A Preliminary Study on the Investigation of Learning Ability of Arabian Horses Through

Abstract

Knowing the behavioural responses of horses while planning the training processes is crucial in constituting the appropriate training program. The purpose of the study was to examine some behavioural and physiological responses of Arabian horses participating in flat races against the reactivity to human and fear tests. Within the scope of this study, 15 female Arabian horses aged between 2 and 8 years were subjected to reactivity to passive human test, reactivity to active human test, and handling tests from reactivity to human tests and the novel surface test, the static novel object test, and the startling novel object tests from fear tests. Significant relationships (P<0.05) were detected between the agonistic behaviours of horses and maximum heart rate values in the passive human test, active human test, static novel object test, and startling novel object test. Active human test, it was determined that as the agonistic behaviours of horses increased, the distance to approach humans increased (P<0.05). The novel surface test observed that as the horses' agonistic behaviours increased, the number of attempts to cross the surface successfully also increased (P<0.01). In the handling test, increased agonistic behaviours caused the test time to prolong (P<0.01). As a result, it was determined that various processes in training were prolonged in horses with high agonistic behaviours during the tests. It has also been determined that the trainability of horses may differ within the same breed and sex. For this reason, it is recommended to determine behavioural responses and to plan horse training individually. By understanding the trainability of horses, it is possible to achieve maximum efficiency for their benefit.

Keywords

• behavioural tests
• equid ethogram
• horse
• learning theory
• welfare

Arap Atlarının Davranış Testleri Yoluyla Öğrenme Yeteneğinin incelenmesi Üzerine Bir Ön Çalışma

Öz

Atların eğitim süreçleri planlanırken davranışsal tepkilerinin bilinmesi, uygun eğitim programının oluşturulması açısından önemlidir. Bu amaçla davranışsal testlerden yararlanılmaktadır. Araştırmaya 2-8 yaş arası, on beş dişi Arap atı katılmıştır. Davranışsal Testler kapsamında İnsana Karşı Tepki ve Korku Testleri uygulanmıştır. Pasif İnsana Karşı Reaksiyon Testi, Aktif İnsana Karşı Reaksiyon Testi, Sabit Alışılmamış Nesne Testi ve Ürkütücü Alışılmamış Nesne Testi'nde atların agonistik davranışları ile maksimum kalp atım hızı değerleri arasında anlamlı ilişkiler (p<0,05) tespit edilmiştir. Aktif İnsana Karşı Reaksiyon Testi'nde atların agonistik davranışları arttıkça insanlara yaklaşma mesafesinin de arttığı tespit edilmiştir(p<0,05). Alışılmamış Yüzey Testi'nde, atların agonistik davranışları arttıkça, yüzeyi başarılı bir şekilde geçme girişimlerinin sayısının da arttığı gözlemlenmiştir (p<0,01). Etki-Tepki Testinde, agonistik davranışların artmasının test süresinin uzamasına neden olduğu tespit edilmiştir (p<0,01). Sonuç olarak, testler sırasında agonistik davranışları yüksek olan atlarda eğitimdeki çeşitli süreçlerin uzadığı tespit edilmiştir. Atların eğitilebilirliğinin aynı ırk ve cinsiyet içerisinde farklılık gösterebileceği belirlenmiştir. Sonuç olarak, atların davranışsal tepkilerinin belirlenmesi ve at eğitiminin bireysel olarak planlanması önerilmektedir. Atların eğitilebilirliğinin anlaşılması yoluyla, onların yararına maksimum verim elde etmek mümkün olabilecektir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• At
• at etogramı
• davranışsal testler
• öğrenme teorisi
• refah

Kaynakça

1. 1. Birke L, Hockenhull J, Creighton E, Pinno L, Mee J, Mills D. Horses’ responses to variation in human approach. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2011;134(1-2):56-63.
2. 2. Bozkurt Z. Çiftlik düzeyinde hayvan refahı değerlendirmesi için bilimsel yaklaşımlar. Kocatepe Vet J. 2016;9(3):236-246.
3. 3. Broom D, Johnson K. Stress and animal welfare. Charpmanand Hall, London, 1993.
4. 4. Christensen JW, Keeling LJ, Nielsen BL. Responses of horses to novel visual, olfactory and auditory stimuli. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2005;93(1-2):53-65.
5. 5. Christensen JW, Rundgren M, Olsson K. Training methods for horses: habituation to a frightening stimulus. Equine Vet J. 2006;38(5):439-443.
6. 6. Danışan S, Özbeyaz C. The effect of the combination of various training methodologies in horse training on the learning performances of Arabian horses. Livest Studies. 2021;61(2):66-76.
7. 7. Duncan JJH, Dawkins MS. The problem of assessing “well-being” and “suffering” in farm animals. In: Indicators Relevant to Farm Animal Welfare, 13-24. Springer Netherlands, 1983.
8. 8. Feng LC, Howell TJ, Bennett PC. How clicker training works: Comparing reinforcing, marking, and bridging hypotheses. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2016;181:34-40.

