Acting up - the psychology of why horses can act up before a race | Trainer Magazine | European Trainer Article Index

Dec 31

Dec 31 Acting up - the psychology of why horses can act up before a race

AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ The psychology behind starting gate jitters Pre-competition rituals can be witnessed in even the most seasoned competitor in almost every sport. From slapping their sticks and fussing with seemingly every single piece of equipment protecting their bodies before the puck drops, hockey goalies take the term “pre-game jitters” to a whole new level. Not to be bested, baseball players have their share of eccentricities while approaching and entering the batter’s box, and don’t even get me started on pro ping pong! WORDS: Stacey Oke DVM, MSc PHOtOS: caROLINe NORRIS ONSIDERING the pressure that athletes put on themselves – plus pressure from their fans – it shouldn’t be a stretch to consider that thoroughbreds also suffer starting gate jitters that manifest in various ways. From swaying, weaving, and flexing and extending distal limbs to sizing up the competition, many horses in the starting gate behave like the competitors lining up for the ever-popular men’s 100m race in the Olympic Games. Take a look at the video coverage of this year’s running of the prestigious American race, the Travers… while eventual winner Arrogate and Laoban both appeared cool as cucumbers, Governor Malibu was antsy, rocking from side to side, and many spectators witnessed overt head shaking by Forever d’Oro when the gate opened. What do these pre-race behaviours signify? Do they represent a welfare issue like stereotypies? In this article, both pre-race behaviour and stereotypies are described with contributions from Sid Gustafson, DVM, a practicing veterinarian and novelist from Montana. Gustafson, author of Equine Behavior: The Nature of Horses, also teaches equine behaviour at Equine Guelph, University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. Pre-race behaviours – stress or signs of success? In the late 1990s, Geoffrey Hutson, a Melbourne, Australia, native and equine behaviourist, co-authored a study titled “Pre-race behaviour of horses as a predictor of race finishing order” that was published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science. The authors assessed the behaviour and appearance of 867 horses in 67 races at two of Melbourne’s thoroughbred tracks. Factors taken into consideration when assessing behaviour included head, ear, and tail position. In the latter category, the authors looked at whether the tail was relaxed, stiff, or swishing/flicking. In total, 29 variables were assessed, including 19 behaviour/appearance variables, with the remainder being traditional race-book information (e.g., weight carried, starting price). Key findings of the study were that: l Traditionally held views, such as winners tended to be fitter and more relaxed whereas losers were more aroused and required great control, held true in this study. l Simple observations of the behaviour and appearance of the horses prior to a race cannot predict winners. l Elevations of the head, neck, and tail were associated with increased arousal. l Tail elevation, neck angle with the jockey up, and resistance to the bit were all significantly related to finishing order, with a less relaxed tail associated with losing. The “power” of these variables, however, was poor compared to traditional variables mentioned above. l Although a single behavioural variable could not reliably predict outcome, a combination of behaviour and appearance variables, including tail carriage, was capable of identifying horses that were more likely to be losers 67.4% of the time. lPre-race behaviour and appearance of horses is a valuable aid in predicting losing horses, not winners. In conclusion, Hutson and co-author Marie Haskell wrote, “…objective analysis of racehorse appearance and behaviour is both fascinating and a legitimate application of animal behaviour science in one of the most popular worldwide animal industries. This area offers many intriguing research opportunities.” Indeed, Hutson went on to write two books using pre-race behaviour to predict outcome, starting with, Watching Racehorses: A Guide to Betting On Behaviour, and he is now a full-time punter. According to Hutson, who, recall, is an expert equine behaviourist, one of the greatest challenges with assessing behaviour in this subset of athletes is timing. Hutson and Haskell estimated they had approximately 38 seconds to assess the condition, appearance, and behaviour of each horse in each race. “With 19 variables per horse we found that in some races we were working under considerable time pressure, with only two or three seconds to score each variable. In addition, many trainers try to hold their horses back in the stable area until the last minute, to minimise their exposure to the pre-race atmosphere and tension. Often we had to run to keep up with the late horses on their way to the mounting yard,” wrote the authors Starting gate and racing behaviour: focus on tail swishing The study by Hutson and Haskell clearly suggested that high tail carriage has a negative impact on racing performance. In addition to carriage of the tail, tail swishing is a