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Articles ( * = TheHorse.com members only )Date Posted
U.K. Pony Euthanized After Fireworks Injury
A pony in Dartford, U.K., had to be put down Friday morning after he panicked and crashed into a lamppost during fireworks, Horse and Hound reported. The 5-year-old gelding was found lying in the road after police received reports of a pony galloping around the area. Nov. 5 is fireworks night in the area. "We don't know if it was definitely ... Read full story
 11/9/2009
Horse Sleep Disorders and Seizures Reviewed for Equine Vets
If you have ever witnessed a horse having a so-called "episodic event," you aren't likely to soon forget it, particularly if the event occurred while the horse was under saddle. Episodic events are defined here as unusual or unexpected, usually brief (spanning seconds to minutes) behavioral events. Between attacks, affected horses and ... Read full story
 11/2/2009
Mares' Social Bonds Might Enhance Reproductive Success   *
Mares that form close social bonds with other mares have improved pregnancy, foal birth, and foal survival rates, said a group of researchers studying wild herds in the North Island of New Zealand. The mares' enhanced reproductive success appears to be linked primarily to mutual protection from harassment by stallions, they said. Unlike most other ... Read full story
 10/7/2009
Study: Horse Whinnies Packed with Information   *
Through their whinnies, horses convey specific information about their identities, including sex, height, and weight, according to French researchers. Acoustic analyses of whinnies and the reactions of horses to various recorded whinnies also suggest that the vocal calls play an important social role and appear to be unique to each horse. This is ... Read full story
 10/5/2009
Study Sheds Doubt on Marbles' Effect on Mare Heat Cycles  *
Many people have offered solutions to overcome the problems of inconsistent performance while mares are in heat. One method popular with owners today is the implantation of marbles as glass intrauterine devices (IUDs). "The original paper that described this technique suggested that the marble might behave like an early pregnancy and delay the mare’s ... Read full story
 9/26/2009
Bitless Bridles Touted as Safer Alternative for Horses in New Study  *
Previous studies evaluating the behavioral responses of horses to different types of bridles found that horses perform at least as well, if not better, with a bitless bridle than a jointed snaffle. To probe deeper into the issue, Robert Cook, FRCVS, PhD, and Daniel Mills, BVSc, PhD, IL TM, CBiol MIBiol, MRCVS, tested their hypothesis that a horse’s ... Read full story
 9/12/2009
Tongue Troubles  *
Q: I have an unusual problem. I have raised several foals in the past, some from birth, some from weanling/yearling age. I have a 2 1/2-year-old half Friesian mare that I have had from birth. I purchased her dam already bred and owned and rode her for a year. Her dam had a wonderful temperament and had no vices. Her filly was born on one of the hottest ... Read full story
 9/1/2009
Compulsive Urinating on Hay  *
Q: My 10-year old Paso Fino gelding has a very strange habit. He consistently and sometimes frantically urinates on his hay. I have placed his hay deep in the corner of his stall, and he will squeeze his body into the corner to urinate on his hay. If the hay is placed in a hay net he will circle around and around his stall, releasing short bursts of ... Read full story
 9/1/2009
Racetrack Veterans Look for Luck in Odd Customs and Beliefs   *
In the modern world of speed figures, tracking devices, and sheets handicapping, just about any racetracker will tell you making it into the hallowed ground of the winner's circle might depend more on cats, birds, bugs, peanuts, popcorn, and pennies. And those are just a few icons of a virtual pantheon of superstitions that many owners, trainers, ... Read full story
 8/30/2009
Diseases Potentially Spread from Horses to Humans Via Bites Reviewed   *
The long list of diseases that humans could potentially contract after being bitten by a horse gives new meaning to the old adage, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." According to the report, "That Horse Bit Me: Zoonotic Infections of Equines to Consider After Exposure Through the Bite or the Oral/Nasal Secretions," more than 100,000 emergency ... Read full story
 8/26/2009
Horses Read Human Body Cues, Researchers Say   *
Do you ever feel like your horse might be watching your every move? He very well might be, according to a new behavior study by British scientists. Their research indicates that horses are highly sensitive to the attention we attribute to them, including our gaze. In a series of tests involving 36 horses and ponies aged 10 months to 38 years, two ... Read full story
 8/19/2009
Research Shows Exercised Horses Have Fewer Unwanted Behaviors  *
Providing a stabled horse with one hour of exercise daily has beneficial effects on horse welfare, as well as handler safety, according to a new study. "Providing horses with a daily exercise regime, as well as regular positive interactions with other horses and people, is likely to improve their welfare and make them safer to handle," said Raf Freire, ... Read full story
 8/6/2009
Equine Visual Laterality Reinforces Horse Handling Traditions  *
The convention of leading and mounting the horse from the left might be more than just tradition, according to a new study from St. Andrews University. The study, led by Kate Farmer, MA, at the Harmony Center in Austria, shows that horses generally prefer this arrangement too, and not just because this is how they are trained. The researchers compared ... Read full story
 8/2/2009
Headshaking Triggers and Treatment  *
What triggers a horse to flip his head uncontrollably, sometimes to the point of endangering him and his rider? The amazing thing about horses is how such large, powerful animals can be exquisitely aware of the slightest sensation, such as a small insect on its back or face. Rippling of skin or an occasional head shake is a normal response to the ... Read full story
 8/1/2009
Rider Pressure Affects Horse Tack Evaluation   *
The force a rider exerts on the horse's back will shift depending on his or her position and should be included in any evaluation of tack pressure, researchers recently reported. "You need a force that is distributed over a certain area to make a good evaluation of the saddle pressure, therefore saddle measurements should be performed with a rider," ... Read full story
 7/11/2009
Human Injuries Related to Horses Analyzed  *
The American Horse Council's 2005 report "The Economic Impact of the Horse Industry on the United States" documents that more than 2 million horse owners are involved in a variety of activities. Millions more people ride horses every year or handle horses as industry workers, family members of owners, and volunteers. Horse-related human injuries ... Read full story
 7/5/2009
Horses React to Human Heart Rates, Study Finds   *
An increase in a human's heart rate affects the heart rate of the horse they are leading or riding, researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences recently reported. Linda Keeling, PhD, and colleagues tested horses and riders to see if humans inadvertently communicate fear and anxiety to horses. Using heart rate as a fear indicator, ... Read full story
 7/1/2009
Equitation Science Meeting to Focus on Horse Sport and Welfare  *
International authorities in horse behavior, training, and welfare will converge in Sydney, Australia, for the fifth Equitation Science Annual Conference, to be held at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Veterinary Science and Centennial Parkland Equestrian Centre July 12-14. The theme this year is "Ethical Equitation: A Sustainable Approach," ... Read full story
 6/22/2009
Kester News Hour, AAEP 2008   *
Every year equine veterinarians flock to the Kester News Hour session at the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) convention for reports on research that are too brief or new to be included in the scientific program. For the past two years, the fast-paced news broadcast format has been anchored by three renowned equine experts: Scott ... Read full story
 6/10/2009
Horse Soccer?  *
Looking for something new to do with your horses? How about forming a "horse soccer" league! In this author's experience, the only time this had been seen before was with the Lexington Mounted Police Unit, who use large, inflatable balls to train horses and riders. Sometimes they would have an impromptu game of "soccer" while horseback to increase ... Read full story
 6/7/2009
Self Mutilation or Pain?  *
Q: I have a horse that I believe is displaying a form of self-mutilating behavior, and I’m wondering if you have any insight that can help us to manage this. A veterinarian estimated that our gelding Pal was 10 years old when we purchased him about a year ago. The only thing I know about his past is that he came off a working cattle operation. With ... Read full story
 6/2/2009
Hawaii Horse Expo to Benefit Horse Rescue Fund  *
The Hawaii Horse Expo 2009, sponsored in part by Mâlama Lio, a Hawaiian horse magazine, is slated for Aug. 14-16 in Kailua-Kona and at the Kahilu Theatre and adjacent grounds in Waimea on Hawaii's Big Island. Proceeds from the event benefit the Hawaii Island Humane Society's Horse Rescue Fund, which was established in 2008 to help abused and abandoned ... Read full story
 5/25/2009
Researchers Examine Effects of Rider Stability  *
Austrian researchers have reported that the stability of a rider’s seat affects the forces acting on a horse’s back. Using an electronic pressure mat placed under a dressage saddle, scientists with the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna’s Movement Science Group measured the forces created when an experienced rider rode 10 different sound horses ... Read full story
 5/22/2009
Equitation Science Group to Meet in Sydney   *
International authorities in horse behavior, training, and welfare will converge in Sydney for the 5th Equitation Science Annual Conference to be held at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Veterinary Science and Centennial Parkland Equestrian Centre July 12-14. Coaches and competitors are welcomed to attend. "Ethical Equitation: A Sustainable ... Read full story
 5/11/2009
Managing Foal Rejection and Maternal Behavior  *
After more than eleven months of waiting, your mare has finally delivered a fine, healthy foal. Yet shortly after the foal stands, the mare spins around, pins her ears, and attacks her foal. What is happening and what can you do? Foal rejection is a heartbreaking twist to an otherwise normal foaling and unless the mare has rejected a foal before, ... Read full story
 5/11/2009
New Herdmates  *
Q: My horse recently moved to a new barn for the winter, and ever since moving there he has been a different horse. Since moving to the new barn he has developed an extreme attachment to the other horses and has a completely different personality. He has become pushy and difficult to work with, whereas before he had great ground manners and an excellent ... Read full story
 5/1/2009
Link Between Equine Diet and Behavior Explored  *
Diet and stable management play a major role in horse behavior, according to researchers from the University of Bristol. "There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that the more you can mimic the almost continuous natural grazing behavior of horses in the wild, the better," said study co-author Becky Hothersall, Phd, a researcher studying Equine ... Read full story
 4/16/2009
To Breed, or Not to Breed?  *
Q: The question I have is not about any one horse, but rather a general topic that I am asked about from time to time. It concerns what is best for young stallions in terms of introduction and exposure to breeding while they are in training or work. I have had several clients here in Texas ask similar questions over the years about when to introduce ... Read full story
 4/1/2009
Readers Reveal Their Horses' Habits  *
More than 1,000 readers of TheHorse.com responded to a poll asking, "What 'bad habits' do your horses have?" Results were as follows: Cribbing/chewing on wood, etc.: 49.32% (505) Other: 28.42% (291) Bucking: 15.33% (157) Biting: 14.06% (144) Kicking: 11.62% (119) Weaving: 9.96% (102) Rearing: 7.91% (81) Readers shared ... Read full story
 3/10/2009
Herd Instincts Revisited  *
(Editor's Note: Dr. McDonnell answered a reader's questions on her horse biting another in the throat in the March 2007 issue. The reader and McDonnell follow up on this interesting story. Below is how her initial query began.) Q: My horse was seen biting another horse in the throat. They were up on their hind legs supposedly playing when all of ... Read full story
 3/1/2009
Research Sheds Light on Equine Long-Term Memory   *
Remember back when that umbrella popped open and spooked your horse? That might have been five or even 10 years ago, but new research into equine long-term memory (LTM) shows that your horse probably remembers those events just as well as you do. In a study led by Evelyn Hanggi, MS, PhD, co-director at the Equine Research Foundation (ERF) in Aptos, ... Read full story
 2/20/2009
Dam Wins Battle of the Sexes to Protect Foal   *
