Normal Behavior of Stabled Horses

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From the course by University of California, Davis

Equine Welfare and Management

28 ratings

University of California, Davis

Equine Welfare and Management

28 ratings

This unique course was developed by veterinarians at the world-renowned University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. The course will address horsemanship from a welfare perspective, within the context of “The Five Freedoms” of animal welfare. We’ll explore equine physiology, behavior and basic needs including housing, nutrition, hygiene and disease management. You’ll learn how to perform basic tasks to assess the overall condition of the horse and identify problem areas. We’ll also examine the specialized needs of the equine athlete and the major responsibilities we as owners, handlers or competitors must assume in order to ensure the health and welfare of our equine companions. Finally, we’ll look several special topics in equine welfare including disaster planning and the international welfare efforts now in place to protect working horses and other equids in key industries such as racing, international competition, tourism and even mining. By the conclusion of the course, you will be well equipped to develop a comprehensive welfare plan for any horses in your care.

From the lesson

Normal and Abnormal Equine Behaviors

In this module, you will be able to discuss normal and abnormal equine behavior. You will be able to identify how equine psychology shapes equine behavior. You will also be able to distinguish the cues horses use to communicate with each other. You will be able to recognize the importance of reading their physical and mental state of mind. You will be able to describe equine social hierarchies. You will be able to identify common abnormal behaviors and corrective strategies.

Introduction to Normal and Abnormal Behaviors1:10

The Horse as Prey and Herd Animal7:57

Normal Equine Behavior9:04

Normal Behavior of Stabled Horses5:11

Normal Equine Social Behavior6:11

Recognize Problem Behaviors11:39

Strategies to Address Problem Behaviors7:18

Meet the Instructors

Claudia Sonder, DVM
Emeriti Director of Equine Outreach
Center for Equine Health

Hello again. In this lesson,

we'll talk about the behavior of stabled Horses.

Unlike horses in the wild,

stabled horses must adapt to confinement and develop

a routine that is consistent with their level of confinement.

By the end of this lesson,

you'll be able to recognize the trained behaviors of stabled horses,

which can differ significantly from those out in the pasture.

When you walk into a stable full of happy horses,

you are likely to be greeted with an orchestra of

whinnies and heads looking out over the half stall doors.

Be sure to say hello back.

If you are a stranger or new,

they'll want to know that you are confident and friendly.

If you are someone familiar,

then be part of the herd and join in the greeting.

This is especially true if you enter around feeding time.

If horses are not getting much pasture time,

they will likely be ready for more food and have a little bit of extra energy.

Don't be surprised if you open the stall door and they want to come out.

Of course, a well-trained horse should have proper barn manners and

wait for your cue to lead them out once you have placed a halter and a lead rope.

A stabled horse will become used to being fed in the same spot in their stall,

preferably away from the adjacent horses feeding area.

Horses will be quick to point this out to

a stranger who is feeding them for the first time.

Some stabled horses will tend to urinate and

defecate day after day in the same area of the stall.

Others are not so neat,

and it is important that the feed material is placed

in an area where is not contaminated by manure or urine.

A common routine that

horses have come to expect when stabled is being haltered and let out of the stall.

They will remember if this means a direct route to being turned out in the pasture,

or if this means a short trip to the area where they're groomed and tacked to be ridden.

If you change these routines,

most horses will remind you that you're doing something

wrong by exhibiting some reluctant behavior,

such as resisting moving forward,

or tossing their heads.

Horses are universally trained to be led from their left side,

meaning your right side is next to

their left shoulder on a loose lead respectful of personal space.

They're trained to remain an adequate distance from

the handler and to respond to gentle pressure on the lead rope.

They will often follow a pull forward and stop with a pull backwards on the lead rope.

Many are also taught to respond to audible cues such as a "clock",

which usually means for them to move on and the word "wooo" which is for them to stop.

It is important that if you want a horse to stay still,

that you are not clocking at it.

Most horses should be trained to cross tie,

where a rope is attached to adjacent walls

and clipped to each side of the halter near the nose.

This cross ties station is used for grooming and

tacking or for examination of the horse by the vet or farrier.

Behaving quietly on cross ties is a vital skill that all horses should learn.

Never assume that a horse cross ties.

Occasionally, horses will panic in the cross ties and pull back.

And if that happens,

it is important to move away from the horse as

the force that they generate from this behavior can be deadly.

Some horses are taught to stay calm when tied to a poster fence.

Others are taught to ground tie,

which is actually an imaginary tie where the lead rope is simply

dropped to the ground but not attached to any rigid object.

A good rule of thumb is to not tie a horse until you know the tying habits of the horse,

and we discourage tying horses to objects that they could

pull away and then carry behind them such as a gate,

or a fence, or other object.

Although horses are friendly and curious,

they also should be able to learn when being led in the aisles of a barn,

that they are supposed to pay attention to the person leading them.

This means, the horse should not be stopping to sniff the ground,

say "hello" to other friends,

or grabbing chunks of hay as they walk past the stack of bales.

A respectful horse follows the leader at a safe distance so

as to not step on their feet or hit the handler with their head.

This requires that the horse is paying attention to the handler and that

the handler has the appropriate attachment to the horse, as in,

a two hand attachment,

with the first hand being approximately one foot away from the clip to the halter,

and the second hand containing the rest of the rope.

Most horses do not want to step on or run over a

human and will only do so under extreme conditions.

All of these learned behaviors are essential to

the happiness and safety of the horse and the human handler.

Whether a large facility with hundreds of horses on site,

or dealing with a backyard Equine companion,

these behaviors and skills are an essential part of the welfare of all.

In our next lesson,

we'll dive into the fascinating world of Equine Social Behavior.

Just what do those behaviors mean?

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