Bulletin of Equine Research Institute
Online ISSN : 1884-4626
Print ISSN : 0386-4634
ISSN-L : 0386-4634
Behavioral Studies on Yearling Horses in Field Environment
3. Effects of the Pasture Shape on the Behavior of Horses
Ryo KUSUNOSEHiromu HATAKEYAMAFumikatsu ICHIKAWAHironori OKIYo ASAIKatsumi ITO
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JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

1987 Volume 1987 Issue 24 Pages 1-5

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Abstract
Effects of the pasture shape on the behavior were studied by observing the behavior of horses pastured in three different rectangular pastures. Each pasture had the same square measure of 2.4ha, but the length and breadth proportions were different from one another; that is, 1:1 in pasture A, 1:2 in B, and 1:4 in C. Thoroughbred herds composed of six yearlings each were put to grass in three types of pasture, and their behavior was recorded continuously. The mean distances of locomotion of horses in the three pastures were almost the same (about 5000m per 7 hours) as one another. In order to compare the effects of the pasture shape on cantering of horses, the cantering was classified into three types according to the direction of turning (Type I cantering: the horse changed its direction less than 90° during cantering, Type II cantering: 90° to 180°, and Type III cantering: more than 180°). The frequencies of appearance of the three types of cantering observed in the three pastures were timed. In pasture A, Type I cantering showed a higher frequency and Type III cantering a lower frequency than in pasture C. There was a significant difference in the frequency of appearance of each type of cantering between pastures A and C (X2 test, P<0.05). In pasture C, as compared with any other pastures, the stopping points of cantering tended to deviated to sites near the fence which enclosed the pasture. In pasture A, the horses grazed more evenly than in any other pasture.
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