After witnessing a rare (and unsuccessful) infanticide attack by a stallion on a one-hour-old foal, behavior researcher Meeghan Gray, PhD, from the University of Nevada, Reno, reported findings from the macabre event. "In this first report of an infanticide attempt in free-roaming feral horses, we learned that mares can successfully protect their ... Read full story
 12/29/2008
Animal Stress Course Finds High Interest  *
There is considerable interest in finding out how, and particularly why, animals react to stress the way they do. Denmark's Aarhus University reports that applications to a new PhD course, developed by two scientists from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, have been pouring in to such an extent that some applicants have had to be turned down. One ... Read full story
 12/16/2008
Diode Laser Treatment for Headshaking a Burning Success  *
California researchers aren't shy when it comes to managing headshaking in horses. According to a case report published in the Nov. 15 edition of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Jeannine Berger, DVM, Dipl. ACVB, and colleagues from the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine wielded their trusty infrared ... Read full story
 12/8/2008
Unbalanced Behavior  *
Q: I've worked with numerous young horses, but I have never encountered an issue quite like the one I'm experiencing with my 5-year-old Andalusian gelding. I'm hoping you can give me some pointers for intervening during his "temper tantrums" without escalating the situation. I've owned Duke for three years. He was a great baby to start under saddle--eager ... Read full story
 12/1/2008
Antibiotic Virginiamycin Does Not Reduce Cribbing, Weaving   *
Finding a "cure" for common stereotypies, such as headshaking, cribbing, and weaving, continues to elude veterinary researchers, since the antibiotic virginiamycin as a dietary supplement has been culled from the pool of possibilities. Stereotypies, repetitive and apparently functionless behaviors, are common in intensively managed horses. They are ... Read full story
 11/5/2008
Keeping Stalled Horses Happy  *
No matter the reason your horse is stalled, you can keep him happy and comfortable. Angela Riddle gave her barn operators strict orders to turn her Tennessee Walking Horse Amicus Mack out for a full day at least twice each week. But during one of her frequent barn visits, Riddle soon noticed that her horse was less enthusiastic about his turnout time ... Read full story
 11/1/2008
The Heartbreak of Separation Anxiety  *
Separating horses from their buddies can be problematic and sometimes even dangerous to horse and handler—here’s how to ease the pain of separation anxiety. Separation anxiety is a relatively common condition among horses, and when it occurs, it can be problematic for owners and riders. At the very least, it's a minor inconvenience. Occasionally, ... Read full story
 11/1/2008
Anabolic Steroids or Confidence?  *
Q: In reading the article by Dr. McDonnell about the effects of anabolic steroids on geldings and their behavior, I wondered how long the effects last after the steroids are given to the horse. I have a 3-year-old off-the-track Thoroughbred at home recovering from illness, and he is not the same sweet gelding I sent out for training. Even something ... Read full story
 11/1/2008
Can Horses 'Herd' Across a Fence?  *
Q: I know horses like to "herd" with one another, but how close do horses have to be to feel comfortable? Is having another horse across the fence suitable, or do they need to be in the same pasture? Kris, via e-mail A: Contact across a fence with reasonable proximity that allows visual and auditory communication appears to afford ... Read full story
 11/1/2008
Foal's Playfulness a Reflection of Gender, Mare's Condition  *
The body condition of a mare and the sex of her foal will determine how much the foal plays, according to a new study by researchers at the Mammal Research Institute at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. The group, led by Elissa Cameron, MSc, PhD, observed the play habits of foals in bands of feral horses on the central north island of New ... Read full story
 10/16/2008
Racehorse Ready to Run After Bout with Ataxia  *
Racehorse owners Suzanne VanderSalm and Ellen Bennett of Hickory Corners, Mich., weren't about to give up on Navigator, their Thoroughbred who became ataxic (incoordinated) suddenly as a yearling three years ago. VanderSalm had come home from Great Lakes Downs for the weekend to discover her bright yearling, which she had raised from a foal, wobbling ... Read full story
 10/2/2008
Seeing Stars
Q: I have a Quarter Horse mare that stares into lights. She does this with both electric lights and the sun or moon. She'll stare for a while when she first gets into the arena and when she's just turned out, then she goes about her business. She's always done this, and she has no eye or sinus problems that we know of. Why might she be doing this? A: ... Read full story
 10/1/2008
Equid Emotions and Laterality: Is there a Connection?  *
Does your horse give "dirty" looks? Rather than trying to read his expression, you might be able get some clues about how your horse really feels about objects by paying attention to which eye he uses to observe them. French behaviorists reported that horses explore and process information about various objects differently, depending on the emotional ... Read full story
 9/1/2008
Mare Instinct After Loss  *
Q: After several years of pasture breeding, we are having our first experience with a stillbirth. The dam is a 5-year-old mare with her first pregnancy. The foal was right on time, as we estimated it from the last observed breeding after which we removed the stallion. Luckily, we saw her from the start of labor, and everything happened pretty fast. ... Read full story
 9/1/2008
Aligning Training with Horse Behavior  *
Along with researching drugs, treatments, and techniques to keep your horse healthy, equine researchers are discovering how handling and training methods can be brought more in line with horses' natural behaviors and instincts for a more harmonious and effective partnership. A number of these researchers from around the world shared notes at the 4th ... Read full story
 8/27/2008
Tracking Young Horse Reactions on Different Feeds  *
Young horses might be easier to train if they temporarily lay off the sweets, according to a Montana State University (MSU) study that tracked behavior of 2-year-olds in training and compared it to their nutrition program. The extra energy provided by sweet feed during the early stages of training made the horses in MSU's study more disobedient and ... Read full story
 8/22/2008
Behavior: Strong Reaction to Strangers  *
Q: I have a 5-year-old headstrong mare with whom I have a good, solid bond. She works well on the ground and is a dream under saddle for me. She does not like strangers coming into the barn, and she counts my boarder's farrier and also our veterinarian as interlopers who mess up the daily schedule. Unless I stand by her door and keep her company, she ... Read full story
 8/1/2008
Behavior: Discipline for Kicking and Striking  *
Q: We have a disagreement in our barn: How do you best handle immediate discipline for a horse that strikes out with both front feet or cow-kicks and knows better (not a young horse)? Those people in our barn who have Western discipline upbringing say it's okay to kick the horse in the ribs (much like you would thump on one if you were riding and the ... Read full story
 8/1/2008
Study: Positive Reinforcement Aids Equine Training   *
In a preliminary study on equine training, Michigan State researchers found that while adding positive reinforcement did not make horses learn a frightening task faster than horses that were handled using only traditional negative reinforcement strategies, horses exposed to positive reinforcement did not learn the task any slower, either. Furthermore, ... Read full story
 7/21/2008
Avoiding Hazardous Horseplay  *
Swiss researchers have released new data on risk factors and prevention measures for some of the greatest dangers to horses: other horses. Anyone who has spent time on a farm with more than one horse could tell you that bites and kicks are some of the most common causes of accidents and injuries around the farm. "Grouping and regrouping without ... Read full story
 7/16/2008
Exotic Tastes: Equine Flavor Preferences  *
Does your horse have a favorite flavor? Eight research horses in England did. Deborah Goodwin, BSc, PhD, research director of Applied Animal Behaviour Programmes at the University of Southampton, set out to discover what flavors horses actually like, compared to what horse owners and product manufacturers think horses like. In Goodwin's first trial, ... Read full story
 7/15/2008
Behavioral Therapy Reduces War Emblem's Breeding Foibles   *
Moved to a tranquil area away from other stallions and shielded from most visitors, temperamental champion and dual classic winner War Emblem now spends his days in a quiet grassy paddock over looking fields containing grazing mares and foals. In this peaceful area of the Shadai Stallion Station in Japan, the nearly black stallion has relaxed and ... Read full story
 7/14/2008
Link Between Facial Hair Whorls and Horse 'Handedness' Reported  *
Irish researchers identified a unique link between equine motor laterality, or "handedness," and specific characteristics of facial hair whorls (trichoglyphs): right-handed horses had significantly more clockwise whorls whereas whorls were more likely to flow in a counter-clockwise direction in left-handed horses. "It has long been speculated that ... Read full story
 6/23/2008
Horse Behavior: War on Punishment  *
Question from a reader: I see the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has posted a statement from their American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) about the use of punishment for behavior problems in animals. The statement talks about dogs and seems like the behavior veterinarians were prompted to do this because of the TV ... Read full story
 6/20/2008
Catching Your Horse: Eye Contact Might Not Matter   *
According to a University of Pennsylvania study, whether or not you make eye contact with your horse doesn't necessarily influence how successful you'll be in catching him in an open pasture. Experienced horse handlers and educators have encouraged owners to use or not use eye contact while catching horses for different reasons. Some have taught ... Read full story
 6/11/2008
War Emblem Breeding Mares after Therapy  *
Champion and Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem is responding well to therapy for a breeding behavior dysfunction, according to experts at the University of Pennsylvania. "He has had fertile sperm, but for several years has remained selective about which mares he would cover," said Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB, a specialist in stallion behavior ... Read full story
 6/8/2008
Brain Dysfunction in Cribbing Horses Gives Researchers Something to Chew On  *
In the first study of its kind, researchers from the United Kingdom have discovered that cribbing horses learn differently than horses that don't crib. Cribbing is a stereotypy in which a horse grasps an object between his incisor teeth and inhales air into the esophagus while emitting an audible grunting noise. It is the most common stereotypy among ... Read full story
 6/3/2008
Mexican Donkey Freed from Jail   *
A Mexican donkey has been freed from jail after doing time for assault and battery. The Televisa network on Wednesday showed "Blacky" gobbling food from a bucket after spending three days in a jail that normally holds people for public drunkenness and other disturbances. Blacky was jailed for biting and kicking two men near a ranch outside Tuxtla ... Read full story
 5/22/2008
Mexican Donkey Jailed for Ornery Behavior  *
A donkey is doing time in southern Mexico for assault and battery. The animal was locked up at a local jail that normally holds people for public drunkenness and other disturbances after it bit and kicked two men near a ranch in Chiapas state, police said Monday. Officer Sinar Gomez said the donkey will remain behind bars until its owner agrees ... Read full story
 5/20/2008
Neck Problems in Sport Horses  *
Remember the last time you rolled out of bed in the morning feeling like you must have slept with your neck contorted like a noodle? The lingering stiffness lasts all day, making simple things like dressing and driving a pain. Now, imagine you're a horse with neck pain--consider how uncomfortable it would be to move in a frame, on the bit, to flex ... Read full story
 5/11/2008
Can You Hear Me Now? Earplugs for Equines  *
Horses' ears are notoriously sensitive; it seems they can detect the "snap" of a carrot or the rattle of a grain scoop from the far end of the pasture. The delicate internal auditory structures of the horse are designed to help him pick up the slightest hint of a physical threat (or dinner) and--just as we would shield our own ears at a rock concert ... Read full story
 5/4/2008
Desensitizing Your Horse to Fly Spray  *
A HORSE'S LAMENT: How do I hate thee? Let me count the ways. 'Tis the rankest compound of villainous smell that ever offended nostril. Yonder vessel full of foul sound and fury. Cruel icy tears assailing my body. --Equus Anonymous. Some horses really hate fly spray, be it the smell, the sound the sprayer makes, the sensation of solution on skin, or ... Read full story
