HORSE BEHAVIOR
HERD DYNAMICS
Horses are highly social and intelligent herd animals. Like all creatures, equine social behavior developed to help the species survive.
Feral and wild horse herds are usually made up of small bands containing mares, their foals, and immature horses of both sexes. There is usually one herd stallion, though occasionally the stallion may allow a few less-dominant males to remain with the group. Horse "herds" in the wild are better described as groups of several small bands who share a common territory. Bands are usually on the small side, as few as three to five animals, but sometimes over a dozen. The makeup of bands shifts over time as young animals are driven out of the band they were born into and join other bands, or as young stallions challenge older males for dominance. However, in a given closed ecosystem such as the isolated refuges in which most wild horses live today, to maintain genetic diversity the minimum size for a sustainable wild horse or burro population is 150-200 animals.
In spite of human mythology that portrays the dominant stallion as the ruler of his "harem" of females, the actual leader of the herd is the alpha or dominant mare, popularly known as the "lead mare." This mare is usually one of the more mature animals in the herd. She takes the lead when the herd travels, dictates when the herd moves from one place to another, what route they take, and has the right to drink first from watering holes and claim the best grazing.
Survival dictates that the herd members ultimately cooperate and stick together. As with many animals that live in large groups, establishment of a stable hierarchy or "pecking order" is important to smooth group functioning. Contention for dominance can be risky since one well-placed kick to a leg could cripple another horse to such an extent that it would be defenseless, exposed, and possibly unable to get to food or water. Therefore, another job of the dominant mare and other higher-ranked animals is to exercise control and moderate aggressive behavior in the herd.
In times of stress, whether from predators or extreme weather, the center of the herd is the safest because it offers the most protection from the elements and is further away from predators than any other part. Because of this, "punishment" of misbehaving members is sometimes delivered in the form of expulsion from the herd--temporarily or sometimes permanently.
Most young horses are allowed to stay with the herd until sometime in their yearling or 2-year old year, when they reach full sexual maturity. Studies of wild herds have shown that the herd stallion will usually drive out both young colts and fillies. This probably is an instinct that prevents inbreeding, so that the herd stallion does not mate with his own female offspring. The fillies usually join another band in fairly short order, and the young colts driven out from various herds usually join together for safety in small "bachelor" groups until they are each able to establish dominance over an older stallion and join a herd of mares.
As a rule, the edge of the herd is where the lowest animals in the herd's social order are found, but also is the domain of the herd stallion, who must fight off both predators and other males who attempt to establish dominance over the stallion. When the herd travels, the stallion brings up the rear, watching for predators and driving straggling herd members on, keeping the group together. This means the herd stallion endures a somewhat quixotic and vulnerable existence. He lives on the periphery of the herd, exposed to predators and bachelor stallions who will fight him. His value to the herd exists only as long as he can retain his dominance. Because there are always many young, unattached stallions about, he can be easily replaced by a strong and healthy successor at any time.
Biologically, and depending on the physical environment available to a herd in the wild, there is only a need for one stallion for every 10 to 20 mares. Domesticated stallions, with careful human management, often "cover" more mares in a year than is possible in the wild. Traditionally, Thoroughbred stud farms limited stallions to breeding between 40 and 60 mares a year.
Article From:
http://horsesupply.farmermike.net/Info/HorseBehaviorHerdDynamics
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PREY VS. PREDATOR BEHAVIOUR
The horse evolved to graze the vast plains,with survival traits that have served it well. Even with domestication it continues to exhibit these traits. As a result, humans need to understand
horses’ natural behavior or reactions in order to
make our interactions with them safer and more
rewarding.
First, we need to realize that the horse
evolved as a prey animal and its first response to
anything scary is flight. Horses understand that their
safety relies on their ability to put distance between
themselves and something they perceive as
dangerous. What is dangerous to a horse? Almost
everything! Their well-being relies on their
perception that everything that moves or is new
could eat them. So when we lead or ride a horse up
to or past something it has not seen before, the horse
can become wary and nervous.
While horses are prey animals, humans are
classified as predators, and as such, we approach life
in a very different manner than the horse. A lot of
things we naturally do can be counter-productive
when it comes to working horses.
What predator-like things do humans do around horses?
