The Equid Ethogram: A Practical Field Guide to Horse Behavior

375 Pages·2003·19.142 MB·English

by  Sue McDonnell Ph.D.

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The Equid Ethogram provides ic The Equid Ethogram provides the
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fascinating insight into how horses ie first comprehensive catalog of all
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behave in their natural environments and G known horse behaviors and is an
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their tremendous ability to conform to id invaluable reference for researchers,
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the demands of man. H veterinarians, students, and horse
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B This landmark work organizes horse
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Sue McDonnell, Ph.D., is the founder A behavior in six categories: maintenance
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of the Equine Behavior Program at the Io behavior, general social communication,
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University of Pennsylvania School of v intermale interaction, reproductive
v Professor McDonnell’s work has shown how sensitive we should be to the nature of T
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Veterinary Medicine. She is known horses if we wish to get the most out of them. In highlighting how some unwelcome behavior, play, and domestically shaped
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responses are simply normal behaviours, she has redefined best practice in horse
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internationally for her breeding. q and aberrant behavior. The specific
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research-based scientific — Paul McGreevy, BVSc, PhD, MRCVS, id behaviors in each category are identified,

Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney E
approach to equine behavior. t described, and illustrated with original line
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Sue McDonnell is one of the horse industry’s greatest resources. Whether her subject
McDonnell is the author of g drawings in a user-friendly format. The
is a multi-million-dollar Thoroughbred breeding stallion or a “problem pony,” Dr. r
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Understanding Horse Behavior and has McDonnell succeeds in resolving behavior issues. m Equid Ethogram also contains photographs

— Kimberly Herbert, editor, The Horse magazine
contributed to numerous books and of hundreds of behaviors.

journals. Sue McDonnell has been at the forefront of the discipline of equine M In addition to horses, The Equid
behavioural medicine especially through her work on stallion behaviour. Equine c
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behaviour has grown enormously in the last few years as an area of serious scientific o Ethogram recognizes behaviors in zebra,
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research and it is essential that scientists talk a common language. The production of n
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The Equid Ethogram is therefore both timely but also an invaluable contribution to ll
the future development of the discipline along a sound scientific path.
Sue McDonnell, Ph.D., a world-renowned
Cover photograph:
— Daniel Mills, BVSc, MRCVS,
stallion rolling, by Elkanah Grogan equine behaviorist, started compiling the
Principal Lecturer in Behavioural Studies and Animal Welfare,
University of Lincoln, UK
nucleus of The Equid Ethogram fifteen
v
years ago. At the University of
Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center, she
established a herd of ponies whose day-to-
day existence in semi-natural conditions
enabled many of the book’s original

A Division of The Blood-Horse, Inc.
Publishers Since 1916
Copyright © 2003 The Blood-Horse, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
by any means, including photocopying, audio recording, or any
information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in
writing from the copyright holder. Inquiries should be addressed to
Publisher, The Blood-Horse, Inc., Box 4038, Lexington, KY 40544-4038.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2002110116
ISBN 1-58150-090-4
Printed in Hong Kong
First Edition: January 2003
Distributed to the trade by
National Book Network
4720-A Boston Way, Lanham, MD 20706
1.800.462.6420
A Division of The Blood-Horse, Inc.
PUBLISHERS SINCE 1916
SECTION I
MAINTENANCE BEHAVIOR
Maintenance Behavior ........... 23 Rest Standing ..............................52
Sleep Standing ............................53
Rest Recumbent .........................54
Ingestion ..................................24
Yawn ...........................................56
Graze .......................................... 25
Stretch .........................................58
Graze Recumbent .................... 26
Paw (Dig) While Foraging Grooming and Insect Control ...60
and Drinking ..........................27 Roll ..............................................61
Browse .........................................28 Shake ...........................................68
Coprophagy .................................29 Autogroom ..................................69
Pica ..............................................30 Mutual Groom ...........................72
Drink ...........................................31 Swish/Swat Insects ....................74
Stamp ..........................................75
Insect Control — Mutual ..........76
Elimination ..................................33
Urination, Male ..........................34
Shelter and Comfort Seeking ...77
Urination, Female ......................36
Backs to Natural
Defecation ..................................38
Windbreak ...............................78
Backs to Weather ........................79
Locomotion ..................................39 Huddle ........................................80
Stand Alert..................................40 Sunning .......................................81
Walk ............................................41 Stand/Rest in Water ...................82
Trot .............................................43
Canter .........................................45 Investigation ................................84
Sniff .............................................85
Gallop .........................................46
Mouth .........................................86
Trek .............................................47
Lick .............................................87
Jump ............................................48
Paw ..............................................88
Stampede ....................................49
Swim ...........................................50
Masturbation ...............................89
Rest ...............................................51
Preface & Acknowledgments ........................................ 11
Introduction ................................................................... 18
Glossary ........................................................................ 350
References .................................................................... 358
Index ................................................................................368
About the Author ........................................................ 375
SECTION I I
GENERAL SOCIAL
COMMUNICATION
General Social
Communication .......................90

