We’ve all seen the horse that enters into a new situation, whole body on alert, each muscle taut with intense focus on his surroundings. He might poop frequently in nervous anticipation. He might swish his tail or toss his head. Other horses might vocalize repeatedly or move constantly, reluctant to stand still. Such signs of…
An interesting conversation with Level 4 FEI course designer Bernardo Costa Cabral for those interested in show jumping course design. His interest was ignited in the late 1980s when British course designer Bob Ellis was working for a show held at the same riding club where 14-year-old Costa Cabral rode in Portugal. Because the ring…
Parks Canada is hiring for an operations coordinator for the Sable Island National Park Reserve, and it’s an ideal role if you have always wanted to live on a remote island. Could you be the perfect caretaker of this island full of wild horses? Applications for the role close on May 28, 2023.
The primary reason horses and humans communicate at such a high level—and in real-time during very speedy sports—is because we allow the horse to use her own natural form of communication with us. In return, we offer that same form of communication to her. When we apply body language to horses, they reply with similar…
Stabling is commonly used to manage domesticated horses despite research indicating that it can negatively impact horse welfare, but its effect on their affective state — that is, their underlying emotional state — has yet to be quantified. Stabling has been linked to significant impacts on the horse’s physiological health, as evidenced by the increase…
Equine behavior experts discuss how and why horses change ranks with changing herd dynamics—and how those changes may impact overall wellbeing and behavior. Your horse’s position in the herd may affect his overall disposition and interactions with you. Tips are provided to help your horse transition to new settings.
A new citizen science project hopes to unearth the genetic roots for certain equine behaviours, which may help to match horses with the most appropriate discipline for their temperament.
Rosa Verwijs, senior lecturer in equine behaviour at Writtle University Collegeifferent speaks about how unwanted behaviours can be caused by a lack of forage, such as stress, anxiety, aggression and resource-guarding. These might be displayed, such as abnormal oral behaviours, door-kicking, difficulty in handling and poor performance under saddle.
Horses used in equine-assisted interventions appear to become more sensitive to touch than riding school or mixed-use horses.
A basic tenet when studying animal emotions is that negative emotions will trigger an escape or avoidance response, whereas positive emotions will trigger an approach. By gaging whether a horse will approach or avoid a person or a situation, for example, we can infer something about how it experiences that person or that situation. One…