9. 9. Górecka-Bruzda A, Jastrz E, Sosnowskab Z, Jaworskib Z, Jezierskia T, Chruszczewskic MH. Reactivity to humans and fearfulness tests: Field validation in Polish Cold Blood Horses. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2011;133(3-4):207-215.
10. 10. Hacan O, Danışan S, Özbeyaz C. The efficacy of clicker method during desensitising horse. Kocatepe Vet J. 2022;15(2):223-232.
11. 11. Hartmann E, Rehn T, Christensen JW, Nielsen PP, McGreevy P. From the horse’s perspective: investigating attachment behaviour and the effect of training method on fear reactions and ease of handling-a pilot study. Animals. 2021;11(2):457.
12. 12. Hemsworth PH, Mellor DJ, Cronin GM, Tilbrook AJ. Scientific assessment of animal welfare. New Zealand Vet J. 2015;63(1):24-30.
13. 13. Hockenhull J, Creighton E. Unwanted oral investigative behaviour in horses: A note on the relationship between mugging behaviour, hand-feeding titbits and clicker training. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2010;127:104-107.
14. 14. Ijichi C, Griffin K, Squibb K, Favier R. Stranger danger? An investigation into the influence of human-horse bond on stress and behaviour. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2018;206:59-63.
15. 15. Lansade L, Bouissou MF. Reactivity to humans: a temperament trait of horses which is stable across time and situations. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2008;114(3-4):492-508.
16. 16. Lansade L, Bouissou MF, Erhard HW. Fearfulness in horses: A temperament trait stable across time and situations. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2008;115 (2-4):182-200.
17. 17. Larssen R, Roth LSV. Regular positive reinforcement training increases contact-seeking behaviour in horses. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2022;25:105651.
18. 18. Liehrmann O, Viitanen A, Riihonen V, et al. Multiple handlers, several owner changes and short relationship lengths affect horses’ responses to novel object tests. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2022;254.105709.
19. 19. Lundberg P, Hartmann E, Roth LSV. Does training style affect the human-horse relationship? Asking the horse in a separation–reunion experiment with the owner and a stranger. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2020;233:105144.
20. 20. Mccall CA, Burgin SE. Equine utilization of secondary reinforcement during response extinction and acquisition. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2002;78(2-4):253-262.
21. 21. Mcdonnell SM, Haviland JCS. Agonistic ethogram of the equid bachelor band. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 1995;43(3):147-188.
22. 22. Mcgreevy PD, Henshall C, Starling MJ, Mclean AN, Boakes RA. The importance of safety signals in animal handling and training. J Vet Behav. 2014;9(6):382-387.
23. 23. Olczak K, Klocek C, Christensen JW. Hucul horses’ learning abilities in different learning tests and ue the association with behaviour, food motivation and fearfulness. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2021; 245:105488.
24. 24. Olsen HF, Klemetsdal G. Validation of a temperament test in the Norwegian horse breeds. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2019;219:104836.
25. 25. Payne E, De Araugo J, Bennett P, Mcgreevy PD. Exploring the existence and potential underpinnings of dog-human and horse-human attachment bonds. Behav Processes. 2016;125:114-121.
26. 26. Pierard M, Mcgreevy P, Geers R. Developing behavioural tests to support selection of police horses. J Vet Behav. 2017;19:7-13.
27. 27. Rankins EM, Wickens CL. A systematic review of equine personality. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2020;231:105076.
28. 28. Rose JK, Rankin CH. Analyses of habituation in Caenorhabditis elegans. Learn Mem. 2001;8(2):63-69.
29. 29. Vidament M, Bonneau C, Lansade L. Personality of equids: donkeys and draught horses behave differently in fear and tactile sensitivity tests. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2023;106113.
30. 30. Vidament M, Lansade L, Danvy S, Saint-Priest BD, Sabbagh M, Ricard A. Personality in young horses and ponies evaluated during breeding shows: Phenotypic link with jumping competition results. J Vet Behav-Clin Appl Res. 2021;44:1-11.
31. 31. Visser EK, Van Reenen CG, Hopster H, et al. Quantifying aspects of young horses' temperament: consistency of behavioural variables. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2001;74(4):241-258.
32. 32. Williams JL, Friend TH, Nevill CH, Archer G: The efficacy of a secondary reinforcer (clicker) during acquisition and extinction of an operant task in horses. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2004;88(3-4):331-341.