Head Postures and
Facial Expressions ................ 92
Threat Postures ..........................95
Submissive Retreat ....................96
Infant-like Submissive Posture ...97
Shying .........................................98
Vocalization and Auditory
Communication .....................99
Other Sounds Produced that May
Serve as Acoustical Signals ... 101
Socially Facilitated Behaviors .102
Interspecies Interactions ..........104
SECTION I II
INTERMALE INTERACTION
Intermale Interaction ............105 Chase .......................................150
Herding ....................................151
Alert ...................................... 106 Grasp .......................................152
Approach .................................108 Interference .............................154
Arched Neck Threat ...............110 Rump Presentation .................155
Ears Laid Back/Pinned ............111 Erection ...................................156
Head Threat ............................112 Mount ......................................157
Stomp ......................................113 Fecal Pile Display ...................158
Avoidance/Retreat ..................114
Follow ......................................115 Pawing .....................................159
Snapping ..................................116 Sniff Feces ...............................161
Head Bowing ...........................118 Defecate Over .........................162
Olfactory Investigation ...........119 Flehmen ..................................164
Posturing .................................120
Parallel Prance ........................123
Head on Neck, Back, or Rump ..124
Mutual Grooming ...................125
Rolling .....................................126 Examples of Extended
Lunge .......................................128 Interaction .........................165
Balk .........................................129 Ritualized Interactive
Head Bump ..............................130
Sequence .......................... 166
Push .........................................131
Typical Quiet Interaction
Nip ..........................................132
of Bachelors ..................... 168
Bite Threat ..............................133
Bite ..........................................134
Strike Threat ...........................135
Strike .......................................136
Kick Threat .............................137
Kick .........................................138
Kneeling ..................................140
Neck Wrestle ..........................142
Circling ...................................144
Rear .........................................146
Dancing ...................................147
Boxing ......................................148
SECTION I V
REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR
Harem Formation and Parturition, Parenting, and
Maintenance ...........................170 Early Development ................200
Tending a Harem ......................171 Parturition .................................202
Alert, Approach, and Threatening Sniff/Lick Membranes ..............203
Off or Attacking Intruders ....172 Flehmen Response ....................204
Herding and Driving .................174 Sniff/Lick/Nuzzle Foal .............205
Elimination Marking Sequence 176 Foal Attempt to Stand ..............206
Mare and Foal Nose-to-Nose ...207
Breeding ..................................179 Mare Sniff/Lick/Nuzzle
Precopulatory Sequence Foal Perineum .......................208
Tending Estrous Mares ............180 Nursing ......................................219
Distant Approach ......................181 Blocking .....................................223
Head-to-Head Approach ...........182 Following ...................................224
Head-to-Rear Approach Snapping ....................................225
(Receptive Mare)....................184 Coprophagy ...............................227
Teasing Sequence ......................186 Tending a Foal ...........................228
Penis Drop .................................187 Parental Protection of Foal .......230
Chin Rest or Chest Bump ........188 Parental Tolerance of Foal ........233
Mount Without Erection ..........189 Parental Play with Young .........236
Lean ...........................................190 Early Developmental Behavior
Lateral Mount ...........................191 (Photographed Examples) ........237
Roll Near Mare .........................192
Non-Receptive Female
Responses ..............................193
Receptive Female Responses ....195
Copulatory Sequence
Mount with Erection and Insertion 196
Ejaculation..................................197
SECTION V
PLAY
Play .........................................247 Play Fighting ..........................284
Head/Neck/Chest Nip
Object Play .............................250 and Bite ..................................285
Nibble ........................................251 Neck Grasp ...............................287
Sniff/Lick/Nuzzle .....................252 Neck Wrestle ............................288
Mouth ........................................254 Foreleg Nip/Bite/Grasp.............289
Chew .........................................255 Hind Leg Nip/Bite/Grasp .........291
Pick Up ......................................256 Rump Nip or Bite .....................293
Shake .........................................258 Stamp .........................................294
Carry ..........................................259 Push ...........................................295
Drop or Toss ..............................260 Rear ............................................296
Pull ............................................261 Hindquarter Threat ..................297
Paw ............................................262 Kick ...........................................298
Kick Up .....................................264 Evasive Balk ..............................299
To and From ..............................265 Evasive Jump .............................300
Circle .........................................266 Evasive Spin ..............................301
Resting Rear ..............................268
Play Sexual Behavior .............269
Examples of Play
Elimination Marking
Sequence ................................270 Initiation ..............................302
Tease ..........................................271
Mount ........................................273
Locomotor Play ......................275
Frolic ..........................................276
Run ............................................277
Chase .........................................278
Buck ...........................................279
Jump ..........................................280
Leap ...........................................281
Prance ........................................282
King of the Mountain ...............283
SECTION V I
DOMESTICALLY SHAPED
AND ABERRANT BEHAVIOR
Domestically Shaped and Inadequate Maternal
Aberrant Behaviors ................305 Behavior ................................334
Schooled and Shaped Wood Chewing .........................335
Behaviors ...............................308 Pica ............................................336
Learned Helplessness/ Coprophagy in Adults ..............337
Submissive Posture ..............314 Trichophagia .............................338
Polydipsia..................................339
Aberrant or Anomalous Quidding ...................................340
Hyperphagia ..............................341
Behaviors
Food-related Aggression ...........342
Separation Anxiety ...................315
Interspecies Sexual Behavior ...343
Cribbing ....................................318

Tongue Displacement ..............319
Pain and Discomfort ..............344
Tongue Lolly .............................320
Colic ..........................................344
Tongue Sucking ........................321
Founder .....................................346
Non-nutritive Sucking .............322
Depression ................................347
Perimeter Walking, Pacing,
Head Press ................................348
Circling .................................323
Teeth Grind ..............................349
Weaving ....................................327
Stereotypic Pawing ...................328
Wall or Fence Kicking ..............329
Stereotypic Stomping ...............330
Head Shaking, Bobbing, Tossing,
Nodding (Stereotypic) ...........331
Self-mutilation .........................332