Horse Behaviour and Welfare

Horse behaviour and welfare is a major issue as horses are mainly sport and recreational animals where the human-animal relation is essential. Scientific studies on this topic have increased greatly over the last decade and this publication enlightens some of the major issues raised such as horse temperament, early experience, horsing and social management and equine behaviour welfare. Precise studies are described in this book that are placed in the more general context of the international scientific advances. Important behavioural aspects concern: how to measure temperament traits and the genetic/experimental influences on temperament; when, how and whether to handle foals in order to improve human/foal relation; the importance of the social environment on the behaviour of  young and adult horses. The improvement of equine welfare through better practices is described such as housing design, feeding practices or social grouping. The use of behavioural cues in order to assess welfare is discussed and tested through experimental approaches.  

Table of Contents: Foreword; Part A -Temperament / personality traits and genetics of behaviour in horses: Introduction of a behavioural test for Franches-Montagnes horses; Interplay between environmental and genetic factors in the behaviour of horses; Part B - Early experience, human-foal relation and the impact of training: Early experience and behavioural development in foals; Effects of period, type and duration of handling on manageability, reactivity and learning ability of horses; Investigations on the activity of trotters and the relationship to growth; Part C - Importance of social environment on the behaviour of young and adult horses: The effects on behaviour of the presence or absence of a familiar horse during feeding; The effects of social environment on the behaviour of young horses; Individual paddocks versus social enclosure for horses; Part D - Equine behaviour welfare: The management of horse behaviour in captivity and its welfare implications; Impact of Nutrition and Feeding practices on equines, their behaviour and welfare; Three-dimensional design of a horse stud like better toll for technical choices of housing and welfare; Behavioural repertoire: its expression according to environmental conditions; Building and process technology requirements in horse husbandry systems: current investigations and developments furthering animal welfare and environmental protection.

This book belongs to EAAP scientific series 122. 152 pages. Paperback & eBook.

ISBN: Paperback: 9789086860333, eBook: 9789086866144

Price: Paperback: EUR 53.00, eBook: EUR 53.00