to identify the routine use of various items of apparatus in particular disciplines. Using an online questionnaire, we surveyed the use of common bitted and bitless bridles, nosebands, whips and spurs in relation to each of the 1,101 respondent’s preferred discipline. We also explored the use of nosebands, whips and spurs in relation to preferred bridle type. We found that dressage riders were more likely to use a noseband and a whip but, possibly as a reflection of the rules, were unlikely to use a bitless bridle. Western performance riders were most likely to use a curb bit and spurs, but do not often use nosebands or whips. These results provide no indication of the techniques associated with each piece of gear, the way in which they are used or any welfare problems associated with them. Nevertheless, the results inform the growing debate about the mandatory use of apparati, especially severe bits, in certain sports.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2014
ABSTRACT The importance that vendors attribute to safety when selling a horse may be estimated by... more ABSTRACT The importance that vendors attribute to safety when selling a horse may be estimated by examining the relationship between the use of positive and negative descriptive terms associated with horse safety and the advertised price of recreational riding horses. In this study, we gathered data for non-Thoroughbred horses from 524 advertisements on price, safety and warning descriptors and other characteristics including age, height, sex, colour, breed, registration and experience in order to investigate variates associated with pricing in the Australian adult riding horse market. We did this by examining the Allrounders and Adult Riding Club sections in six consecutive 2009 editions of the leading Australian horse-trading magazine Horse Deals. From these, we identified 67 descriptive terms and phrases that vendors used to describe their horses and assigned them to four categories based on the extent to which they communicated a behavioral or biological characteristic of the animal relevant to rider/handler safety. Three of these categories reflected degrees of perceived positive assurance, the fourth contained covert warning (negative) descriptors. Linear regression analysis of log(price) revealed that variates such as a larger total sum of performance experience and bigger advertisements (p&lt;0.001), breed registration (p=0.03)and sex stated as gelding (p=0.006) all significantly increased the price set by vendors. The inclusion of covert warning descriptors had a detrimental influence on price (p=0.007). The inclusion of positive descriptive terms associated with safety had a rather smaller and less significant effect (p&lt;0.023) on price. Overall, these findings highlight the need for further exploration of the attitudes and beliefs that vendors, purchasers, and recreational riders in general, place on safety.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2015
Within the emerging discipline of Equitation Science the application of consistent methodology, 1... more Within the emerging discipline of Equitation Science the application of consistent methodology, 17 including robust objective measures, is required for sound scientific evaluation. This report aims to 18
Veterinarians generally focus on keeping the performance horse in work but they need to be mindfu... more Veterinarians generally focus on keeping the performance horse in work but they need to be mindful of ways in which the work itself may jeopardise the animal's welfare and health. Elements of a horse's work may expose it to the risk of injury but insults to wellbeing, which are far more common and far more sustained, although less overt, also deserve consideration. A good example is the way in which chronic physiological stress responses arising from inhumane training techniques may compromise immunity and tissue repair. This article explores the physiological and musculoskeletal insults that can result from ridden work, alongside the gear and training paradigms that can compromise welfare. It also considers issues relating to the use of pharmaceuticals in the ridden horse. With stress reduction as a primary focus, it emerges that veterinarians are uniquely placed to comment on the somatic effects of psychological stressors, including the social and ethological challenges resulting from the work required of the so-called elite equine athlete. Whether the profession will step up to meet this significant challenge is also discussed.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2014
This review considers the importance of safety for various species of domestic animals and explai... more This review considers the importance of safety for various species of domestic animals and explains how the need for safety may motivate them to offer a variety of unwelcome responses. We argue that the value of safety to animals is often overlooked by trainers and handlers. As a result, animal owners, handlers, trainers, and veterinarians are regularly injured, and training may fail. Reinforced responses that increase the animal's perceived sense of safety but simultaneously endanger the safety of handlers or trainers may lead to the inadvertent training of dangerous responses. This review offers suggestions about how safety can be used effectively and humanely as a resource in operant training. Training calmness in the presence of a specific stimulus that is associated with safety may deserve closer attention. The ethics of creating the need for safety in domestic animals as part of a training regime are discussed. It emerges that the highly prized attribute of so-called trust in animaletrainer dyads may, at least sometimes, be a manifestation of trainers acting as safety signals. Similarly, animals said to have confidence in and regard for their handlers may value the relative safety they afford.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2014
ABSTRACT The purpose of this short report is to describe the influences on the pricing of Thoroug... more ABSTRACT The purpose of this short report is to describe the influences on the pricing of Thoroughbred (TB) horses for the adult recreational riding market. Research into the association between horse breed and specific behaviours supports the view that some breeds are more reactive than others. There is anecdotal evidence that TBs may be more likely than other breeds to show traits that compromise rider safety. Having been bred for speed and reactivity, TBs may have reduced habituation tendencies. In addition, those that have raced may have had more training to accelerate than to decelerate and as such may be predisposed to uncontrollable flight responses. We examined data from advertisements to determine which descriptors influence the price of TBs (n=220) entering the adult riding horse market. Linear regression analysis of log(price) revealed that variates such as a larger total sum of performance experience and bigger advertisements (p&lt;0.001), all significantly increased the price set by vendors. The inclusion of trail riding in the advertisement had a detrimental influence on price (p&lt;0.001). Dressage experience was associated with increased pricing (p=0.002). The inclusion of positive descriptive terms associated with safety had a rather smaller and less significant effect (p=0.012) on price. The average advertised price of $3,286 for a TB was significantly cheaper than the average advertised price of a non-TB horse ($7,384, P &lt;0.001). In contrast to the findings for the ponies and non-TBs previously reported using the same method, reassuring descriptors had a significant positive influence on price of TBs. These data confirm that TBs are valued differently to other breeds in the Australian adult riding horse market.
