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Animals
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The Behavior, Management, and Welfare of Male Horses
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The Behavior, Management, and Welfare of Male Horses

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Equids".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 7951

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Carissa Wickens

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Guest Editor
Department of Animal Science, University of Florida, PO Box 110910, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Interests: animal behavior and welfare; environment and behavior; management and behavior; human–animal interactions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Elke Hartmann

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SLU Fakturamottagning, Box 7090, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
Interests: equine behavior; welfare; training; horse–human relationship

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Previous research has demonstrated that male horses are at an increased risk of developing stereotypic and other abnormal behaviors. Geldings displaying stallion-like behavior towards other horses or expressing unwanted and potentially dangerous behavior at the human–horse interface present challenges for caregivers and equine facilities. Furthermore, the traditional practice of keeping stallions in relative isolation from conspecifics remains a welfare concern. Increased knowledge of male horse interactions, and specific, evidence-based handling and management practices that improve the safety and well-being of male horses and of their handlers or riders deserve to be highlighted and disseminated. Therefore, we have identified a need to open an international discussion that addresses these topics.

For this Special Issue, we are inviting original research and review papers that advance our understanding of gelding and stallion behavior, the management and training of male horses, and the horse–rider and horse–discipline match based on sex, to ultimately improve and safeguard horse welfare, performance, and human safety.

Dr. Carissa Wickens
Dr. Elke Hartmann
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1001 KiB  
Article
Social Box: Influence of a New Housing System on the Social Interactions of Stallions When Driven in Pairs
by Annik Imogen Gmel, Anja Zollinger, Christa Wyss, Iris Bachmann and Sabrina Briefer Freymond
Animals 2022, 12(9), 1077; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12091077 - 21 Apr 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2300
Abstract
In order to improve the housing conditions of stallions in individual boxes, we tested a so-called “social box” allowing increased physical contact between neighbouring horses. This study investigated whether housing stallions in social boxes changes the number of social interactions during carriage driving. [...] Read more.
In order to improve the housing conditions of stallions in individual boxes, we tested a so-called “social box” allowing increased physical contact between neighbouring horses. This study investigated whether housing stallions in social boxes changes the number of social interactions during carriage driving. We hypothesised that the stay in social boxes would decrease the number of unwanted social interactions between stallions when driven in pairs. Eight Franches-Montagnes breeding stallions were observed when driven in pairs with a “neutral” stallion housed in a so-called “conventional box”, strongly limiting physical contact. They were driven on a standardised route over the course of four days before, during, and after being housed in social boxes. The type and frequency of behaviours of the pairs and the interventions of the groom and the driver during the test drives were assessed live and using video recordings. Results from linear mixed-effect models show that unwanted social interactions decreased during and after the stallions were housed in the social box (p < 0.001). Stallions’ interactions also decreased over the four days (p < 0.01), suggesting a habituation to the test conditions by learning not to interact, or by subtly settling dominance. The social box tended to decrease unwanted social behaviours of stallions driven in pairs and could therefore be used as an environmental enrichment for horses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Behavior, Management, and Welfare of Male Horses)
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14 pages, 2008 KiB  
Article
Aggression, Erection, and Masturbation in Feral Pottoka Ponies and Implications for Equine Welfare
by Katherine Grillaert
Animals 2022, 12(4), 421; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12040421 - 10 Feb 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4355
Abstract
Erection and masturbation in horses are considered unwanted behaviors in training contexts, despite recognition that these are naturally occurring behaviors that are integral to the welfare of male horses. Equestrians, especially those who use positive reinforcement in their training, expressed concern that the [...] Read more.
Erection and masturbation in horses are considered unwanted behaviors in training contexts, despite recognition that these are naturally occurring behaviors that are integral to the welfare of male horses. Equestrians, especially those who use positive reinforcement in their training, expressed concern that the presence of such behaviors might be associated with aggressive or sexual behaviors aimed at humans participating in horse-human interactions. The implications of such attitudes could negatively affect male horses by excluding them from welfare-friendly training systems. In this study, feral stallions were observed to describe and quantify behaviors that occurred before, during, and after erection and masturbation, and to identify change in arousal. This study did not find evidence that erection and masturbation are associated with increases in arousal, or to sexual or aggressive behavior toward other horses. The possible presence or induction of erection or masturbation alone might not limit male horses from participating in certain handling, training, or riding contexts. These findings, along with further research, may be used to inform interpretations of horse–human interactions that involve erection or masturbation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Behavior, Management, and Welfare of Male Horses)
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