Recent News for Behavior & Handling
Article
Touching a Tickle Spot?
June 01, 2011
I own a 5-year-old Friesian cross mare that I have had since her birth; she i... Read More
Article
Researcher: Breed and Housing Impact Riding Horses' Temperaments
May 08, 2011
Finding great riding school horses is a perpetual challenge for instructors. There isn't a formula for selecting the ideal school horse--sometimes the perfect mount just comes along, and other times management methods dictate whether a school horse ... Read More
Article
Do Horses Recognize Their People?
May 02, 2011
Does a horse respond differently to "his person" as opposed to a stranger? The results of a recent French study indicate that horses use auditory and visual information to recognize specific people, and that they expect certain behaviors from those ... Read More
Article
New Bolton Center Offers Equine Behavior Course
April 17, 2011
How horses interact, the subtleties of equine communication, and the ways in which trainers can influence behavior are all topics of focus at the upcoming short course on horse behavior. The course will be held May 12-13 on the New Bolton Center ... Read More
Article
Male Horses: A Role in Early-Term Abortion?
April 14, 2011
Early-term abortion in mares is a frustrating problem for breeders, as often the cause is nearly impossible to determine. But a team of researchers from the Czech Republic might have uncovered one possible reason why mares abort in certain management... Read More
Article
Link Between Chronic Pain and Aggression in Horses Identified
April 11, 2011
Anyone who's suffered from chronic aches and pains will likely say the ever-present irritation can put a damper on their day, possibly even making them cranky. But is the same true for horses? A group of French researchers recently completed a study ... Read More
Article
Mustangs Teach RU Students About Nutrition, Behavior
April 02, 2011
What do wild mustangs have to teach people? If you ask the students enrolled in Rutgers University's (RU) Young Horse Teaching and Research Program (YHTRP), the answer will likely be, "plenty." For the past two years, the YHTRP, headed by Sarah L. ... Read More
Article
Battling Boredom: Study Proves Food-Related Items Most Successful
March 27, 2011
The researchers observed that whether alone or in groups, the enrichment items horses liked best involved food... Read More
Article
Equine TMJ Disease: Why So Rare? (AAEP 2010)
March 13, 2011
A resurgence of interest in the equine temporomandibular joint (TMJ) (which allows for opening and closing of a horse's mouth) has led to discussions on the relationship of TMJ disease to weight loss or behavioral changes in horses. ... Read More
Article
War Horse Captures Equine Behavior with Puppets
March 04, 2011
Most horse lovers have read Black Beauty, the famous novel Anna Sewell wrote to raise awareness of the mistreatment of carriage and other working horses in Victorian England. Another English writer, Michael Morpurgo, accomplished a similar feat with ... Read More
Article
Readers Help Their Horses Battle Boredom in the Stall
February 22, 2011
More than 620 readers of TheHorse.com responded to a poll asking, "How do you promote the health (both physical and emotional) of your stall-confined horse?" ... Read More
Article
Stallionlike Behavior in Mares: The Role of Adrenal Glands (AAEP 2010)
February 19, 2011
Stallions are commonly known to be feisty, fresh, and sometimes difficult to handle, largely attributable to the testosterone coursing through their bodies. But when mares begin to display aggressive or stallionlike behavior, the reason for the ... Read More
Article
The Whole Horse (A Step Back From Machines)
February 01, 2011
These days it's not unusual to set up more than $100,000 in equipment for a routine horse exam. ... Read More
Article
Rescue Horse Rehab
February 01, 2011
Sue McDonnell, PhD, on how to approach horses who exhibit extreme separation anxiety as a result of abuse... Read More
Article
The Science Of Saddle Fit
February 01, 2011
A saddle can either encourage comfortable movement and clear communication between rider and horse, or it can result in discomfort and behavioral problems. Evaluating a saddle's fit requires an understanding of saddle construction... Read More
Article
The Equine Compulsion to Crib
January 01, 2011
Sue McDonnel, PhD, answers questions about equine cribbing.... Read More
Article
Flehmen Response in Horses
December 26, 2010
Flehmen is the term used to describe the behavior in which a horse extends its neck, raises its head, and inhales as it rolls its upper lip back, displaying its front teeth. Sharon Crowell-Davis, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVB explains that horses display the ... Read More
Article
Training, Not Coercion, is Key to a Well-Behaved Athlete
December 03, 2010
The best way to train a horse is to use techniques that "align with the horse's view of the world," according to Paul McGreevy, BVSc, MRCVS, PhD, MACVSc, associate professor of veterinary science at the University of Sydney.... Read More
Article
Panicky Horse? Vitamin B Might Help
December 01, 2010
Sue McDonnel, PhD, tells us what we can do to decrease the likelihood of a horsey panic attack.... Read More
Article
Safe (Equine) Teasing
December 01, 2010
Teasing is essential to detect when a broodmare is in estrus, but it's no easy feat due to the size and power of the animals involved. Safety should be top priority--to avoid injury to horses and people.... Read More
Article
Dummy Foal Syndrome (Equine Neonatal Maladjustment Syndrome)
December 01, 2010
Foals exhibit abnormal, often vague behaviors and/or neurologic signs during their first few days of life. ... Read More
Article
10 Steps for Successful Live Cover
December 01, 2010
Promote safe and successful live cover breeding with careful preparation and attention to safety.... Read More
Article
Horses' Behavior and Welfare Negatively Impacted by Low-Fiber Diets
November 16, 2010
Despite the fact that horses evolved on a forage-based diet that is high in fiber and low in calories, some horse owners and trainers just can't resist feeding a low-fiber, calorie-dense diet. ... Read More
Article
Study: Horses Prefer Less Rein Tension
November 08, 2010
According to a new study by European equitation scientists, horses might prefer to avoid rein tension rather than just get used to it. And beyond a certain force threshold, rein tension can cause conflict behavior. ... Read More
Article
Study: Shelter-Seeking Behavior Most Common in Poor Weather Conditions
November 06, 2010
Just because turned-out horses might not use run-in sheds often does not mean these structures are not an important part of husbandry, says Camie R. Heleski, MS, PhD, a Michigan State University instructor and researcher. ... Read More
