Behavioural and physiological reactivity of Konik polski horses during stable handling activities
AGNIESZKA KOZAK
Department of Ethology and Technological Basis of Animal Production University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 LublinMONIKA BUDZYŃSKA
Department of Ethology and Technological Basis of Animal Production University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 LublinAbstract
The purpose of this research was to determine the behavioural reactivity and the heart rate of Konik polski horses during routine handling activities in the stable. The study included 20 horses of Konik polski breed (12 mares and 8 stallions) kept in the Centre for Conservation Breeding of Konik polski horses in Florianka. The horse’s behaviour was assessed on a scale of 1 point (aversive behaviour) to 5 points (affiliative behaviour) and the heart rate was telemetrically recorded during particular stages of handling (approach to the horse, brushing, bridling, legs rising) in the stable. Significant negative correlations between the animal’s behaviour scores and their heart rate values were noticed. The mares were characterised by a higher heart rate than the stallions. The horses whose behaviour was assessed positively during the handler’s approach were also characterised by affiliative behaviour during bridling.
Keywords:
behaviour, handling, heart rate, horses, Konik polski breed, reactivityReferences
Budzyński M., Kamieniak J., Sapuła M., Sołtys L., Budzyńska M., Krupa W., Brejta M., 2001. Charakterystyka reaktywności nerwowej koni huculskich. Annales UMCS, sec. EE, Zootechnica 19, 171–179.
Budzyński M., Kamieniak J., Sapuła M., Budzyńska M., Sołtys L., Krupa W., 1999. Charakterystyka wskaźników zrównoważenia nerwowego klaczy różnych ras koni hodowanych w Polsce. Mat. Konf. „Etologia w chowie zwierząt gospodarskich i geopatyczne uwarunkowania ich zdrowia, wydajności i rozrodczości”, 6–7 września 1999, Poznań, 74–78.
Budzyński M., Słomka Z., Sołtys L., 1990. Analiza porównawcza wyników oceny pobudliwości nerwowej koni rasy huculskiej i koników polskich. Annales UMCS, sec. EE, Zootechnica 8, 131–141.
Dmoch M., Polonis A., Saba L., 2008. Wpływ pory roku na kształtowanie się wskaźników hematologicznych i biochemicznych krwi koni. Med. Weter. 64, 930–933.
Feh C., de Mazieres J., 1993. Grooming at a preferred site reduces heart rate in horses. Anim. Behav. 46, 1191–1194.
Fureix C., Pages M., Bon R., Lassalle J., Kuntz P., Gonzalez G., 2009. A preliminary study of the effects of handling type on horse’s emotional reactivity and the human–horse relationship. Behav. Process. 82, 202–210.
Geringer H., Bek- Kaczkowska I., Banasiewicz E., 2001. Ocena behawioralna koni półkrwi, biegających na torze wyścigów konnych. Rocz. Nauk. Zoot., Supl. 14, 171–176.
Graf P., König von Borstel U., Gauly M., 2013. Importance of personality traits in horses to breeders and riders. J. Vet. Behav. 8, 316–325.
Ijichi C., Collins L.M., Creighton E., Elwood R.W., 2013. Harnessing the power of personality assessment: subjective assessment predicts behaviour in horses. Behav. Process. 96, 47–52.
Jezierski T., Jaworski Z., Górecka A., 1999. Effects of handling on behaviour and heart rate in Konik horses: comparison of stable and forest reared youngstock. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 62, 1–11.
Kamieniak J., Sapuła M., Budzyński M., Sołtys L., 2001. Wyniki prób dzielności ogierów wielkopolskich z uwzględnieniem reakcji behawioralnych. Rocz. Nauk. Zoot., Supl. 14, 191–198.
Kamieniak J., Budzyński M., Sapuła M., Budzyńska M., Krupa W., Sołtys L., 2006. Poziom cech psychicznych potomstwa koni arabskich uwarunkowany zrównoważeniem nerwowym rodziców. Annales UMCS, sec. EE, Zootechnica 24, 191–198.
Krumrych W., 2007. Wskaźniki laboratoryjne krwi koni – wartości referencyjne i interpretacja. PIWet, Puławy.
Łuczyńska M., Jaworski Z., 2006. Obserwacje dotyczące behawioru społecznego u źrebiąt konika polskiego z uwzględnieniem rankingu socjalnego ich matek. Rocz. Nauk. PTZ 2 (1), 157–165.
McBride S.D., Hemmings A., Robinson K., 2004. A preliminary study on the effect of massage to reduce stress in the horse. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 24 (2), 76–81.
MacKay R.D.J., Haskall J. M., 2015. Consistent individual behavioural variation: the difference between temperament, personality and behavioural syndromes. Animals 5 (3), 455–478.
Pluta M., Osiński Z., 2014. Variability of heart rate in primitive horses and their relatives as an indicator of stress level, behavioural conduct towards humans and adaptation to living in wild. Bull. Vet. Inst. Pulawy 58, 495–501.
Sapuła M., Budzyński M., Budzyńska M., Kamieniak J., Mazurek E., Sadowska-Pszczoła J., 2005. Reakcje behawioralne ogierów w zakładach treningowych. Annales UMCS, sec. EE, Zootechnica 23, 139–147.
Topczewska J., 2014. An attempt to assess the welfare of horses maintained in herd systems. Arch. Tierz. 57 (24), 1–9.
Department of Ethology and Technological Basis of Animal Production University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin
Department of Ethology and Technological Basis of Animal Production University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin
License
From 2022 articles are made available under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence (CC BY 4.0). Articles published before 2022 are available under Creative Commons Attribution – Non-commercial use – No derivative works 4.0 International licence (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Submission of the paper implies that it has not been published previously, that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
