Heart rate and heart rate variability during a novel object test and a handling test in young horses

Visser, E.K.; Reenen, C.G. van; Werf, J.T.N. van der; Schilder, Matthijs B.H.; Knaap, J.H.; Barneveld, A.; Blokhuis, H.J.

doi:10.1016/s0031-9384(02)00698-4

Cited by 281 publications

(212 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…In horses, usefulness of HRV data and correlation with stress-related behavior seems to differ between studies (Visser et al, 2002;Munsters et al, 2012). At rest, there is a negative correlation between HR and HRV (Von Borell et al, 2007), which was confirmed in the current study.…”

Section: Horsessupporting

confidence: 74%

“…This may suggest that experience as a police horse and age are not always the key factors in how police horses handle stress. The background training and the initial response or temperament of a horse may play a more important role in how horses respond to challenging situations (Visser et al, 2002). In addition, no habituation occurred during the test weeks, though horses tended to habituate during the first 2 weeks of the study, although after a 4-week interval outcomes were comparable with the 1st week.…”

Section: Horsesmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…a reliable assessment of behavioral reactions to challenging situations (Visser et al, 2002;Taylor and Mills, 2006 (Visser et al, 2002). To correct for the physical activity during the tests, the HR and HRV of 'normal walk' were used.…”

Section: Bs and Ppsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Behavior and certain specific aspects of a horse's temperament can be assessed using behavioral scoring -E-mail: carolien@munsters.nl in (challenging) behavioral tests and/or using rating scores from experts, trainers and/or riders (Visser et al, 2002;Munsters et al, 2012). Performance scores have been used to select police dogs (Slabbert and Odendaal, 1999;Horvá th et al, 2007), but no studies are available on the selection of police horses for their work.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV) and some hematological variables have been shown to be useful in predicting and interpreting the responses of horses to challenging situations (Visser et al, 2002). In a study of the way horses cope with challenging circumstances, HR and HRV proved to be the most helpful indices (Von Borell et al, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Physiological and behavioral responses of horses during police training

Munsters

Visser

Broek

et al. 2013

Animal

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Mounted police horses have to cope with challenging, unpredictable situations when on duty and it is essential to gain insight into how these horses handle stress to warrant their welfare. The aim of the study was to evaluate physiological and behavioral responses of 12 (six experienced and six inexperienced) police horses during police training. Horses were evaluated during four test settings at three time points over a 7-week period: outdoor track test, street track test, indoor arena test and smoke machine test. Heart rate (HR; beats/min), HR variability (HRV; root means square of successive differences; ms), behavior score (BS; scores 0 to 5) and standard police performance score (PPS; scores 1 to 0) were obtained per test. All data were statistically evaluated using a linear mixed model (Akaike's Information criterium; t . 2.00) or logistic regression (P , 0.05). HR of horses was increased at indoor arena test (98 6 26) and smoke machine test (107 6 25) compared with outdoor track (80 6 12, t 5 2.83 and t 5 3.91, respectively) and street track tests (81 6 14, t 5 2.48 and t 5 3.52, respectively). HRV of horses at the indoor arena test (42.4 6 50.2) was significantly lower compared with street track test (85.7 6 94.3 and t 5 2.78). BS did not show significant differences between tests and HR of horses was not always correlated with the observed moderate behavioral responses. HR, HRV, PPS and BS did not differ between repetition of tests and there were no significant differences in any of the four tests between experienced and inexperienced horses. No habituation occurred during the test weeks, and experience as a police horse does not seem to be a key factor in how these horses handle stress. All horses showed only modest behavioral responses, and HR may provide complimentary information for individual evaluation and welfare assessment of these horses. Overall, little evidence of stress was observed during these police training tests. As three of these tests (excluding the indoor arena test) reflect normal police work, it is suggested that this kind of police work is not significantly stressful for horses and will have no negative impact on the horse's welfare.

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Section: Horsessupporting

confidence: 74%

Section: Horsesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Bs and Ppsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Physiological and behavioral responses of horses during police training

Munsters

Visser

Broek

et al. 2013

Animal

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Social Behaviour with Humans

Range

Marshall-Pescini

2022

Wolves and Dogs

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Association between equine temperament and polymorphisms in dopamine D4 receptor gene

et al. 2005

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The variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism of the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene has been reported to be associated with the personality trait of novelty-seeking in humans. In the genus Equus, this region includes an 18-bp repeat unit and there are inter- and intraspecies differences in the number of repetitions. Because horses are unique among livestock species in that their temperament is considered important, we investigated the possible role of this region on equine temperament in thoroughbred horses. We simultaneously determined the sequences of this polymorphic region and administered a questionnaire survey to horse caretakers with questions about 20 different traits of their horses' temperament. Although there was no difference in the number of repeats among the 136 thoroughbred horses studied, two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), one of which might cause an amino acid change (A-G substitution), existed. By analyzing the association between these SNPs and temperament scores, a significant association was revealed between two temperament traits (Curiosity and Vigilance) and the A-G substitution. Horses without the A allele had significantly higher Curiosity and lower Vigilance scores than those with the A allele at the A-G substitution. In addition, similar associations between both temperament scores and each genotype of the A-G substitution were observed in two subgroups divided according to the time of their introduction to the farm. These results suggested that the SNP in the VNTR region of the equine DRD4 gene might be related to individual differences in equine temperament.

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Heart rate and heart rate variability during a novel object test and a handling test in young horses

Cited by 281 publications

References 31 publications

Physiological and behavioral responses of horses during police training

Physiological and behavioral responses of horses during police training

Social Behaviour with Humans

Association between equine temperament and polymorphisms in dopamine D4 receptor gene

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