Even after centuries of domestication and breeding, the horse remains a flight animal. Some behaviors are undesirable to us humans, but they are not behavioral disorders; rather, they are part of the horse's natural nature. These include, for example, shying, bucking, or bolting. A typical behavioral disorder, on the other hand, is cribbing.
When natural behavior patterns occur not only exceptionally and with a recognizable trigger, but frequently and uncontrollably, this is considered undesirable behavior. This can limit the horse's usefulness to humans. The causes can be health problems or physical limitations.
Actual behavioral disorders include behavioral patterns that are not part of the horse's natural behavior. These include cribbing, weaving, or other repetitive movement patterns (= stereotypies).
In both cases, it is advisable to have a veterinary examination carried out. This will help to determine the type, extent, possible cause, or underlying disease of the behavioral disorder.
Shying is a natural flight response in horses. However, in certain situations and when it occurs frequently, it can be dangerous for humans. Shying can be triggered by visual, olfactory, and auditory stimuli. Tightening the saddle girth or intensive use of spurs and whips can also trigger a flight response.
Rearing is particularly feared. This is when the horse runs off headlong and cannot be brought under control by the rider.
Other undesirable behaviors include:
It is important to note that undesirable behaviors can develop into behavioral disorders.
Stereotypies are constantly repeated, almost identical actions with no discernible function, which have a compulsive character. The individual behaviors can be classified according to the normal behavior from which they originate. For example, cribbing (see below), cribbing, wood chewing, tongue playing, lip smacking, or pawing have their origins in the area of food intake. The behavioral disorders weaving, box walking, and cribbing originate from normal locomotion behavior. Self-mutilation, types of head shaking (see corresponding article), and tail rubbing are behavioral disorders that develop from the horse's comfort behavior.
Causes and triggers
The majority of genuine behavioral disorders diagnosed in horses today originate from inappropriate husbandry conditions. Horses normally eat for around 16 hours a day while moving slowly. Most modern husbandry practices do not meet this natural need, or only do so inadequately. This triggers many of the known behavioral problems.
Certain traumatic experiences or stressful situations, such as sudden weaning from the mother, a change of stable, excessive demands during training, or long transport, can be the initial trigger for stereotypical behavior. Once the behavior has become established, it can later be triggered by everyday factors. However, if stereotypical behavior persists for a long time, it is usually no longer possible to identify the initial trigger. There is also a hereditary predisposition to certain behavioral disorders, such as cribbing. This predisposition is more common in thoroughbred horses than in cold-blooded horses and ponies. It is therefore not cribbing itself that is inherited, but rather the increased sensitivity of these horses to react to certain stressful situations with a behavioral disorder.
Consequences
What happens in the organism when a horse develops a behavioral disorder and performs it continuously? Some stereotypies lead to a reduction in arousal states in horses and therefore have a positive, calming effect. Affected horses show a reduced heart rate and lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels when cribbing, for example. If these horses are prevented from cribbing, their cortisol levels rise. Affected horses also show no increased susceptibility to disease or performance losses. Stereotypical behavior can therefore be a coping strategy to adapt to the conditions in which the horse is kept. Furthermore, prolonged behavioral disorders lead to a change in the concentration of neurotransmitters (messenger substances) and the corresponding receptors in the nervous system. This explains why stereotypical behavior continues even after the cause has been eliminated.
In individual cases, health impairments occur due to mechanical stress on the affected body parts. For example, horses that crib frequently develop extreme tooth wear and more developed lower neck muscles. Scraping or weaving can lead to joint damage or hoof deformities. Self-mutilation can cause severe infections in the injured areas. For this reason, behavioral problems in horses also require veterinary clarification and treatment.
Treatment
The first important step in treating behavioral disorders is to adapt the living conditions to the natural needs of the horse. Offer your horse feeding times spread throughout the day, social contact, and sufficient opportunity for free movement.
Only if these measures are unsuccessful should accompanying medication be administered. There are no scientific studies available on the effectiveness of many medications. Discuss with your veterinarian which preparations could be used.
Aggression between horses
A certain degree of aggression in a herd is part of establishing a hierarchy and is natural behavior for horses. It is a means of communication. Under natural conditions, herd structures are relatively stable. Once a hierarchy has been established, access to water and feed is not constantly fought over. In modern group housing, however, there is usually a certain amount of fluctuation. Aggressive conflicts arise more frequently when new horses have to be integrated into the existing hierarchy. Insufficient space and too few feeding places further fuel these conflicts.