1. As predators, our eyes are on the front of
our face and we get tunnel vision when we are
focused on something. We approach the horse
looking intensely at it and usually look it in the eye.
This is how the predator in the wild approaches its
prey as well, with great intensity and focus. This
manner of approach can cause the horse great
distress if it is not comfortable with people.
2. As predators we sometimes want to trap
the horse to capture it. If we have a horse that is hard
to catch, what do we normally do? We use a corner
of the fence line to trap the horse and prevent it from
running away. In the wild, a predator would like to
have the horse in a situation where it could not
escape. When we trap a horse we can trigger its flight or fight response. With flight, the horse may
try to run through or over a fence or person to
escape. If flight is not possible, the horse may resort
to the fight response by charging or kicking.
Equine vision also plays a role in how the
horse reacts to events. An understanding of the
horse’s vision will give us a clearer picture of its
world and help us to remain safer.
What can humans do to work with
the horse on its own terms?
When approaching a horse that is not
comfortable with being caught, we need to avoid our
predator instincts and behave more like a prey
animal. Do not look the horse in the eye and do not
march up to the horse’s head. Rather, walk in a
relaxed manner in the direction of the horse but not
directly at the horse. If there is more than one horse
in the lot, walk up to one of the other more accepting
horses and begin rubbing on that one, ignoring the
one you want. Many times, this gets the best of the
horse you want and it will come over to investigate.
When it comes over DO NOT turn and jump at the
horse in an attempt to capture him. Instead, ignore
him for a little while. When you do reach to rub him,
do not look at him- just reach out and rub him. It is
best if you take time when you do not need to catch
the horse to go out and just rub him. If you are
carrying a halter, put it over your shoulder to keep it
out of the way and less visible. Carrying a halter
even when you do not want to catch a horse is also a
good practice.
If the horse still does not want to be caught,
catch the other horses and hold them together in a
group. Do not allow the horse you want to stand
with them. Horses want to be in their herd and if you
take that away, they will usually allow themselves to
be caught. It may take several times of repetition
before you can walk out and catch the horse, but be
patient and consistent in the process. Some proper
round pen work will usually help the horse gain
additional trust.
Round penning, used correctly, is a
wonderful tool to help a horse gain trust and
confidence. Move the horse around the pen at a trot
by standing in the middle of the pen and moving
toward the horse’s hip. Then step more forward
toward the horse’s shoulder to ask him to stop.
When he stops have him turn towards you and face
you. If he does not face you or turns away, continue
to make him move around the pen and after a few
times around, ask him to stop again. Allow him to
stop and rest only when he is facing you. After he
has gotten the idea of facing you, walk up to the
horse in a relaxed manner and rub him. If he will not
let you approach him, send him off again and
continue this training. It usually does not take very
long before the horse will let you walk up to him.
Once it has been established in the round pen this
method can be used when trying to catch the horse in
a paddock or pasture as well
Your energy level has an important
influence on the horse. If you are working with a
horse that is very excitable and nervous, keep your
body energy very low. Do this by taking deep slow
breathes and by slowing your movements. Try to
walk up to the horse in a slow, relaxed manner and
ask the horse to move around the round pen, using
only the energy needed to get movement. If the
horse is moving faster than you would like, stop
your movement and stand in the center until the
horse slows its movement down. If, on the other
hand, the horse is lazy, you need to exhibit a high
energy level to gain movement from him.
When working around horses, remember
that as a prey animal the horse is always very
perceptive. They are very aware of their
surroundings and will see movement and hear
sounds that you do not. You can help make the horse
more comfortable with situations it may not like by
using a technique called “desensitization.” With this
technique, slowly introduce “scary” situations or
substances to the horse, in a controlled environment,
to help him gain confidence. For example, if you
want a horse to be comfortable with noisy trash bags
blowing around, you could begin by using a towel.
With a halter and lead rope on, rub the towel all over
the horse until it does not care or resist. Then wave it
around the horse and finally let it contact the horse
as you wave it around. The idea is not to force the
horse to stand still or punish the horse for moving
but instead allow the horse to move around you in a circle until it stops,
then take the object away and rub the horse with your hand.