 5/1/2008
Natural Stallion Behavior  *
Q: I own a Lusitano stallion that has been stabled at the same barn for four years. Within the past four to six months, he has shown increasingly aggressive displays toward two stallions that walk in front of his stall. He kicks and bashes his face full-force into the bars. I've lined the stall walls with rubber mats and put padding on the bars. His ... Read full story
 5/1/2008
Equine Color Vision Research: Seeing Things Differently  *
If you have a horse of a different color, chances are your horse knows it--although he might not be able to say if he's red or green. New physiological and behavioral research by various teams across the globe has added weight to the hypothesis that horses can see a wide range of colors, but they don't see them the same way humans do. "Virtually ... Read full story
 4/30/2008
Service Pony Recovers from Health Crisis  *
Thanks to the skill and kindness of several Texas veterinarians, a blind woman's assistive guide pony is recuperating from serious illness. Trixie is a nearly 14-year-old Pony of the Americas mare, and she has been Tabitha Darling's service animal for seven years. Darling is legally blind, and while she can't see well enough to drive a car, she can ... Read full story
 4/10/2008
Training a One-Eyed Horse  *
Q: I am a barn manager at a Dutch Warmblood farm. I have a filly that turned 2 in March. She has been in the field for a year (the owner is out of the country and can't return). She was born with one eye, and I need to train her. I have ridden one-eyed horses, but I've never taught them from such a young age. I also feel I need to change her feed, ... Read full story
 4/1/2008
Potty Problems  *
Q: I have a serious problem with my 3-year-old Warmblood filly I recently purchased. I had her extensively vetted, and she vetted clean. However, after she arrived, I learned that her previous owner had conditioned her to not urinate in her stall. They did not put shavings on top of the stall mats, which, of course, made her inclined to not urinate ... Read full story
 4/1/2008
Study Correlates Food Rewards with Positive Responses during Training  *
Young horses learn faster and have more positive interactions with humans when they receive food as a reward during training, according to a new study presented at the 34th Annual Equine Research Day held in Paris, France, on Feb. 28. Yearlings that received grain pellets as compensation for appropriate reactions to vocal commands were up to 40% ... Read full story
 3/3/2008
Raising a Stud Colt  *
I have bred my first colt this year and thus far have followed handling practices we have used on our previous two filly foals with great success. We have a beautiful Welsh Section C colt who is unafraid of most things, is very people friendly, will pick up all his feet for you, doesn't bite, and enjoys a walk on a headcollar. No issues, no problems. ... Read full story
 3/1/2008
Study Tracks Horses' Ability to Follow Human Pointing Gestures  *
Socialized horses are able to understand most kinds of human pointing gestures, although they respond more readily to some variations of pointing as opposed to others, according to a new study carried out by Hungarian researchers in Godollo. In this novel experiment published in February's Animal Cognition, 20 domestic riding horses and ponies were ... Read full story
 2/15/2008
Hands Off: New Research on Impact of Human Intervention on Foal Behavior   *
Human interaction with foals at a critical early developmental age appears to be a stressor, whereas positive human interaction with the dam creates a strong model for the observing foal, according to a series of ongoing research projects at the University of Rennes in northwestern France. The team's new findings are raising questions about the 15-year-old ... Read full story
 2/2/2008
Becoming a Behaviorist  *
Veterinarians and nonveterinarians can pursue this growing field. What does it require to pursue a career as an animal behavioral consultant? I've heard the question a number of times. Sometimes the individual asking the question is a student just embarking on his or her path toward an occupation, or it might be an individual who has taken another ... Read full story
 2/1/2008
Calming Mother Nature  *
Q: I have a 7-year-old Quarter Horse mare that is quite "the mare." When she is around the geldings (even if they are in different pastures) and in season, she will put her butt up to the fence and wink (the vulvar lips), etc. She gets the geldings completely in a dither. The 5-year-old Thoroughbred tries to mount her, and she allows it. The 15-year-old ... Read full story
 1/26/2008
Crossing Bridges  *
Q: My horse Dakota is not wanting to cross a wood bridge. I walked him across plywood for about three days and had no trouble. Then I rode back to the bridge, and he wouldn't have anything to do with it. Dakota goes crazy, starts sweating, jumps up and down, and starts backing up. I used my spurs and reins a little, but he still wouldn't cross. This ... Read full story
 1/1/2008
Bad-Asses  *
Q: Some friends and I were discussing the heightened "territorial" aspects of long-ears (mules and donkeys) vs. horses. While I've had horses that were bred and raised out West that were more protective against "predators" such as dogs and coyotes, it seems more ingrained and harder to train out of mules and donkeys. Do you have any insights on this ... Read full story
 1/1/2008
Anabolic Steroid Effects  *
A colleague, Larry Soma, VMD, is an anesthesiologist/pharmacologist who conducts research for the Thoroughbred and Standardbred horse racing commissions in Pennsylvania. Basically, his lab develops and validates testing methods for detection of illegal drugs in horses. Recently, Dr. Soma and I crossed paths in the clinic parking lot as we rushed between ... Read full story
 11/1/2007
Understanding Horses Part 11: Diagnose the Problem Before Trying to Fix It  *
There are many people looking for answers for their horses' problems. I've been talking to more and more people, and they all think they have different problems, but generally, horse problems boil down to one of four things: ground manners, under saddle problems, medical problems, and problems stemming from accidently learning the wrong behavior. We've ... Read full story
 11/1/2007
Thoroughbred Group Offers Tips on Managing, Retraining the Ex-Racehorse   *
The proliferation of racehorse rescues and retirement programs means that thousands of retired Thoroughbred racehorses have been placed into new homes. Ensuring success in what comes next--the transition and retraining of Thoroughbreds by their new owners--is one of the primary missions of Wood End Farms, a nonprofit facility located north of Chicago ... Read full story
 10/16/2007
Understanding Horses Part 10: Stand Still  *
Horses often need to be restrained for the veterinarian, farrier, or groom. Foals present particular problems, as do horses that might have been mishandled or who have never been taught to be patient and respect their handlers. Here are a few tips for restraint. Foal Restraint In my opinion, God put ears on horses for handles. Some clients will ... Read full story
 10/1/2007
Defecation Behavior  *
Q: Why do some horses at our barn poop in the same place every time, then some others seem to go anywhere? A: We certainly don't know the full answer, but I can tell you what we do know. Male horses, especially if not gelded, tend to defecate in particular areas, which in their stall tends to be in the same one or two spots. This is called elimination ... Read full story
 10/1/2007
Smart Mare, Smarter Vet  *
I am doing some positive reinforcement-based behavior modification for needle shyness in a draft broodmare. This mare is just too big and strong for the old-fashioned restraint methods of working around the problem. She has quite a repertoire of increasingly dangerous ways to avoid and react, so it is no longer safe to use the tactic of sneaking up ... Read full story
 9/1/2007
Hoofing It with John Henry  *
If you've visited the Kentucky Horse Park sometime in the past few months, you might have noticed a small, dark brown gelding, utterly unremarkable apart from his obvious age, walking with purpose with bright eyes and pricked ears among the sleek and shiny show horses. Step a little closer and read the engraved plate on his halter: you're looking at ... Read full story
 8/11/2007
Understanding Laminitis On-Demand Webinar
In May 2007, TheHorse.com brought you the industry's first Web-based live seminar: "Understanding Laminitis," featuring two practitioners and researchers who have spent their lives trying to solve the mystery of laminitis and help horses and their owners. Rustin Moore, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, and Jim Belknap, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, of The Ohio ... Read full story
 8/11/2007
Training Your Horse for Procedures--And Everything Else  *
Picture this: You're at a horse handling clinic watching the clinician's horse do pretty much anything you can think of and 50 other things you hadn't. You sit there amazed and envious, wishing you could get your horse to lead or sidepass that well with no visible cue, to say nothing of the ease with which that clinician can clip, load, and give shots ... Read full story
 7/21/2007
Fireworks and Horses: Preparing for the Big Boom  *
The Fourth of July means barbeques, parades, and, for horse owners in certain neighborhoods, nervous anticipation of their horses' reactions to the inevitable flashes of light and deafening noise of fireworks. Preparing for the onslaught might require some planning and training time, according to Lexington, Ky., Mounted Police Officer Lisa Rakes. "There's ... Read full story
 6/30/2007
Gender Issues: Training Stallions  *
By Ron Meredith, President, Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre Some people make a big deal out of a horse's gender and say people should handle horses of different sexes different ways. We work with every horse, regardless of gender, the same way. We communicate with the horse the same way regardless of its sex. The sequence of skills ... Read full story
 6/29/2007
Gender Issues: Training Geldings  *
By Ron MeredithPresident, Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre Years ago, I had a client with a 2-year-old Arabian colt that she wanted to keep as a breeding stallion. The colt was argumentative and constantly challenged anyone handling him. I got along with him fine but he was more horse than she could handle. She was scared to death of ... Read full story
 6/2/2007
Calculating the Equine Attention Span   *
Using operant conditioning, scientists have quantified horses' attention spans, and they have drawn some conclusions that could help horse trainers and owners better understand their charges and how they learn. The researchers at Switzerland's Université de Neuchâtel, with collaborators at Swizerland's Haras National d'Avenches and at France's Université ... Read full story
 4/28/2007
Let Nature Work it Out (Shy Stud Colt)  *
I desperately need some advice about my new colt. He is a 2½-year-old Gypsy Cob named Geordie. He was raised in a herd, then separated as a yearling colt, and ran with a colt herd until I imported him to Australia. He is naturally gentle and not aggressive. I've had him for two months and spend time with him in his paddock every day. His pasturemate ... Read full story
 4/1/2007
Herd Instincts: Sparring  *
My horse was seen biting another horse in the throat. They were up on their hind legs supposedly playing when all of a sudden my horse made a very unusual move, according to the witness, and bit the other horse in the throat. The other horse ran and hid. The next day my horse was put out with three other horses, and two came back in with throat bites. ... Read full story
 3/26/2007
Hormone and Drug Use in the Stallion  *
Many hormone and drug treatments could have a negative impact on the endocrine system, so it's best to avoid using them altogether in the breeding stallion. However, Sue M. McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB, of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine, said that there are some stallions and situations where carefully selected and ... Read full story
 2/1/2007
Orphans and Families  *
I wanted to share with you a horse behavior experience that I had after I lost my best broodmare. "Janet" died overnight on May 30, 2006, at age 22. She looked remarkably great for her age, so we were breeding her back to our stallion. She was living at the farm where the stallion stands. The farm owner said when he took Janet's body out of the pasture ... Read full story
 1/26/2007
What's Wrong? (Understanding Horses)  *
How do you tell if a horse has a physical, behavioral, or a training problem? Once you rule out a physical condition, are the other two options that different from one another? Andy Anderson, DVM, grew up training, riding, and showing horses on his father's ranch in Broken Arrow, Okla. He says he has learned much through the years from many people ... Read full story
 1/1/2007
Take Time to Analyze Bad Bit Manners  *
