Heart rates in familiar and unfamiliar pairs of young horses and their riders

Heart rate is commonly used variable to measure stress in horses when used together with other variables. Synchronisation of heart rates is commonly used as an indicator of communication and relationship between the horse and the rider. In this experiment were measured differences in heart rates and behaviour in familiar and unfamiliar horse-rider pairs. Also, connection between heart rates of the riders and the horses were measured, as well as, synchronization between heart rates in each horse-rider pair. Subjects in this study were 12 three- and four-year old horses that were in basic training in Hólar University and 12 students who were training them. The riders rode the horses through a simple track in a riding hall, where they had to ride different patterns at walk, they rode once a familiar horse that they had been training themselves and once an unfamiliar horse. A bicycle was placed in the center of arena to test fear responses in the horses. In this study no difference was found in heart rates of the horses with familiar and unfamiliar riders (T = 0.82, p < .46) neither in behavioural measurements (Z = 37.50, p < .09). The familiarity of the horse didn’t impact either on the heart rates of the riders (T = 0.37, p < .73). There was significant correlation between heart rates of the horses and the riders (r = 0.55, p < .021). Synchronisations were found between heart rates in several horse-rider pairs (p < .000). These results suggest that it is important to look for other factors than familiarity of the rider if the horse is stressed with a new rider. These results support previous findings of syncronisation and underline the importance of the rider being conscious of the effect of his or her psychophysiological state on the horse.

Author dc:creator

• Siipola, Anja-Kaarina, 1990-

Contributors dc:contributor

• Háskólinn á Hólum

• Hestafræði
• Hestar
• Hestamennska
• Hjartsláttarmælingar
• Streita
• Equine studies
• Stress in horses

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1946/41152

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:skemman.is:1946/41152