Behavioural Articles

The basis of behavioural research is trying to find laws of behaviour. Equine behaviour is of course not predictable but causes for certain behaviour can be detected and defined. The following should be of interest to the horse owner.

Inherited or Learned Equestrian Behaviour

When dealing with certain aspects of behaviour that we consider to be difficult or problematic, we need to determine where this behaviour has come from. We know that horses all have the same behavioural patterns, inbuilt from their wild ancestors.

Relaxing in the saddle will help with your schooling

Being tense in the saddle will always pass on to your horse and hinder any training you want to do. By identifying clear goals that you want to achieve with your horse it will help to reduce nervousness and anxiety

The use of non steroidal anti inflammatories in horses

Welfare, within the equine industry is a common area in which people often have differing opinions or views about the same subject area. This can often lead to inappropriate or unsuitable courses of action being undertaken;

Role of Training and Training surface for National Hunt horses

Tendonitis is found to be associated with over extension, poor conditioning and fatigue (Merck Vet. 2004). Devising a training routine that aims to incorporate a positive tenocyte response will inevitably result in fewer fitness related injuries.

Horse Training Behaviour

There are many factors involved and that should be thought about before initiating a training program with your horse;

Evolution Horse Behaviour

Horses and their earliest ancestors, dating back to as late as 60 million years ago, have all been herbivores, making them prey to larger carnivores. Over the course of the succeeding 50 million years the climate changed dramatically and the onset of the ice age brought about a change in landscape and available vegetation.

True Equine Behaviour

True equine behaviour can be fascinating to see. Horses are at their most natural when seen in the wild, but as this is so rarely observed today we can, from the safety and ease of our own paddocks, watch and learn about our horse’s behaviour. By doing this we can understand so many things about our horses; why they react to certain situations in the way they do, how we can interract with them on a more understanding level and hopefully how we can provide them with a little more security and a greater sense of relaxation as they find themselves in unnatural, humanised surroundings.