Horse Behavior as it Relates to Management

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Horse Behavior as it Relates to Management
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Horse Behavior as it Relates to Management

• Reactive Behavior
• Ingestive Behavior
• Eliminative Behavior
• Sexual Behavior
• Care-giving Behavior
• Care-seeking Behavior

• Agonistic Behavior
• Investigative Behavior
• Grooming Behavior
• Sleep and Rest Behavior

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Horse Behavior as it Relates to Management

• Abnormal Behavior
• Weaving
• Head nodding and shaking
• Pacing and pawing
• Self-mutilation
• Tail rubbing
• Destructive behavior

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Horse Behavior as it Relates to Management

• Abnormal Behavior
• Crib biting
• Tail biting
• Wind sucking
• Wood chewing
• Eating feces, hair, or soil
• Stall kicking
• Bucking

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Horse Behavior as it Relates to Management

• Senses
• Vision
• Hearing
• Touch
• Smell

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The Needs of a Horse

• To be healthy and content a horse needs
• Adequate feed
• Water
• Shelter
• Exercise
• Rest
• Companionship
• Vet and Farrier care

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The Needs of a Horse

• Feedstuff
• Is an art of science
• Principal guidelines
• Feed small meals 2-3 times a day
• Feed at consistent times every day
• Balance the hay and grain intake correctly based
  on age, work, and prod.
• Feed horses based on independent needs
• Know exactly what you are feeding

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The Needs of a Horse

• Principal guidelines
• Know how much you are feeding based on weight and
  not volume.
• Hay intakes
• 1.0 to 1.75 lbs per 100 lbs of body weight
• 50 to 100 of the total diet
• Test nutrient content of your hay
• Grain intakes
• Never exceed 50 of total diet
• Feed based on body wt, age, prod., and/or use
• Know the approximate weight of your horse.

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The Needs of a Horse

• Principal guidelines
• Make all changes in feed gradually
• Know the causes of azoturia or tying-up
• Limit time a horse is turned out on spring
  pastures
• Have secured feed and hay storage areas
• Be aware of feeding times when working a horse or
  traveling w/ a horse

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The Needs of a Horse

• Principal guidelines
• Feed high quality hay
• Make sure all feeders are clean and safe
• Do not feed horses on the ground
• Be aware of ingestive behavior to help regulate
  feed intakes
• Provide a trace mineral free choice
• When traveling a way w/o horses
• Be cautious of self-feeders colic increases
• Have a reliable person take care of horses

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The Needs of a Horse

• Water
• Best to provide free choice water
• Automatic waters tend to leak and over flow
• Horses will drink 4 to 20 gal a day
• Should be fresh, clean, and of good quality
• Horses drink less in cold weather
• Horses prefer water 35 to 40 oF
• Need to be able to monitor water intakes

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The Needs of a Horse

• Shelter and protection
• They do not need an air-tight, heated barn
• One of the unhealthiest environments
• Shelters can be very basic
• Trees, shrubs, gully, and etc
• Basically something that allows the horse to get
  out of the wind and hot sun and a way to avoid
  getting and staying wet during cold weather.

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The Needs of a Horse

• Exercise
• Horses need a place to stretch their legs
• A regular exercise program is best

• Training
• Riding
• Ponying
• Longeing
• Horse walker
• Treadmills
• Turn outs
• Pastures

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The Needs of a Horse

• Rest
• Horses rest in 1 of 3 ways
• Standing
• Sternal recumbent
• Lateral recumbent
• Need a place they feel safe and secure.

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The Needs of a Horse

• Companionship
• Horses are gregarious in nature.
• They like to be with other horses or animals
• Or at least be able to see other animals

• Horses can form bonds with many different sorts.
• Even humans

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The Needs of a Horse

• Veterinary and Farrier care
• Check out these service before hand
• Make sure you know which vaccines you need for
  your location
• Be sure to rotate dewormers during the yr
• Know the difference between a farrier and a horse
  shoer.