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The selection of coloured stimuli by the horse (Equus caballus)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2018

C.A. Hall ,
H.J. Cassaday ,
C.J. Vincent  and
A.M. Derrington
C.A. Hall
Affiliation:
School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Brackenhurst Campus, Southwell, Nottinghamshire NG25 0QF, U.K
H.J. Cassaday
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K
C.J. Vincent
Affiliation:
Psychology, Brain and Behaviour, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, U.K, Email: carol.hall@ntu.ac.uk
A.M. Derrington
Affiliation:
Psychology, Brain and Behaviour, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, U.K, Email: carol.hall@ntu.ac.uk
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Extract

Colour is an important feature that increases the visibility of objects and may aid recognition of con-specifics. The adaptive significance of the ability to utilize colour cues has been demonstrated in a number of species, in particular in relation to food selection. The evolution of trichromatic colour vision in primates has been associated with the advantages that it provided in the selection of yellow and orange fruits (Mollon, 1989) or tender young red foliage (Dominy and Lucas, 2001) from a background of green. The horse is a generalist herbivore that must both select nutritious plants and avoid toxic ones. Familiarity is an important factor in this selection process (Augner et al., 1998), although it is not clear exactly what features are used to recognise previously ingested and “safe” herbage.

The horse has been shown to possess dichromatic colour vision. There are two types of cone photopigment in the equine retina, with spectral peaks at 429 and 545 nanometres (Macuda, 2000).

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Information
BSAP Occasional Publication , Volume 35: Applying Equine Science: Research into Business , 2006 , pp. 217 - 221
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Production 2006

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References

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