Maternal aggression
Natural behavior includes the sometimes aggressive defense of one's own foal against other horses and also humans. First-time mares sometimes display pain- or fear-induced aggressive behavior toward their own foals. However, this usually disappears after the foal has suckled for the first time. The mare experiences positive feelings as the pressure in her udder is relieved and endorphins are released. However, some mares show excessive aggression towards their own foals, which can result in serious injury. The cause is thought to be a lack of bonding between mother and foal, as well as a hereditary component. In extreme cases, the foal can only be protected from further injury by separating it from its mother.
Dominance-related aggression
This form of aggression is directed at humans and, in its most pronounced form, can lead to very dangerous situations. Due to a lack of training and education, horses may not recognize humans as higher-ranking social partners. They question the hierarchy. This can result in deliberate biting or targeted kicks when entering the stall or when being caught in the paddock. Treating this behavior requires targeted behavioral therapy measures, which owners can often only implement with the help of trained therapists. However, you can successfully prevent this behavior with consistent training starting when the horse is a foal.
Fear-induced aggression
Fear-induced aggression stems from completely different motives. It tends to affect horses that are low in rank, insecure, and fearful. Out of desperation, their natural reaction is to flee, but when they are unable to do so, they display aggressive behavior. These horses do not approach people head-on, but turn their hindquarters toward them and try to kick. Their tails are usually tucked in tightly. You should not punish this behavior, as this will only reinforce it. You need to take your time and remain calm in order to rebuild the horse's trust.
All forms of aggression can be triggered by a physical cause, painful illness, or injury. A veterinary examination is therefore always recommended.
Keeping and feeding horses in a manner that is as typical as possible for their species is a basic prerequisite for preventing behavioral disorders in horses. When keeping horses in groups, care should be taken to ensure a balanced herd composition, sufficient space, and opportunities for activity. New horses should be integrated slowly and in several steps. When keeping horses in stalls, it is important to provide sufficient paddock or pasture time to allow for free movement. Stall partitions should be designed to allow for sufficient social contact with neighbors.
Another important preventive measure is to avoid stressful situations in the horse's daily routine. Depending on the horse, stressful situations can include competitions, transport, veterinary treatment, visits from the farrier, or even excessive demands in daily work. Slow and confident familiarization with such situations leads to greater relaxation in the long term.
The training and education of a horse should also be carried out gently and expertly. Otherwise, many mistakes can creep in that promote the development of behavioral disorders later on. Handling horses does not come naturally to everyone. Inexperienced horse owners should seek expert guidance at the beginning to understand the horse's behavior and needs. On this basis, they can then build a trusting relationship with their equine partner.
Cribbing is one of the most well-known stereotypical behavioral disorders in horses. Cribbing occurs when the front neck muscles are tensed, causing the glottis to open. This allows air to flow into the esophagus. This usually produces a burping sound, known as cribbing. Normally, the air is not swallowed but returns to the throat. Most cribbers are "lip cribbers." They place their incisors on a solid object to crib. These are typically the edges of a manger or stall, fence posts, or similar objects. Free cribbers are less common. They burp without placing their incisors on an object. They nod their head toward their chest as they contract their throat muscles and then let it snap back up.
Cribbing often occurs in conjunction with stomach ulcers (see corresponding article). Acid-related stomach ulcers are accompanied by severe pain, which causes stress. As a result, some horses begin to crib. It is believed that cribbing increases saliva production and thus neutralizes the acidic stomach contents.
Common treatment methods, such as applying a cribbing strap or performing cribbing surgery, merely prevent the movement associated with cribbing. However, they do not address the underlying cause. Instead, they deprive the horse of the opportunity to relieve stress.
The cribbing strap is controversial under animal welfare law. It is placed directly behind the head, tightly around the horse's neck. This prevents the horse from tensing the neck muscles needed for cribbing. However, some horses get used to the pressure and start cribbing again. The strap then has to be tightened more and more to remain effective. This can lead to pressure points and permanent pain.
You should only consider surgery for cribbing if your horse suffers significant health consequences from cribbing. In this procedure, certain nerves and muscles in the neck muscles are severed or partially removed under general anesthesia. This prevents the horse from putting pressure on its neck. The operation is therefore only performed on horses that crib by putting pressure on their necks.
Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor in dogs. This aggressive tumor develops in the bone, has a high metastasis rate (spread rate), and occurs mainly in large dogs and giant breeds. Bernese Mountain Dogs, Great Danes, Dobermans, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Rottweilers, and Greyhounds are at increased risk of developing osteosarcoma. In these breeds, the tumors mainly occur in the long bones of the limbs. Smaller dog breeds are significantly less affected. Here, the tumors are more likely to be found on the short, flat bones of the trunk.
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