Once the horse is comfortable with this, throw the
towel toward the horse and let it hit the ground, not
the horse, until the horse becomes comfortable.
Next you can introduce a trash bag. At first
keep it balled up and compact in your hand. Let the
horse see and sniff it and rub it on the horse. Begin
making the bag bigger and continue to rub the horse
and wave the bag until you can throw it around and
at the horse.
The main concept with this process is that
if the horse moves away from the towel or bag
when you rub it on him, you must continue to rub
it on the horse until its feet stop moving. If the
horse moves and you take the object away, you have
taught the horse that he can get away from the
situation. But if done correctly this method will help
the horse gain confidence in noisy and scary
situations. A variety of objects can be used for this
desensitization process including raincoats,
umbrellas, tarps, etc.
It is very natural for us to exhibit predator
behaviors that get in the way of helping the horse
understand what we want it to do. If we can control
our predator ways, we will be able to more easily
work with the horse. Focusing on the use of natural
herd behavior in our interactions will give us great
benefits as we work with the horse.
Dr. Patricia Evans Extention Equine Specialist
Original Article Link |
INTERPRETING THE SOUNDS HORSES MAKE
1. The Snort
This carries the message, "There may be danger here". It is performed by a horse experiencing a conflict between curiousity and fear.It detects something that arouses it's interest, but which makes it slightly wary, and the snorting reaction does two things simultaneously; it clears the animal's respiratory passage, ready for action, and it also alerts the other members of the herd to the possibility of danger. Because the snorting horse faces the possible threat, the sound acts as an indicator of the direction of which the threat is coming, allowing the other horses to focus on it as well. In a sense it is the equine equivilant to the much louder canine bark. The snorting horse, unlike the barking dog, can only be heard from a distance of about 50 yards. This means if it has spotted something worrying in the far distance, it can alert its companions without revealing the presence of the herd to what may be a prowling predator.The snort is a powerful exhalation of air through the nose, with the mouth held shut. It lasts between 0.8 and 0.9 of a second and has an audible fluttering pulse created by the vibrations of the nostrils. The head is usually held high, as is the tail, with the hwole body of the horse showing a state of excitement and readiness for fleeing. Although it's most common use is when a strange object is detected in the distance, it is also frequently employed when a stallion challenges another. Again, the mood is one of great interest tinged with anxiety-a state of conflict.
2. The Squeal
This is a defensive signal. In aggressive encounters it means "Don't push me any further" and suggests to the rival that if it fails to desist, retaliation will be provoked. A lactating mare that has sore nipples and resents being touched will also squeal as a protest. And a flirting mare being approached by a stallion will object to his advances with the same sound. In all cases, the squeal acts as a protest signal, saying "Stop it!" but in sexual encounters it sometimes has an added nuance, the message being "Stop it, I like it!" Squeals vary considerably in intensity. They may be as short as 0.1 of a second or as long as 1.7 seconds. At full strength they may be heard as far as 100 yards away. Some of the loudest squeals are heard during encounters between stallions and mares. Squealing is usually performed with a closed mouth, but sometimes the corners of the mouth may open slightly.
3. The Greeting Nicker
This is a low pitched gutteral sound with a pulsating quality that is employed as a frioendly "come here" signal. It is used at close quarters, once the companion has been recognized, and can be heard at a distance of up to 30 yards. It is given when one horse greets another one in a welcoming fashion and it is also commonly heard at horse's feeding time, when it is given to the human companion bringing them thier food. In such cases it has been called a 'begging' sound, but it is really more of a general salutation-the horse is in effect saying "Hello! Good to see you".
4. The Courtship Nicker
Performed by a stallion approaching a mare, this is also a greeting, but it carries a specifically sexual flavor to arouse the interest of the female. The human equivalant would be something flirtatious like "Hello, beautiful!". As the stallion performs this nicker, he often nods his head vigorously, keeping his mouth shut and the nostrils wide open. This kind of nicker is longer, lower and more broken up into syllables. Different stallions have different pulse rates in thier courtship nickers, so that it should be possible for the female to identify the approaching male without even looking at him.