The average horse weighs at least five or six times the average human adult. So it doesn't take a rocket scientist to predict who's going to win if they get into a pulling contest. Humans who find themselves in pulling matches with their horses need to learn to use their brains rather than their brawn to solve the problem. Often, they're so busy ... Read full story
 12/24/2006
Stallion-like Behaviors  *
I castrated my gelding at 17 months (November 2005). A veterinarian with 35 years of experience showed me the epididymides. My mare had her first heat cycle in March (2006). He mounted and bred her as if he was a stallion. Every time she is in heat, he does this. He does not act "studdy" at any other time, and he is only like this when he's at pasture. ... Read full story
 12/1/2006
Book Excerpt: Left Behind  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by author and equine behavior specialist Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. I have two horses in my stable yard. One is a 20-year-old retired ex-chaser gelding and the other is a 12-year-old Arab gelding. They have been ... Read full story
 11/22/2006
Gelding Herding Mares  *
Is it possible to change a horse's aggressive behavior? Specifically, I am wondering if there is any information relating to reinforcement contingencies and transfer of learning from a "human-handled" situation to a free-running setting? The 15-year-old gelding in question (Sass) recently chased some other horses when he was turned out with them, ... Read full story
 11/1/2006
Book Excerpt: Trailer Lessons  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by author and equine behavior specialist Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. I've had my yearling filly all of her life. I trained her from week one to trailer load, and she was fine with getting in and out. However, this ... Read full story
 10/18/2006
Five Reasons Veterinarians Should Consider Behavior  *
Whether a horse's bizarre behavior is an indicator of a medical condition, vice versa, or he's just behaving badly, a veterinarian should consider a patient's behavior examining him, according to an article published in the September issue of the Equine Veterinary Journal. The article addressed five reasons veterinarians why: The owner's protection: ... Read full story
 10/15/2006
To Stall, or Not to Stall?   *
Stalling--is it the best way to house your horse, a necessary evil, or something that should be avoided? As it turns out, there is no answer that will apply to all horses. Stalling is a common practice that has been used in the horse industry for generations. People new to the horse industry, as well as many who have been involved in it for years, ... Read full story
 10/14/2006
Can Horses be Despooked? Upcoming Study to Investigate Fear Response  *
There is a lack of knowledge about the reaction of horses when they are frightened, but scientists at Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences are now attempting to do something about this. The knowledge acquired may be used to help prevent accidents when handling horses. The frisky and spirited colts in the field at Research Centre Foulum combine ... Read full story
 10/5/2006
Rearing and Flipping  *
We have a Quarter Horse mare whose mother was a bad flipper in the starting gate. She has two half-brothers that were also bad in the gate. All of these offspring were trained by different individuals. This spring, she had a filly that tried to flip over backward at 20 minutes of age when we tried to dip her navel. Her first reaction to anything she ... Read full story
 10/1/2006
Determining Personality in Horses  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by author and equine behavior specialist Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. My new horse--my first--is a 12-year-old Thoroughbred. I do not know all of her history, but I understand it has had its rough patches. She was ... Read full story
 9/27/2006
Book Excerpt: Being Alert  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Happy Trails by Les Sellnow. This book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. We've all heard trail riders say with pride: "My horse will go over or through anything." On the surface that sounds like the temperament you want. However, good temperament is a little more complicated and subtle. Yes, it just ... Read full story
 9/6/2006
Book Excerpt: Reactions to Other Species  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. This book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. This might be a bit off the wall, but I hope you can help. We have had horses here at our farm off and on over the years. Since all of the kids moved out and took their horses a couple ... Read full story
 8/30/2006
Book Excerpt: Can Horses Think Through Problems?  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. This book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. I am writing a paper in my agricultural ethics class on the treatment of horses, and one of my discussions deals with the equality of horses to humans. My roommate and I were debating ... Read full story
 8/16/2006
Equine Problem Behavior Research Survey Now Online  *
A veterinary behavior student at The University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine has posted a survey online to evaluate the frequency and prevalence of equine problem behaviors, and whether they are associated with different styles of housing, management, and interaction with humans or other equines. To take the survey, click ... Read full story
 8/2/2006
No Vertical Vision?  *
I follow Pat Parelli's training methodology. While doing the exercise of desensitizing my horse to a ball, I quickly realized that her focus never followed the ball over her head. If I rolled it at her feet, or played with the ball anywhere below her eye-level, she followed it. But, when I tossed it above her head, she never followed it up, and she ... Read full story
 8/1/2006
Trashing the Place  *
I think that somebody already asked about horses or maybe ponies that defecate in their water buckets. Why do some defecate onto the walls of the stall, pasting manure onto their tails, hindquarters, and all over walls? It makes a big mess that I have to clean up every day. via e-mail I'm not sure that all the reasons why some horses do this ... Read full story
 8/1/2006
Daily Hoof Washing?  *
I have heard horses should get their feet washed every day, and that this is called the natural moisturizing cycle for hooves. In the horses you have observed in the wild, do they wet their feet every day? If so, please explain how they do it? via e-mail Horses and ponies that I have observed living in natural environments do have wet feet a ... Read full story
 8/1/2006
Examining Equine Vocalizations  *
Horse owners know that a low-pitched nicker indicates friendly recognition, and an anxious call is a sign of stress. Now researchers are looking for a scientific link between the acoustic properties of equine communications and their possible meanings. David G. Browning, MS, of the University of Rhode Island’s Department of Physics, and Peter M. Scheifele, ... Read full story
 8/1/2006
Book Excerpt: A True Gelding?  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. It can be purchased at www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. I purchased my horse a year ago knowing he had some aggression problems. He is great around people, just not around other horses. Unfortunately, when he attacks, he goes for the throat ... Read full story
 7/19/2006
Book Excerpt: Understanding Equine Body Language   *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Care and Management of Horses by Heather Smith Thomas. This book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. When handling a horse, you are better prepared for his actions and reactions if you can interpret his body language, to know whether he is at ease with what you are doing, nervous, afraid, annoyed, or ... Read full story
 6/14/2006
Book Excerpt: Can Horses Be Carnivorous?  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by author and equine behavior specialist Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. While taking questions from the audience at a one-day behavior program in New Zealand this May, a well-respected horse owner and trainer described ... Read full story
 6/7/2006
Riding the Better Side of Bucking  *
Bucking is a misunderstood horse activity. Most people look at bucking as an ornery habit, something the horse does when he's trying to get out of work. Or when he just doesn't feel like cooperating at that moment for some reason or another. However, if you think about bucking as an activity drive that you can channel into behaviors you want instead ... Read full story
 6/7/2006
Horse Learning  *
In a web site advice column written by a veterinarian, he claimed that if a blacksmith trims or shoes a horse incorrectly so that the horse becomes lame within a couple of weeks of work, the horse will make the connection that the blacksmith was the cause of the lameness and will hate the blacksmith and refuse to pick up its feet for the blacksmith ... Read full story
 6/1/2006
Rolex Talk Highlights Performance Horse Issues  *
The 2006 Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event drew more than 90,000 equine enthusiasts to the Kentucky Horse Park, and Lexington's Hagyard Equine Medical Institute (HEMI) used the opportunity to educate horse owners on common health issues affecting the sport horse. Duncan Peters, DVM, MS, recently onboard as a member of HEMI's Sporthorse Division, presented ... Read full story
 5/3/2006
Book Excerpt: Temperament--Buying the Right Horse for the Trail  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Happy Trails by Les Sellnow. This book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. If you're going to enjoy trail riding, you need a horse with a good temperament. You may have the best-conformed horse in the world, with sound limbs and body, but that will matter little if the horse is mentally and emotionally ... Read full story
 5/2/2006
Superstition  *
I have a BS in animal science and am now taking graduate courses in animal behavior while working to save up for vet school. A topic we are discussing in class is comparative cognition in a psychology and neurobiology program. This has to do with what is known about the nervous system, perception, and learning across species. It covers species from ... Read full story
 5/1/2006
Book Excerpt: Unpredictable Fear   *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by author and equine behavior specialist Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. I have inherited a mare that no one wants because every once in a while she spooks and bolts, big time, without warning. No one has ever been able ... Read full story
 4/26/2006
Communicating With Horses   *
To work with horses successfully, we must be able to communicate adequately with voice, touch, and body language. The horseman must be sensitive and sympathetic, with an intuitive feel for what is right for that particular horse at that particular moment. Successful horse handling makes use of tact and persuasion, only using force when absolutely necessary. ... Read full story
 4/12/2006
Sexual Misbehavior Vaccine?   *
I am looking into ways to settle down a colt that is showing full-blown sexual interest already at a 1 1/2 years of age. He's just too much for us to handle, but we are not ready to geld him. If you try to correct him when he's all excited, he rears and turns toward you and almost mounts you. I'm not sure if he's just playing with us like colts do ... Read full story
 4/1/2006
Book Excerpt: Rushing a Mare  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by author and equine behavior specialist Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. I'm a veterinarian asking this question on behalf of clients who are standing a stallion at stud. The stallion isn't new to breeding or to this ... Read full story
 3/15/2006
Horses and Wild Animals  *
Throughout their existence, horses have been prey animals. Predators have been pursuing and feasting on them for eons, and they continue doing so today, despite the fact that domestication of the horse and the spread of civilization in general have decreased the range of both hunter and hunted. Yet in a manner of speaking, there are more predators ... Read full story
 3/1/2006
Book Excerpt: Bickering Minis  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by author and equine behavior specialist Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. Within the past three weeks we have purchased our second miniature horse, a 10-year-old mare in foal. When the mare arrived at our farm, we assumed ... Read full story
 2/22/2006
AAEP Convention 2005: Physical, Psychological, or Both?  *
When your horse's behavior changes, you wonder what caused the change--did he start kicking his stall because he is in pain, or just because he hates his new stablemate? Behavior changes can stem from physical problems, psychological ones, or a combination of the two. Figuring out which is the real culprit was the focus of a presentation by Sue McDonnell, ... Read full story
 2/17/2006
AAEP Convention 2005: Equine Learning Ability  *
"Until recently, horses have been estimated to have average intelligence at best," said Evelyn B. Hanggi, MS, PhD, president and, along with Jerry Ingersoll, co-founder of the Equine Research Foundation (ERF) in Aptos, Calif., during her review of literature on equine cognition and perception at the 2005 American Association of Equine Practitioners ... Read full story
