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
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
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
Every horse owner has at some time wished that his or her steed could suddenly turn into Mr. Ed and talk about its likes, dislikes, pains, and fears. Because that’s not likely to happen, a new online educational program is available to help hors
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
Desensitization, the gradual introduction of a new stimulus, might be the most effective way to reduce fearfulness and reactivity in horses, according to a recent study by Danish and Swedish researchers.
The scientists examined three method
Soil from a site in Kazakhstan has yielded new evidence for domesticated horses up to 5,600 years ago.
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 th
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 fo
Different breeds of horses examine novel objects using different dominant eyes, according to researchers from the Universite de Rennes in France. Their observations of horses’ reactions can also help horse handlers interpret whether a horse is
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
The Havemeyer Equine Behavior Lab and the Section of Reproduction at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center is offering a stallion handling course for veterinarians, stallion owners, and managers. The two-day course will focus on
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 fli
How can you predict an adult horse’s temperament?
Look for a horse that’s alert to its surroundings and pays special attention to unusual objects. This is where the subtlety comes in. You want the horse to be observant, but you don’t want it to become agitated and frightened when it sees something.
Once the decision has been made to use some form of restraint, the device should be applied quickly, properly, and with purpose.
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