5. The Maternal Nicker
This is given by a mare to her foal and is very soft, barely audible from a distance. It is used when the mare is mildly concerned about her offspring's safety and the gentle intimate message is "Come a little closer". Foals react to this sound from birth, without any learning process. In fact, it is possible to get a newborn foal to follow a human simply by imitating this sound, so complusive is their respose to it.
6. The Neigh
Sometimes called the whinney, this sound starts out as a squeal then ends with a nicker. It is the longest and loudest of horse calls, lasting an average of 1.5 seconds and being audible over half a mile away. This is the equine equivalent of the canine howl, given when one horse becomes isolated from it's group, or when it spots it's companions in the distance. Usually the call is answered the messages being something like "I am over here, is that you?" and "Yes, it's me, I hear you." It helps to keep a group together or at least maintian contact at a distance. Experiments have revealed that horses react more strongly to the nieghing members of their own groups than to strange horses. And mares are more responsive to their own foals than to other young horses. This proves that each neigh is learned as a means of personal identification. Listening closely to different neighs, it soon becomes clear that they do in fact have their own special quality. There are even breed differences in addition to individual ones. And it is possible to tell a male neigh from a female one by the little grunt that stallions add at the end of their calls. Some people believe that neighing is a sign of fear or panic. It is a request for information not a cry of alarm.
7. The Roar
When horses are fighting seriously and are in a savagly emotional mood-it may be intense fear, intense rage or both at once-they can be heard to roar, or at a higher pitch-to scream. These sounds are rarely heard in domestic horses unless they are wild in a natural herd or are being kept in a large breeding group-not a common occurance where modern horse management is concerned.
8. The Blow
This is like the snort, without the pulsations or fluttering quality in the nose. It is a simple exhalation of air though the nose and carries a similiar message to the snort, but with less tension. the blow may say "What's this?" but sometimes it appears to simply be a signal of well-being, saying no more than "life is good!".
In addition horses may be heard to grunt and groan with exertion or boredom, sigh occasionally and snore loudly, but these are of minor signifigance in their vocal repertoire. In truth, the horse does not have a very elaborate language of sounds and does not use them in a rigid manner. Not one of them is confined to a single context with a single message. Although 'typical' messages have been given here, each sound can be heard in a whole variety of situations, where other elements of the social event alter it's precise meaning. Equine vocalizations should always be 'read' with this in mind.
~ Excerpt from Desmond Morris's "Horsewatching" |
EQUINE VICES
A vice is a form of abnormal behaviour, usually of a destructive kind, that becomes a habit. This behaviour is usually seen in horses kept in confined areas for long periods of time.
Psychological-related vices:
Box walking - usually caused by boredom. Your horse will continuously walk around his stable in circles. Causes damage to ligaments and joints and fatigue. It is almost impossible to stop, the best solution is to
turn your horse out as much as possible. If you do have to stable your horse, make sure he has some form of distraction, eg horseball. Crib-biting - this is where your horse will grasp the edge of an object, eg top of his stable door, with his incisor teeth and gradually gnaw at it. This slowly wears away the teeth, causing problems with grazing. Crib-biting is usually caused by boredom, but your horse may have copied another horse. This can be avoided by applying unpleasant tasting liquids/pastes to any surface your horse may attempt to crib at. Cribbing collars can also be used.
Tail rubbing - usually a habit left over from a previous experience of parasites. Parasite control is essential. Results in loss of tail hair and damage to the skin. Tail rubbing can be minimised by using a tail bandage/guard/board.
Weaving - this is almost always caused from boredom, but can be learnt from other horses. Your horse will shift his weight from one front leg to the other, swaying his head and neck from side to side. This condition can vary from very mild, seen only at feeding times, or continuously inside the stable, over the stable door and even when turned-out. This condition is almost impossible to stop, putting strain n joints and tendons and causing abnormal wear to shoes or hooves. Bars can be put up over the stable door when your horse is stabled. Avoid stabling your horse for long periods, if your horse has to be stabled, provide a distraction, eg a companion, slow-release feeding, horseball, plenty of exercise, etc.
Windsucking - can be associated with crib-biting. Your horse will grasp the edge of an object, eg top of his stable door, with his incisor teeth, arch his neck while pulling back and sucking air into the stomach. You will often hear a strange grunting sound too. Windsucking is usually caused by boredom, copying other horses and an increased frequency of crib-biting is usually seen in grain-fed horses. Avoid stabling your horse near a horse that already windsucks. Make sure your horse doesn’t get bored and gets regular exercise. Apply unpleasant tasting liquids/pastes to any surfaces your horse uses to windsuck. Cribbing collars can also be used.