 2/17/2006
Why Veterinarians Get Kicked  *
It comes as no surprise that a Swiss study of kick injuries to veterinarians found that the risk of injury to veterinarians treating horses is highest when performing painful procedures on the horse. In the study, Sabina Jaeggin, assistant at the Vetsuisse Fakulty in Zurich, described completed questionnaires from 216 Swiss veterinarians. The questionnaires ... Read full story
 2/1/2006
Book Excerpt: Rude for Food  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by author and equine behavior specialist Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. My yearling colt came from a place where he was kept with a group of yearlings. All were fed their grain in buckets along a fence line, with the ... Read full story
 1/4/2006
Book Excerpt: Can't Be Caught  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by author and equine behavior specialist Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. I am so frustrated with my miniature Shetland pony gelding, Popcorn. In his pasture, we just can’t catch him. It takes me, my parents, and any other ... Read full story
 12/6/2005
Licking/Chewing=Learning?   *
I'm studying for an MSc in Equine Science and am researching equine behavior. Having studied scientific literature, including your catalog of horse behavior (The Equid Ethogram, A Practical Field Guide to Horse Behavior), I cannot find any reports or descriptions of "licking and chewing" while head lowered in feral or domestic herds. My queries are ... Read full story
 12/1/2005
Book Excerpt: Snapping Pony  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by author and equine behavior specialist Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. We’ve been raising a Welsh pony for the kids. At about nine months of age, he started with constant nipping at your arm and the lead shank, kind ... Read full story
 11/23/2005
Horse Personality Researcher Seeks Subjects  *
An English researcher wants to provide a reliable and accurate way of identifying the personality of individual horses. Adele Lloyd, MSc, a Moulton College research associate based in Northampton (Central England), wants to study whether a horse' or pony' personality and temperament is determined by its breed. It is hoped that the results of this research ... Read full story
 11/15/2005
Book Excerpt: Fear of Cows  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by author and equine behavior specialist Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. My horse is a 16.3-hand seven-year-old Thoroughbred off the track. His history is largely unknown. My problem is that in the five months I’ve had ... Read full story
 11/9/2005
Keeping Horses in Harems   *
I am a veterinarian in Atlanta with a special interest in behavior. I also own and raise Arabian horses. I have a 2 1/2-year-old stallion, and I would like to keep him in a harem situation. He is now pastured with another gelding and is quite socialized to other horses. Recently, he bred a very experienced older broodmare, who did a great job "patiently ... Read full story
 11/1/2005
Kicking Problems   *
My horse constantly kicks his stall, and in the pasture he's very rough with other horses, biting and kicking them. How can I stop this behavior? Jess; Boulder, Colo. There are many possible causes of the behavior you describe. It would take a more detailed history to comment specifically on your horse, but I can make some general comments ... Read full story
 11/1/2005
Stay! Good Boy!  *
Tying a horse is such a basic part of owning a horse that many of us take it for granted. But if you have a horse that won't stand nicely while tied, or if you're training a youngster to tie, then you've probably realized this is as much a learned skill as, say, sidepassing or spinning. Maybe more so, since standing tied to a solid object is not something ... Read full story
 11/1/2005
Book Excerpt: Rolling in Dirt  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by author and equine behavior specialist Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. Almost every time we let our horses out of the stalls after feeding them, they roll in the dirt, dust, or mud. Why? ... Read full story
 10/26/2005
Book Excerpt: Water Bucket Blues  *
Editor's Note: This is from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. Out of seven horses here, I have five with water bucket issues in stalls, and it’s getting on my nerves. Our Morgan pony paws at his water bucket and spills out most of the water, no matter how ... Read full story
 10/12/2005
Deliberate Abuse?   *
I hope you remember me from psychology graduate school back in the early '80s. Time flies. Anyway, I still have horses and enjoy your contributions on behavior to The Horse magazine and web site. Sometimes I wish I had gone into horse or dog behavior, but I am enjoying work as a clinical psychologist and enjoying horses for a diversion. I've been starting ... Read full story
 10/1/2005
Book Excerpt: Drinking Water Temperature  *
Editor's Note: This is from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. A few years ago I read an article describing research done at New Bolton Center on drinking behavior. It said that the research showed that in winter, horses prefer to drink warm water rather ... Read full story
 9/28/2005
Transportation Trio: Runny Nose and Cough  *
Every time we trailer our horse, he arrives with a cough and runny nose. Our vet has suggested that he is sensitive to the dust from bedding in the trailer or bits of hay from the hay net bouncing around in front of his nose. It has been suggested that we should stop using a hay net and bedding in the trailer for him. But he travels much better with ... Read full story
 9/1/2005
Ear-ly Warning Systems   *
Because we rarely encounter problems with our horses' ears, we often take them for granted. The equine ear, however, is an indispensable communication tool. A horse's acute sense of hearing allows him to detect danger, communicate with other horses, and respond to his handler's vocal cues. Even the direction of a horse's ears imparts a world of information. ... Read full story
 9/1/2005
Won't Cross Railroad Tracks  *
Editor's Note: This is from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. I have been enjoying a new horse for a couple of years. He is just great about everything, except crossing railroad tracks. It’s so frustrating. He just will not cross. I have tried getting off ... Read full story
 8/24/2005
Eating Poop  *
Our first foal is 10 days old and has already been spotted eating manure. We have accepted the fact that eating manure is normal foal behavior and are trying to ignore it. A quick question: When should he get over this behavior? via e-mail Coprophagy, as it is called, is most commonly seen in foals from a week or two of age to a month or two ... Read full story
 8/1/2005
Barn Aversion  *
Our elderly Connemara gelding was unfortunately exposed in his stable to multiple bee stings on more than one occasion over a period of two weeks before the problem was figured out and fixed. He used to be very calm and content in the stable, but since the bee stings, he is a neurotic mess. He hates going into the stable. Whenever he's inside, he circles ... Read full story
 8/1/2005
Horses Still Learn While Tranquilized   *
You can teach a tranquilized horse, concluded Samantha Griffith, a graduate student in the Department of Animal Science at Auburn University, in a study she presented at the Equine Science Society Symposium May 31-June 3 in Tucson, Ariz. She found that horses tranquilized with acepromazine maleate, or Ace, perform similarly to non-tranquilized horses ... Read full story
 8/1/2005
Physical vs. Psychological Issues  *
Editor's Note: This is from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by author and equine behavior specialist Sue McDonnell, PhD. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. The Problem A little over two years ago, we acquired a lovely Irish Draught mare, Colleen, from neighbors who were retiring and selling their place. This mare had been ... Read full story
 7/27/2005
Gelding Grouch  *
Editor's Note: This is from Understanding Your Horse's Behavior by author and equine behavior specialist Sue McDonnell, PhD. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. The Problem Over the last few months, my horse has changed from a steady, reliable, and willing friend to a miserable grouch. He's an 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding that ... Read full story
 7/19/2005
Finding a Stallion Handler   *
We have expanded our semen collection/shipping facility, so we can now keep up to eight stallions in residence and accommodate local stallions trailering in just for semen collection as needed through the season. In the past we have depended upon stallion owners to handle their own stallions for collection. If we had to, one of us would step in to ... Read full story
 6/1/2005
Is My Horse Psychotic?   *
I bought my gelding as a stallion from a local sulky racetrack a year ago (where he never got out of his stall except for training). He had just turned three and was very excitable, so we had him gelded. After several months, he seemed to calm down. He has become very attached to my husband and me, but he has behavioral problems. First, he was scared ... Read full story
 5/1/2005
Happy Trails Selected as 2004 Book of the Year Finalist   *
Happy Trails: Your Complete Guide to Fun and Safe Trail Riding has been selected as a ForeWord Magazine 2004 Book of the Year Award finalist in the Adventure & Recreation category. Written by longtime journalist and horseman Les Sellnow and published by Eclipse Press, a division of Blood-Horse Publications, Happy Trails: Your Complete Guide to ... Read full story
 4/13/2005
Police Horses: Taking It to the Streets   *
Bands march past with trumpets blaring and drums banging, and the horse hardly twitches an ear. A mother pushes her baby stroller under the neck of the horse unknowingly while asking for directions, and the horse merely glances down, never moving his feet. Trucks whiz past the horse, inches from his hindquarters, and he appears uninterested. Protestors ... Read full story
 3/3/2005
AAEP Convention 2004 Wrap-Up: The Grab Bag   *
Stopping Equine Aggression With An Electronic Collar "Aggressive behavior in horses is expensive," said Michelle A. Kennedy, DVM, a private practitioner in Delta, Colo. Veterinary expense, property damage, loss of use of affected horses, and the emotional cost associated with the death of an animal if injured severely during an aggressive act all ... Read full story
 3/3/2005
Stallion Washing Aversion   *
My husband and I run a business of shipping semen from a few stallions that we board. We have some started ourselves, and some have started elsewhere. Most of them do really well with our simple collection routine. We bring them to the breeding barn, tease a little, wash them, tease a little more, then mount a dummy. Over the years, we have had a couple ... Read full story
 3/1/2005
AAEP Convention 2004: Stopping Aggression Problems With an Equine Shock Collar  *
"Aggressive behavior in horses is expensive," said Michelle A. Kennedy, DVM, a private practitioner in Delta, Colo. Veterinary expense, property damage, loss of use of affected horses, and the emotional cost associated with the death of an animal if injured severely during an aggressive act all demand a reliable way to change this behavior in the horse. ... Read full story
 2/14/2005
Horse Behavior and Women's Reproductive Cycles   *
Do horses (stallions) respond to women's reproductive cycles? I work with a group of stallions, and some days they seem more interested in me. They come right up to me and seem to sniff at me. Could it be in response to my period or to ovulation? Robin This is a very common question. Women sometimes ask if it is safe to be around ... Read full story
 2/1/2005
Breeding Your Stallion On Cue  *
Our stallion has a great pedigree, and we have kept him intact hoping he could eventually become a breeding stallion. We’ve put a lot of effort into getting him to show well enough to be worth breeding. He has always done really well except for periodic distractions by mares that cause him to lose it at just the wrong moment. Since he was two, he has ... Read full story
 1/1/2005
General Social Organization of Equids  *
Editor's Note: This excerpt is from The Equid Ethogram--A Practical Field Guide to Horse Behavior by Sue McDonnell, PhD. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com All of the equid species remaining today can be divided into two general types of social organization: territorial breeders or harem breeders. The horses, their primitive living ... Read full story
 12/22/2004
Nutritional Link to Equine Behavior  *
Today's equine management practices can be a recipe for disaster. For a horse, stall life and two meals a day might be like living in a prison, and that lifestyle might contribute to delinquencies and health problems in horses. "These meals often contain a large soluble carbohydrate component and a low fiber component which allow the horse to consume ... Read full story
 12/1/2004
Sleeping Patterns  *
