Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-10-30T15:08:19.378Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Physiological and behavioral responses of horses during police training

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 December 2012

C. C. B. M. Munsters*
Affiliation:
Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 114, NL 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands Moxie Sport Analysis & Coaching, Raam 107, 5403 TH Uden, The Netherlands
E. K. Visser
Affiliation:
Animal Sciences Group, Wageningen UR, PO Box 65, 8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands
J. van den Broek
Affiliation:
Department of Farm Animal Health, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
M. M. Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan
Affiliation:
Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 114, NL 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
*
Get access

Abstract

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 ± 26) and smoke machine test (107 ± 25) compared with outdoor track (80 ± 12, t = 2.83 and t = 3.91, respectively) and street track tests (81 ± 14, t = 2.48 and t = 3.52, respectively). HRV of horses at the indoor arena test (42.4 ± 50.2) was significantly lower compared with street track test (85.7 ± 94.3 and t = 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.

Type
Behaviour, welfare and health
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baragli, P, Mariti, C, Petri, L, De Giorgio, F, Sighieri, C 2011. Does attention make the difference? Horses’ response to human stimulus after 2 different training strategies. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 6, 3138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Horváth, Z, Igyártó, B, Magyar, A, Miklósi, A 2007. Three different coping styles in police dogs exposed to a short-term challenge. Hormones and Behavior 52, 621630.Google Scholar
McGreevy, PD, McLean, AN 2010. Equitation science. West Sussex, UK, Wiley-Blackwell.Google Scholar
Munsters, CCBM, Visser, EK, van den Broek, J, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan, MM 2012. The influence of challenging objects and horse–rider matching on heart rate, heart rate variability and behavioral score of riding horses. The Veterinary Journal 192, 7580.Google Scholar
Parker, M, Goodwin, D, Eager, RA, Redhead, ES, Marlin, DJ 2009. Comparison of Polar® heart rate interval data with simultaneously recorded ECG signals in horses. Comparative Exercise Physiology 6, 137142.Google Scholar
Slabbert, JM, Odendaal, JSJ 1999. Early prediction of adult police dog efficiency – a longitudinal study. Applied Animal Behavior Science 64, 269288.Google Scholar
Thomas, R 2010. Predictability in an unpredictable environment: training the police horse using learning theory. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 5, 218.Google Scholar
Taylor, KD, Mills, DS 2006. The development and assessment of temperament tests for adult companion dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 1, 94108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Visser, EK, Van Reenen, CG, Van der Werf, JTN, Schilder, MBH, Knaap, JH, Barneveld, A, Blokhuis, HJ 2002. Heart rate and heart rate variability during a novel object test and a handling test in young horses. Physiology and Behavior 76, 289296.Google Scholar
Visser, EK, Karlas, K, van Deurzen, I, Workel, I, van Reenen, K 2010. Expert's assessment of temperament in sport horses. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research 5, 214215.Google Scholar
Von Borell, E, Langbein, J, Despres, G, Hansen, S, Leterrier, C, Marchant-Forde, J, Marchant-Forde, M, Minero, M, Mohr, E, Prunier, A, Valance, D, Veisser, I 2007. Heart rate variability as a measure of autonomic regulation of cardiac activity for assessing stress and welfare in farm animals – a review. Physiology and Behavior 92, 293316.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Munsters Supplementary Material

Appendix

Download Munsters Supplementary Material(File)
File 4.8 MB