Wood chewing - usually caused by boredom, lack of exercise or nervousness. Wood chewing can also be associated with dental problems, parasites or mineral deficiency. Wood chewing causes abnormal wear of the incisor teeth, causing problems with grazing. Cover any wooden surfaces with metal or rubber sheeting or apply unpleasant tasting liquids/pastes to wooden surfaces. Electric fencing can be used in the field, on the top rail.
Temperament-related vices:
Biting - often associated with stallions. Other, normally gentle horses may bite when groomed in a rough manner or when their girth is tightened when exercised. Also done in self-defense towards other horses or uninvited humans. Ponies will bite at children if they are being harassed!! Biting usually stops if the cause is removed. Using a short-sharp smack on a fleshy part of your horse accompanied by a disapproving NO! as soon as he has tried to bite you will help - eventually your horse will respond to your disapproving NO! and hopefully stop completely.
Bolting - this is when a horse decides to gallop off at speed, totally out of control of the rider, without responding to any commands. Bolting is very dangerous for both horse and rider. Check that your horse isn’t suffering from any painful, physical problems. Does the saddle fit properly and is his bit comfortable in his mouth? Bolting can also be a result of lack of schooling or bad experiences. Avoid riding in large, open spaces - if you do ride out, go with another horse that is quiet and confident.
Kicking - stabled horses may learn to destroy doors and partitions by kicking continuously. Padding can be used in stables which may stop some kickers. Some impatient horses will only kick at feed time. Horses that have previously been badly treated develop kicking as self-defense. Kicking horses are very dangerous and can be very difficult to handle. Always be careful around the back end of your horse. Rearing - usually associated with over-excited horses and ponies - in these cases they only lift their front feet of the ground a short distance when they are keen to move forward. Other horses will rear when they are trying to get away from or refusing to do something, eg jumping or passing through enclosed areas. These reasons can usually be overcome by an experienced rider. Other causes, however, may be physical, ie back pain, old injury or a sore mouth. If your horse has no physical problems, then the tack may be causing the problem. Make sure all the tack fits properly. Horses that rear to a point where they unseat the rider or topple over need to be checked over by an expert.
Any other unusual behaviour you see in your horse is usually behaviour-related and not a vice. They may be resolvable and hopefully will not become a habit.
Things To Consider
Diet - horses tend to get stressed if they are unable to graze, resulting in abnormal behaviour. If you offer your horse high amounts of roughage at frequent intervals he will always have a full stomach, reducing stress. Feeding a combination of chaff and hay is better than feeding hay alone as it is similar to what your horse would get if he was grazing.
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Stable environment - have a look at the design of your horses stable. If your horse is going to be stabled for long periods, it needs to be comfortable for him. Horses that have a view of other horses are less likely to become bored. Make sure the stable is well ventilated and not dark and dingy. Ensure your horse has a continuous supply of clean, fresh water. Experiment with different types of bedding - your horse may have a preference. Music is a possibility - leave a radio on during the day if there are no other horses in the yard, it will give your horse something to think about!
Distractions - if your horse is stabled for long periods, try and provide some sort of distraction. For horses kept in larger stalls or barns, consider putting another horse or pony, or even donkey in with your horse - horses are very sociable creatures. Other distractions include so called ‘toys’. There are many boredom breakers available that just may do the trick. Hang a ball in your horses stable that you can smear with treacle or molasses. You could also hang up carrots and apples or even a flavoured horse lick. All of which will provide hours of fun. Different types of balls are also available that you leave on the floor of the stable - some have handles, so your horse can pick it up and throw it around - some have holes in that contain food that is slowly released as your horse moves it around the floor.
Surgery - a rather radical option, but one that can be considered particularly for horses that windsuck or crib-bite to a serious extent. Your horse could have an operation (myectomy) where part of the muscle that controls the movement of the throat when swallowing is removed. This, however, is not always successful and horses are likely to relapse if they have been crib-biting for a long time previously.
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