I think my 11-year-old mare isn't getting enough sleep. My mother and I have seen her start to fall asleep in her paddock and in her stall during the day. Her eyes begin to close, her lower lip hangs loose, and her head slowly lowers. When it gets down near her chest, she violently flings it up to wake herself. Sometimes she won't catch herself in ... Read full story
 12/1/2004
Seven Deadly Sins  *
No matter a horse's talent, if he consistently engages in difficult, damaging, or dangerous behavior, he risks being found guilty of being a "problem horse." He then will serve time wearing uncomfortable devices designed to break or hinder an unacceptable behavior, being handed corporal punishment by a frustrated handler, or being given capital punishment ... Read full story
 12/1/2004
From Novice to Advanced: Tips for Stallion Handlers  *
Even though we think a stallion should know his business in the breeding shed, that is not always the case at the beginning. "Starting a novice breeding stallion can range from a quick and easy project accomplished in a few brief sessions to a challenging and time-consuming effort over many sessions and even a few weeks," says Sue McDonnell, PhD, a ... Read full story
 11/16/2004
Using the Twitch Properly   *
I attended a short course on horse behavior at New Bolton Center where you explained how a twitch works and your recommendations for how to use it most effectively. It seemed to make so much sense why sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, and especially why horses can get to hate the twitch. Can you describe that in your column in The Horse ... Read full story
 11/1/2004
Breaking A Young Horse   *
My husband and I recently broke my 3-year-old mare to ride. The first few times she rode like a dream, then she caught on to the idea that when we catch her, she has to work, and she has gotten a bad attitude. Her new antics include bucking. I've been bucked completely off twice and the other times I managed to stay on. The times I went off I always ... Read full story
 10/1/2004
Water Crossing   *
How can I get my horse to cross through water when I'm riding him on trail? He refuses to even get his feet wet. via e-mail For horses that are afraid of crossing water, the most effective approach I know is to pasture them with a stream. The stream will change over the course of a year and get them used to crossing various depths ... Read full story
 10/1/2004
Temperament: Buying the Right Horse for the Trail  *
Editor's Note: This is Chapter 8 of Happy Trails: Your Complete Guide to Fun and Safe Trail Riding by veteran author and horseman Les Sellnow. The book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. If you're going to enjoy trail riding, you need a horse with a good temperament. You may have the best-conformed horse in the world, with sound limbs and ... Read full story
 9/8/2004
Bonding With a Trail Buddy   *
I took my best trail and traveling horse, a 7-year-old Tennessee Walking horse gelding (gelded at age five), on a trail ride recently. He has been on other trips of similar distance and length of stay and has always been great in groups, even very large ones. He is very tolerant of other horses around him. On this trip, my friend took her well-behaved ... Read full story
 8/1/2004
What's In a Yawn?   *
My pony yawns (sometimes several times in a row) after I stop to give him a treat or when he comes out for a walk. I have heard this means a horse is stressed, but it always seems to happen along with pleasant things that he likes. What's the truth about yawning? Heather ANNE EBERHARDT Even though stress or pain can play ... Read full story
 8/1/2004
Arizona Horse Attack Mystery Solved   *
The necks of more than 20 horses were mysteriously slashed near their jugular veins at Tanque Verde Guest Ranch in Tucson, Ariz., beginning in July, 2003. The attacks launched an investigation, and concern about area horses' safety erupted. Tucson law officials recently discovered the culprit wasn't a criminal, but a pasturemate of the victims. Dawn ... Read full story
 8/1/2004
Sleep-Crashing   *
In any of the equine behavior literature that I have read, I am unable to find any description of the sleeping behavior we see in our retired broodmare (17 years old). She has functioned as the watch horse in the small herd she was from, and she now is retired at our two-horse farm and continues to maintain that role. She is rarely seen lying down, ... Read full story
 7/1/2004
Why is She So Grumpy?  *
Why does my 2-year-old pin her ears all the time (i.e., if you touch her, mount her, walk in her stall), but she doesn't kick or bite and seems to like attention? via e-mail ANNE EBERHARDTThere can be many reasons, but the ears back means that she is uncomfortable, and depending upon the ear position and the situation, ... Read full story
 6/1/2004
Blind and Restless  *
My 19-year-old horse is 95% blind, and when he's not eating or sleeping he walks in circles. What can I do to stop or minimize this behavior? via e-mail You certainly would want to have this horse evaluated by a veterinarian to be sure he can walk in a straight line, and to get an opinion on why he is blind and on what his quality of life might ... Read full story
 6/1/2004
Get a Vet!  *
When I ride my 24-year-old Arabian mare Western, she tends to want to pick up the pace and wants to look around. How can I get her to slow down and stay focused? She gets stiff and starts to limp on her left hind leg when I am riding her. Another thing she does is pee constantly when I am riding her, but it isn't pee that comes out, it's blood. Can ... Read full story
 6/1/2004
Don't Leave Me Alone!  *
Why do some horses not like having their buddies taken out of their pen when they have to stay in? Katy The ancestors of our domestic horses were open plains grazing animals, for whom the strategy for survival from predation is "safety in numbers," and "never be caught alone." Just as our horses have inherited their beautiful bodies and ability ... Read full story
 6/1/2004
Rock Hard Ten Goes to Gate School  *
(from Belmont Park notes) In the Preakness on May 15, Rock Hard Ten, a huge colt, was especially conspicuous. As the last horse loaded into the gate at Pimlico, Rock Hard Ten had the attention of the racing world and NBC's national audience as he kicked, balked and fought his way into finally settling in the starting gate. After he ran second in ... Read full story
 5/25/2004
Play Invitation   *
We have been struggling with a very particular behavior problem with a young colt. From birth, he's been a strong and athletic rascal, and has been "full of himself," with the usual colt behavior tendencies. We have dealt successfully with all the nippiness and rearing when leading him and turning him out, etc. He has occasional relapses, but we feel ... Read full story
 5/1/2004
Smart Horse: Understanding the Science of Natural Horsemanship  *
From CHAPTER 3: LEARNING AND REINFORCEMENT When we say that a horse has learned something, we are really saying that we have increased the likelihood that he will perform a particular action in response to a particular stimulus. However, a horse always has the choice of whether to perform a learned behavior because he still has free will. Therefore, ... Read full story
 4/2/2004
Foals and Geldings  *
My 12-year-old daughter's 9-year-old Welsh Pony gelding (named Taffy) was moved to a new stable about eight weeks ago. Six weeks after the move, Taffy was introduced to the mares and allowed to graze and socialize with them. Since four of the 16 mares had two- to four-month-old foals, we were more than a little nervous that the mares would not take ... Read full story
 4/1/2004
Trails, Trips, and Traveling With Horses   *
There was a time when trail riding was pretty much confined to where one lived. The choices might include a country road or a ditch along a busy highway. That, however, is in the past. Powerful trucks and sophisticated trailers have opened endless windows of opportunity for the horse owner who wants to travel. However, there is more to it than just ... Read full story
 4/1/2004
Bereavement Leave?  *
I have two horses in my stable yard. One is a 20-year-old retired ex-chaser gelding and the other is a 12-year-old Arab gelding. They have been together for seven years, six of which were spent living on a small yard with just the two of them and no other horses visible or visiting. Obviously they are very attached to one another, and as they are both ... Read full story
 3/1/2004
Police Horse Diary 02/10/04  *
Will spring ever come? I don’t know about where you live, but I’m tired of cold weather, frozen water tanks, and frozen ground that then turns into a muddy quagmire the few days it gets above freezing. This hasn’t made for good training for the young police horses. They’re growing. Fast. I’m going to try and take them this weekend to get weighed. ... Read full story
 2/10/2004
Regumate to Control Stud Behavior?
Q: My yearling stallion has begun his show career in longe line classes. He is beginning to lose concentration and act "studdy" at shows. It was suggested that I put him on Regumate to help control this behavior (as an alternative to gelding). What are the pros and cons? Jennifer A: Altrenogest (brand name Regumate) is a synthetic progestin ... Read full story
 2/1/2004
Police Horse Diary   *
Click here for Kim's reports This diary will be a new undertaking for TheHorse.com, and we hope you'll share your comments and questions as we guide the educational process of these weanlings. The goal is to work with a curriculum developed by Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist Sue McDonnell, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton ... Read full story
 1/6/2004
Excessive Girthiness
Q: I start young Thoroughbreds for racing, and occasionally I work with a horse that gets really "girthy." Some even get to the point of falling down, and others get a hump in their backs as if they are going to explode. Can you tell me why this happens, what it is called, and what I can do to prevent it? Vale A: We see two distinct responses ... Read full story
 1/1/2004
Fear of Cows  *
My horse is a 16.3-hand 7-year-old off-track Thoroughbred. His history is largely unknown. My problem is that in the five months I've had him at a boarding stable, he hasn't gotten over his fear of cows and their field, which is about 10 feet away from the indoor arena and the outdoor ring. He'll simply refuse to go past, spin, back up, anything. Even ... Read full story
 1/1/2004
Mare Aggression  *
I've owned a Paint mare for a year. She has a history of aggressive behavior toward geldings, i.e., will kick out when they're close, but gets along well with other mares. When I am with her in her stall, she becomes very aggressive toward geldings outside by biting the bars and kicking the wall. She always checks to see where I am in the stall first ... Read full story
 1/1/2004
Police Horse Diary: 11/13/03  *
My apologies for the prolonged interim between entries. Family medical and other emergencies (drunk driver demolishes grandmother's attached garage with full-size pick-up truck) took away from writing time. The boys are really growing, but there has been a medical mystery. Seems Conan did have an abscess, or at least a deep muscle bruise that might ... Read full story
 11/13/2003
Picking a Children's Pony  *
One of the fondest memories I have as a very young child is hugging and brushing a pony that our neighbors had, and I had always wanted to have one of my own. Our daughter is 3 1/2 years old and we are expecting our second child, a boy, in February. I would really like to get a pony as a family Christmas present. We have had conflicting advice, mostly ... Read full story
 11/1/2003
Understanding Male Aggression   *
I purchased my horse a year ago knowing he had some aggression problems. He is great around people, just not around other horses. Unfortunately, when he attacks, he goes for the throat just behind the jaw line. He refuses to let go at times, causing severe swelling. It's odd he doesn't kick or bite anywhere else. I keep him at a private facility where ... Read full story
 10/1/2003
Wild about Behavior  *
Why does my stallion not perform as eagerly in the breeding shed as in the past? Why does my mare's ground behavior become nearly unbearable during estrus? Is there a reason that my gelding isn't moving along as easily in his training as other horses I've worked with in the past? What can be done about each situation? These are all questions that a ... Read full story
 9/1/2003
Slow-Starting Stallion   *
We just started using a 3-year-old Quarter Horse stallion for breeding. He is sort of interested and will rub his head on the mare a bit, but he drops about half-way, then up, down, up, down. He doesn't seem shy or anxious, just lazy, like a gelding. Sometimes he'll just stand for a long time, even with his head in the mare's tail, or he'll ditz around ... Read full story
 7/1/2003
Effects of Imprinting   *
Results of Texas A&M University's research into imprinting's effects on six-month-old foals conclude that neither the frequency of imprinting sessions nor their timing after birth influenced foals' later behavior. Some veterinarians disagree with the findings. The study, published in the Equine Veterinary Journal, was conducted by Jennifer L. ... Read full story
 7/1/2003
What Makes a Horse Yawn?