The long-held belief that human dominance and equine submission are key to successful training an... more The long-held belief that human dominance and equine submission are key to successful training and that the horse must be taught to 'respect' the trainer infers that force is often used during training. Many horses respond by trialling unwelcome evasions, resistances and flight responses, which readily become established. When unable to cope with problem behaviours, some handlers in the past might have been encouraged to use harsh methods or devices while others may have called in a so-called 'good horseman' or 'horse whisperer' to remediate the horse. Frequently, the approaches such practitioners offer could not be applied by the horse's owner or trainer because of their lack of understanding or inability to apply the techniques. Often it seemed that these 'horse-people' had magical ways with horses (e.g., they only had to whisper to them) that achieved impressive results although they had little motivation to divulge their techniques.
Trained responses are said to be under stimulus control when they appear reliably and exclusively... more Trained responses are said to be under stimulus control when they appear reliably and exclusively on cue.
This article examines the recently completed equid ethogram and shows how analogues of social int... more This article examines the recently completed equid ethogram and shows how analogues of social interactions between horses may occur in various human-horse interactions. It discusses how some specific horse-horse interactions have a corresponding horse-human interaction -some of which may be directly beneficial for the horse while others may be unusual or even abnormal. It also shows how correspondent behaviours sometimes become inappropriate because of their duration, consistency or context.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2014
Rein cues have been used for millennia when controlling horses. Recent research has quantified th... more Rein cues have been used for millennia when controlling horses. Recent research has quantified the range of tensions exerted on the horse's mouth by bit and rein apparatus under a variety of conditions and investigating the tension horses will freely tolerate. Given the importance of rein tension in terms of controlling horses and the potential for welfare issues arising from use of apparatus in the horse's mouth, this study the tensions created by riders (n ¼ 12) performing walk to halt gait transitions on a model horse. The mean tension when applying the deceleration cue of the left rein (mean tension, 8.58 N; standard deviation ¼ 5.15; range ¼ 3.14-28.92 N) was greater than the right rein (mean tension, 6.24 N; standard deviation ¼ 4.1; range ¼ 2. 27-16.17 N). Little correlation was found between rider morphometry and rein tension. Although the deceleration cue was significantly higher than the resting tension by 51% for the right rein (P < 0.001) and by 59% for the left rein (P < 0.001), there was large variation between and within riders. These findings suggest the need for greater awareness of the potential for rein tensions to vary from principles of good horse welfare and training principles.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2011
Horse-riding is a particularly dangerous activity for children especially before they have accrue... more Horse-riding is a particularly dangerous activity for children especially before they have accrued significant riding experience. It is reasonable to suppose that children in this relatively naïve group would be riding ponies and, accordingly, they and their caregivers are the target market for ponies presented for sale. We examined whether there was a relationship between the use of descriptive terms associated with pony safety and the advertised price. This would indicate that vendors valued safety characteristics in their pricing decisions in the Australian pony market. We examined the Ponies and Pony Club sections in 6 consecutive 2009 editions of Horse Deals, the leading Australian horse trading magazine. A pilot analysis identified 66 descriptive terms and phrases that vendors used to describe their ponies. These descriptors were assigned to 4 categories based on the extent to which they communicated a behavioral or biological characteristic of the pony relevant to rider/handler safety. Of these 4 categories, 3 reflected degrees of perceived positive assurance and the fourth contained covert warning (negative) descriptors. Data on price, descriptors, and other characteristics (age, height, gender, color, breed, registration, experience) were gathered for 875 advertisements. A linear regression model analysis revealed that price significantly increased with factors such as height and stated experience in showing and dressage (P , 0.001). Positive descriptors were not associated with an increased asking price in the Ponies or in Pony Club markets. However, there was a significant decrease in asking price (P , 0.05) for every warning descriptor that appeared in advertisements. We concluded that safety descriptors do not contribute to pricing of ponies in the Australian horse market but warnings about possible unsafe aspects of the animal can have a deleterious effect on pricing decisions of pony vendors. Our findings concur with previous research carried out in other horse markets and may provide further evidence that vendors value characteristics that are different from those valued by buyers. We recommend that the potential purchasers in these markets become better informed of the importance of safety and predictability in animals bred and trained to be ridden by younger riders.
Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2007
By definition, ethology is primarily the scientific study of animal behavior, especially as it oc... more By definition, ethology is primarily the scientific study of animal behavior, especially as it occurs in a natural environment; applied ethology being the study of animal behavior in the human domain. The terms equine ethology and ethological training are becoming commonplace in the equestrian domain, yet they seem to be used with a conspicuous lack of clarity and with no mention of learning theory. Most of what we do to train horses runs counter to their innate preferences. This article summarizes the ethological challenges encountered by working horses and considers the merits and limitations of ethological solutions. It also questions the use of terms such as "alpha" and "leader" and examines aspects of learning theory, equine cognition, and ethology as applied to horse training and clinical behavior modification. We propose 7 training principles that optimally account for the horse's ethological and learning abilities and maintain maximal responsivity in the trained horse. These principles can be summarized as: (1) use learning theory appropriately; (2) train easy-to-discriminate signals; (3) train and subsequently elicit responses singularly; (4) train only one response per signal; (5) train all responses to be initiated and subsequently completed within a consistent structure; (6) train persistence of current operantly conditioned responses; and (7) avoid and disassociate flight responses. Adherence to these principles and incorporating them into all horse training methodologies should accelerate training success, reduce behavioral wastage of horses, and improve safety for both humans and horses.
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Papers by Andrew McLean