Q: I would like to know what makes a horse do his mouth like he is yawning. Does this help the horse get lots of air in his lungs like with people? Is it a sign of anything in particular? via e-mail A: Unfortunately, there is no simple answer that explains why a horse "yawns." There are some veterinary medical professionals that firmly believe ... Read full story
 6/1/2003
Follow-Up: Carnivorous Horses   *
Last October, we shared letters from three readers describing horses killing and/or eating small mammals and birds (see "Carnivous Horses," article #3832 at www.TheHorse.com). We asked for reader response, and I agreed to contact experts in equine nutrition, behavior, and husbandry from around the world for their comments on the topic. All told, through ... Read full story
 5/1/2003
Heritability of Behavior   *
One of the most complex and least-studied subjects involving the horse is heritability of behavior. Do horses truly inherit behavioral traits, or do these traits simply come into being as the result of environmental factors and influences? There are a couple of reasons why there are few learned answers to this question. First, it is a complex issue ... Read full story
 5/1/2003
Trailer Resistance   *
I've had my yearling filly all of her life. I trained her from week one to trailer load, and she was fine with getting in and out. However, this was with a four-horse slant load trailer that steps up. Now I need to load her into a two-horse trailer with a ramp and a divider. When I tried to load her into the two-horse trailer, she would not load and ... Read full story
 3/1/2003
Federal Funds to Support Animal Health and Disease Research  *
According to an Associated Press story on bloodhorse.com, The University of Kentucky (UK) will receive $11.36 million in funding in the current federal budget, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell said Monday. Some of the funds will be spent on research into animal health and diseases, such as mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS). Of the funding, $5.86 million ... Read full story
 2/19/2003
AAEP Convention: Ground Handling the Problem Horse  *
Every veterinarian has had an equine client (or three) that resisted treatment and often a nightmarish story to go along with it. Compliant patients allow for safer and more efficient veterinary practices, so the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) teamed up with the American Quarter Horse Association at the AAEP convention to offer ... Read full story
 2/3/2003
Keeping a Stallion With a Foaling Mare, or Mares  *
We have a mare and stallion together in a pasture. We borrowed a stallion in August just to breed this mare. They have been together since then, and we just had the mare checked for the first time since they were together and found out that the mare is pregnant. Of course, we can't be sure when the foal is due. We also just learned that the stallion's ... Read full story
 12/1/2002
Fly Masks  *
When I am bringing fly-masked horses in from the field, I feel insecure, as if it's hard to tell what they are doing. I always feel better when fall comes and the masks come off. I've talked to other people who feel the same way. Do you know if fly masks affect the behavior of horses or how they interact with one another? Angie I enjoyed your question. ... Read full story
 11/1/2002
Carnivorous Horses   *
While taking questions from the audience at a one-day behavior program in New Zealand this May, a well-respected horse owner and trainer described behavior she had recently witnessed in a horse involving a scenario I had never heard or thought about. None of the 200 or so horse owners in the audience had either. Then within a month, The Horse magazine ... Read full story
 10/1/2002
Behavior Symposium will Feature Natural Horsemanship  *
Horse owners will have the chance to saddle up alongside Robert M. Miller DVM, to experience the Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort's "Natural Horsemanship" symposium offered Nov. 17-20, 2002. The event is designed to introduce equine enthusiasts to the art of equine behavior in the unique atmosphere of an equestrian resort. Miller, a world-renowned lecturer, ... Read full story
 9/6/2002
Stallion Mounting Behavior   *
I'm a veterinarian asking this question on behalf of clients who are standing a stallion at stud. The stallion isn't new to breeding or to this farm; he's in his third or fourth breeding season. He normally breeds eagerly, without hesitation. Recently, he's been doing something unusual just with one particular mare. He seems interested in this mare, ... Read full story
 9/1/2002
Horse Behavior and Welfare Conference   *
A recent gathering of equine behavior and welfare specialists in Holar, Northern Iceland, gave scientists from around the world the opportunity to present their work and review the science underpinning management practices on the horse. The workshop, which featured expertise spanning five decades of research, was sponsored by the Dorothy Russell Havemeyer ... Read full story
 9/1/2002
Separating Mare and Foal for Work   *
A young breeder asked me if she could take a mare from her foal for one hour every day. That young breeder would like to ride the mare; therefore she'll leave the foal in the box. I am not a fan of that. I told her that it would be a significant daily stress for the mare and her foal. Am I right? Kate This is a great question that we haven't ... Read full story
 8/1/2002
Parelli Pennings  *
July 5, 2002 The final day. In the morning we have a trail ride planned, and if it doesn’t rain in the afternoon, we’ll have a chance to play with cattle. Everyone wants to play with the cattle, but we also know that the drought and fires in Colorado need rain, so we are hoping for some of the wet stuff. We had a chance to sleep in a bit this ... Read full story
 7/8/2002
It's In the Attitude  *
Man has been linked to the horse for centuries, but often in the past, it was more of an adversary relationship than a partnership. In recent years, that has changed for many horse owners. Thanks to the efforts of equine behaviorists at the scientific level and a new and enlightened approach by many trainers and clinicians at the practical level, the ... Read full story
 7/1/2002
Determining Personality   *
My new horse--my first--is a 12-year-old Thoroughbred. I do not know all of her history, but I understand it has had its rough patches. She was one of a group of underfed broodmares rescued from an abusive owner. Fortunately, she was in two good homes before she came to me. She was very quiet and withdrawn when I purchased her, but now she is blossoming ... Read full story
 7/1/2002
Anti-Social Behavior  *
I am looking for some guidance on a horse I'd like to buy. He is an ex-racehorse, about eight years old, with no information on his history--not even a name. The problem is that he kicks at other horses when ridden. He kicks violently with both back feet or one at a time. It happens when we are stopped or walking slowly. I would like to do dressage ... Read full story
 6/1/2002
Overly Social Behavior?  *
Why does my son's mare seem interested in another mare in a bordering pasture? --via e-mail Without further information, I can offer explanations for a couple of likely scenarios. If the mare is just buddying up with another mare along a common fence line, it could simply be social behavior. Some pairs just have an affinity for one another; they ... Read full story
 6/1/2002
Horse Sense Used in Making Animated Film  *
Most horse owners cringe when they see non-horse people trying to present equines to the public based on what they think they know. At DreamWorks, which is releasing the animated film Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron on May 24, animators and those involved with the full-length film were taught about the reality of horses, from behavior to anatomy and ... Read full story
 5/14/2002
Don't You Stick Your Tongue Out at Me!
My 5-year-old Thoroughbred mare sticks her tongue out when I ride her, especially when asked to accept the bit or to go "on the bit." I have had an equine dentist examine and float her teeth, and I have tried different bits. I have worked on getting her to stop by saying "no tongue." She puts her tongue back, but eventually it comes back out. She ... Read full story
 5/1/2002
Is He Sore, or Misbehaving?   *
Over the last few months, my horse has changed from a steady, reliable, and willing friend to a miserable grouch. He's an 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding that I have owned and used just for pleasure since he was seven years old, and I knew him for a couple of years before I bought him. He used to be the kind of horse that seemed happy to see you whether ... Read full story
 5/1/2002
Restricting Grazing  *
There are some food needs that just can't be argued against: 1) Humans need popcorn plus a cola at the movies; 2) Women need chocolate anytime; 3) Horses need forage at all times. While these combinations aren't equal in terms of supplying nutritional value, we know as humans that life certainly can be more satisfying when we have our treats. And we ... Read full story
 4/1/2002
Foal Elimination Behavior   *
I am doing a poster report for our middle school science fair this year on foals. I am working on the part about what they can do at each hour and each day after they are born. I read somewhere that it takes a couple of days for a foal to learn how to go to the bathroom. The book said that when a foal is standing like he wants to go, that's when he's ... Read full story
 3/1/2002
Reactions to Other Species   *
This might be a bit off the wall, but I hope you can help. We have had horses here at our farm off and on over the years. Since all of the kids moved out and took their horses a couple of years ago, our barn has been empty. Just recently we decided to offer stalls and pasture to boarders. When our first potential clients stopped by to check out the ... Read full story
 2/1/2002
Does Feeding Affect Behavior?   *
Next time you visit your local feed and tack store, peruse the horse supplement section. Chances are you will find at least one that claims to have a "calming" effect on horses. Whether or not these supplements live up to these claims is debatable, but what is clear is that behavioral problems are of prime concern to owners, and they are more than ... Read full story
 1/1/2002
How Smart is He? The Thinking Horse  *
I am writing a paper in my agricultural ethics class on the treatment of horses, and one of my discussions deals with the equality of horses to humans. My roommate and I were debating if horses have the capability to think through a problem -- something like unlatching a gate. I’m having trouble finding research on this specific problem. Do you know ... Read full story
 12/1/2001
Stallion Sexual Behavior: When Is He Mature?   *
How young is too young to breed a colt? We have a coming 2-year-old who acts like he is ready to breed. We don't have any horses to breed to him, but the question came up for discussion last night among a group of guys. This colt was out there showing his stuff along the fence near the fillies. Among us we had strong opinions about how young horses ... Read full story
 11/1/2001
Mating Mares Q&A  *
Readers ask questions of equine reproduction experts Earlier this year, The Horse made a request to its Horse Health E-Newsletter subscribers: What questions do you have for specialists about breeding your mares? Our e-mail boxes were flooded with replies. After narrowing questions down to several themes to be featured in this article, the questions ... Read full story
 11/1/2001
Foal Rejection  *
Your prized mare has just given birth to her first, long-awaited foal. The whole family and several of your friends have stayed awake to watch the event. The new filly foal appears healthy and strong as she quickly begins her attempts to stand. The foal, after several spectacular crashes, finally makes it to her feet. As flashbulbs go off, your mare ... Read full story
 10/11/2001
Maternal Behavior  *
"She can go from sweetheart to witch in a split second," is often an apt description for a broodmare with foal at side, or, in some cases, a mare which is approaching parturition. Maternal behavior in mares can range all the way from being a totally lackadaisical new mother to turning savage when she perceives that her foal is threatened. As most owners ... Read full story
 10/11/2001
More on Panic Attacks  *
Readers Respond August's Behavior column (article #914) sparked heated debate about euthanasia for horses with incurable panic attacks. This month we feature two readers' responses and the author's comments. It was a huge relief to have this topic discussed so directly. My colt has had panic attacks since birth, despite my working with him just ... Read full story
 10/1/2001
Are You My Mother?: Maternal Behavior  *
Anyone who has witnessed a foal's first few minutes in this world might agree that one of the most miraculous parts of the process is the way a mare greets and bonds with her newborn. With a deep sniff at the baby's nostrils, that distinctive deep "chuckling" nicker (answered by the foal's higher-pitched response), and some broad strokes of her tongue ... Read full story
 9/12/2001
Translating Equine Body Language  *
Horses have two basic forms of communication--vocal and body language. The more sophisticated of the two by far is body language. With a mere look, a flick of the ears, or a turn of the head, horses can communicate to each other and to us, if we learn to understand their body language. Horses learn these communications skills from birth, but humans ... Read full story
 9/1/2001
Unpredictable Fear  *
I have inherited a mare that no one wants because every once in a while she spooks and bolts, big time, without warning. No one has ever been able to figure out for sure what sets her off. But she can go from normal one second to a serious panic the next. She spooks and takes off like she was shocked or stung by a bee. It can happen any time, even ... Read full story
 8/1/2001
Herd Bound Horses  *
I was wondering if you could help me. For a friend, I look after a 15.3-hand mare who is six years old. The horse had a fairly bad start in life as she was first abandoned in a stable, then in a field. She has luxating patellas in both hind legs and gets distressed if left for long periods in a stable as her legs continually lock up. For this reason, ... Read full story
 7/1/2001
Manure Eating in Adult Horse
We have a seven-year-old draft cross gelding who was treated for Lyme disease in October of 2000 with 8 grams of doxycycline (a broad-spectrum tetracycline antibiotic) twice daily for three weeks. Since that time, and not previously, we have witnessed him eating fresh manure of his pasture mates. We presumed that daily probiotics (Accel) would restore ... Read full story
 7/1/2001
Rushing Out of Trailers  *
One of our horses has a problem with unloading from a trailer. He bolts out of the back as soon as we start to open the back gate, often before we can undo the butt bar. He has done this since we got him over a year ago. He loads and rides great, but just scurries or explodes out backwards. We can't figure out why he does this. He is a really nice ... Read full story
 6/1/2001
Naughty Or Natural?  *
I have a little problem with my horse. My uncle is a veterinarian. He knows the behavior happens in other horses, too. He suggested that I tell you about the problem and see if you have ever seen such a rude habit and if you know whether it can be fixed. This is the situation. My horse lives at a stable for old horses, not at our house. Our family ... Read full story
 6/1/2001
Physical or Psychological?  *
A little over two years ago, we acquired a lovely Irish Draught mare, Colleen, from neighbors who were retiring and selling their place. This mare had been their family pleasure horse for many years. After their kids outgrew her, Colleen became a trusted loaner horse shared and passed among families here in our little valley. The plan was that she ... Read full story
 6/1/2001
Mare Savages Foal  *
We run a small operation where we foal out about a dozen broodmares each year, mostly Arabians and Quarter Horses. Last spring, one of our maiden mares attacked her foal. It was a filly which was born with no problems. For the first couple of days the mare was great; the foal nursed and seemed perfectly normal. All of a sudden on the third day, the ... Read full story
 6/1/2001
One-Horse Property?  *
I am in the process of relocating from Indiana to Pennsylvania. I planned to move my retired 21-year-old Quarter Horse gelding as soon as I could find a property with enough space to keep him at home. I was shocked to hear my realtor in Pennsylvania say that keeping a single horse is considered inhumane, and that you should have at least two horses. ... Read full story
 6/1/2001
Happy And Unhappy Horses at Home  *
A couple of "horsy" friends and I were trying to figure out why some of the facilities where we have boarded seem to really be upsetting to our horses. Has any research been done regarding the "likes and dislikes" of horses regarding their homes? I have owned my horse for almost 13 years (since he was two). In that time, we have lived/boarded in three ... Read full story
 6/1/2001
Stallion Libido
I have a breeding problem with my 13-year-old Quarter Horse stallion. He has tremendous bloodlines. He has four or five foals on the ground, so I know that he is not infertile. But recently I leased him to a friend out of state to use. He covered five mares while he was there, but was not an eager breeder. I have him home now, and he is showing little ... Read full story
 3/1/2001
Water Temperature and Drinking Behavior  *
A few years ago I read an article describing research done at New Bolton Center on drinking behavior. It said that the research showed that in winter, horses prefer to drink warm water rather than ice cold water, and as a result veterinarians recommend giving horses warm water during the winter to be sure that they drink enough. So, that winter we ... Read full story
 2/1/2001
Bizarre Behavior  *
We have a new problem with our old family pony. Pokey is a Shetland gelding that we have had since our first of five daughters was five years old. We figured he was about 10 years old in 1978 when we got him, so he is now just over 30. Pokey has always been an absolute joy of a character--no care, laid back, 100% trustworthy around kids, and there ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
Education: Human and Horse  *
The amazing versatility of horses can sometimes leave you in awe. A recent trip overseas brought that point home. In some places if the horse doesn’t work, the family doesn’t eat; in others horses cope with Molotov cocktails, terrorists, and riots. Italy was the site of the World Equine Veterinary Association (WEVA) conference, a bi-annual gathering ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
Research: Mirrors Help Reduce Stress and Social Isolation  *
A research team at The Lincolnshire School of Agriculture, located near the town of Grantham in the English county of Lincolnshire, recently released the results of a study showing that horses are more content and relaxed if acrylic mirrors are fitted inside their stables. Stall-kept horses which become frustrated, bored, or stressed often develop ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
Foal Eats Manure  *
One quick question. What about our foals that eat manure? Why do they do it? I find it completely disgusting. My little filly paws and chows down mouthfuls of fresh, warm poop. Terry Alabama Dear Terry, This charming behavior is called coprophagia, from the Latin for "feces eating." In young foals of any equid species, it appears to be just ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
Till Death Do Us Part  *
My mare Gabriella has lived in the same pasture for about seven years with an old gelding named Bear. We took Bear specifically as a babysitter for Gabby when she came to us as a weanling. Bear and Gabby hit it off immediately and have been awesome buddies. When they're in the pasture, he won't let her out of his sight. When we take her out, he yells ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
Rolling Along  *
Dear Dr. McDonnell, Almost every time I let my horses out of the stalls after feeding them, they roll in the dirt, dust, or mud. Why? Mike and Sharon Rolling associated with turnout after feeding is a slight variation on the more usual question of rolling immediately after a good grooming or a bath. Owners often ask why their horse "hates to ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
Ground Work  *
Dear Dr. McDonnell, I am a 12-year-old girl who recently got a 14-year-old Quarter Horse. She is a doll, but there is just one little problem -- she hasn't been ridden in about four years. We are hiring some-one to come and work with her, but I was just wondering if you know of any good training tips for me to use with her during my spare time. Your ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
Teeth Grinding  *
What does teeth grinding mean? I think there is a horse in our barn that does it sometimes. Teeth grinding is one of those things that is difficult to describe, but you know it when you hear it. The sound is quite unique, a muffled rhythmic grinding, louder than the loudest gut sounds. And if you look closely, you can see the jaws moving in sync ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
Horse Play  *
I have a report to do for science class on animal behavior (middle school, fifth grade). My teacher, Mr. Brennan, said to pick a favorite animal species and a favorite type of behavior. My favorite animals are wild horses, and my favorite behavior is play. But do horses ever get to play? My mom and dad said you might know. Can you send me an answer ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
Pasture Feeding Aggression  *
My yearling colt came from a place where he was kept with a group of yearlings. All were fed their grain in buckets along a fence line, with the buckets hung on posts. I now have him in with one other yearling, a filly which I got at the same time from the same place. When I go out to feed, they both run up anxiously awaiting their stipend. The colt ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
Biter Gone Bad  *
We've been raising a Welsh pony for the kids. At about nine months of age, he started with constant nipping at your arm and the lead shank, kind of playing with you. We read on the Internet that this biting is a "colt thing," and that it should go away with maturity. Our vet thought that gelding him as soon as possible would help. After he was castrated, ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
Separation Anxiety In Horses  *
We have two riding mares and an older gelding that are together, either in the pasture or up in the shed, almost all of the time. We use the two mares just for occasional weekend pleasure riding. The gelding is aged and has a stifle problem. He is just hanging out here eating grass. Here's the problem. Whenever we take our mares out of the pasture ... Read full story
 11/1/2000
Problem Behaviors in Pastures   *
I recently purchased a 4-year-old gelding. He is extremely aggressive toward my other gelding in the pasture, and I'm unable to turn them out together. I am able to turn the horse out with my pony mare and pony gelding, but he "herds" them constantly and often will unsheath his penis and sustain an erection around mares. When left stalled, he exhibits ... Read full story
 6/1/2000
Calming Influences  *
Calming a Mustang Stud Last fall I adopted a wild mustang stud. It is my first horse. Should this guy be fixed? Will it calm his wild and spooky attitude? Can you tell me how you do it? I want to start training him this spring. Will, Alabama Having your mustang stallion fixed is probably a good plan, particularly since he is your first horse. ... Read full story
 5/1/2000
Mare Madness  *
I hear it all the time: "My mare is impossible whenever she is in heat, and, in fact, she's in heat most of the time!" or "Every time I want to do something with my mare, she's in heat; in fact, she was in heat for every single show last year!" or "My mare has a split personality--most of the time she's a witch. Every couple weeks she's in season, ... Read full story
 4/1/2000
Equine Self Mutilation  *
It's a beautiful winter weekend, and finally you have a full morning to spend at the barn. You're happily grooming your horse when you notice a cluster of patches of wet hair on his side. Peculiar pattern to the wet hairs -- all are lying forward as if combed with a wet brush. Oh well, odd but probably nothing, you think. But wait, some of the wet ... Read full story
 3/1/2000
Battling Mares: Fighting for Dominance  *
Q. Within the past three weeks, we have purchased our second miniature horse, a 10-year-old mare in foal. When the mare arrived at our farm, we assumed that she would be a good companion for our 2-year-old miniature mare. We also expected that there would be some adjustments for all of us. We have them pastured together with separate, but side-by-side ... Read full story
 1/1/2000
Tail Rubbing Problem
My horse is constantly rubbing his tail on anything he can find. It has become so bad that the hair at the base of his tail has either fallen out or become matted. Thankfully, I've finished my show season, but what is causing him to do this? He also seems to be losing weight. Are these two problems related? COURTESY E. T. LYONS, PHD Pinworms ... Read full story
 12/1/1998
Stallion Behavior  *
Sue McDonnell, PhD, Research Assistant Professor in Medicine and Reproduction, is the large animal behaviorist at New Bolton Center. Her work includes watching horses behave and misbehave. Among her study subjects at the moment are approximately 50 ponies pastured on some 32 acres at New Bolton Center. They reveal a glimpse of the day-to-day life of ... Read full story
 9/1/1998
Saddle Fit  *
Wearing boots or shoes that don't fit properly can be both uncomfortable and painful. So much so, in fact, that few of us will tolerate the condition. Instead, we quickly will locate or purchase footwear that is comfortable. The good news is that as articulate humans with, generally speaking, enough disposable income available, we not only can express ... Read full story
 5/1/1998
Regu-Mate Studies  *
Two studies involving the use of altrenogest (Regu-Mate) to control behavior of stallions appeared on the surface to have contradictory results. However, there was a key difference--age of the stallions involved--that appeared to eliminate the contradiction. The results of a study at Texas Tech, presented by Heidi A. Brady, PhD, indicated that altrenogest ... Read full story
 2/13/1998




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