relatively commonly observed 19 behaviour/appearance variables, with the remainder being traditional race-book information (e.g., weight carried, starting price). Key findings of the study were that: l Traditionally held views, such as winners tended to be fitter and more relaxed whereas losers were more aroused and required great control, held true in this study. l Simple observations of the behaviour and appearance of the horses prior to a race cannot predict winners. l Elevations of the head, neck, and tail were associated with increased arousal. l Tail elevation, neck angle with the jockey up, and resistance to the bit were all significantly related to finishing order, with a less relaxed tail associated with losing. The “power” of these variables, however, was poor compared to traditional variables mentioned above. l Although a single behavioural variable could not reliably predict outcome, a combination of behaviour and appearance variables, including tail carriage, was capable of identifying horses that were more likely to be losers 67.4% of the time. lPre-race behaviour and appearance of horses is a valuable aid in predicting losing horses, not winners. In conclusion, Hutson and co-author Marie Haskell wrote, “…objective analysis of racehorse appearance and behaviour is both fascinating and a legitimate application of animal behaviour science in behaviour trait once horses are loaded into the starting gate. “I have been the gate veterinarian for thousands of horseraces. Tail swishing in the gate is often the horse communicating that s/he is uncomfortable or unsettled. All other kinetic empathy is often taken away when horses are in the gate. The assistant starter often has a hold of the head, the horse is confined in the gate, and the only method left to communicate is the tail,” explains Gustafson, adding, “In addition to communication, horses use their tails for balance, locomotion, teaching, expressing emotion, and more.” For example, horses use their tails to dissuade insects from feeding while they are grazing. The equine tail could also be viewed as a built-in fan to help thermoregulate. Recall from “name of article” in the Summer 2012 issue of European Trainer that horses dissipate heat from their skin. Thus, increasing airflow across the skin can help horses stay cool. In other equine disciplines, tail swishing during competition is considered a “conflict behaviour.” According to a 2015 study published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, conflict behaviours (CBs) such as excessive tail swishing and mouth gaping are “indicative to some kind of discomfort confusion, and resistance or hyperactivity to riders’ aids.” In addition, the study authors wrote, “CB is a response exhibited by animals that experience difficulty coping with mental or physical discomfort, most often demonstrated as some form of resistance to handling or training cues and/ or equipment.” In that study, the authors concluded that the occurrence of CBs such as tail swishing during elite level competitions suggests that horses participating in competition may not be sufficiently prepared for competition. Although still pictures of thoroughbreds during a race shows their tails flying behind them, much like a superhero’s cape without much swishing or movement at all, Gustafson says that tail swishing during a race is relatively common. “Every week, as a regulatory veterinarian, I would see tail swishing during a race. Of course, that brought veterinary scrutiny to the horse, wherein causative factors VETERINARY “Some horses have nervous tails, and some tail actions are rewarded and become taught, not always on purpose Sid Gustafson ” their preparedness for competition. Tail swishing is not considered an abnormal or stereotypic behaviour. Stereotypies are defined as repetitive, relatively invariant, and apparently functionless behaviours. Examples of stereotypic behaviours include cribbing, wind-sucking, stall-walking, weaving, pawing, among a slew of others. Professor Paul McGreevy, BVSc, PhD, MRCVS, MACVS (Animal Welfare), Cert CABC, Grad Cert Higher Ed and Sub Dean Animal Welfare at the University of Sydney, Australia (formerly from the Department of Animal Health and Husbandry, School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, UK), reported data regarding the occurrence of stereotypies in thoroughbreds. Based on his own experience, McGreevy estimated that the prevalence of stall-walking, wind-sucking/ crib-biting, and weaving in the UK’s thoroughbred population was 1.7, 4.0, and 4.0%, respectively. In Italy, those rates seem to be slightly lower at 2.5, 2.4, and 2.5%, respectively. 70 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 56 were often observed, such as cinch sore, a pinching bridle, lots of tack troubles and human oversights, blinkers, and other sensory deprivation devices such as shadow and cheek rolls, ear plugs, nasal menthols, etc. “Some horses have nervous tails, and some tail actions are rewarded and become taught, not always on purpose. Certain horses regularly flash their tail during racing events, some perhaps in joy,” he adds. Stereotypic behaviours in thoroughbreds Based on Hutson’s, Gustafson’s, and other equine behaviourists’ views, tail position and swishing appear to serve as a window into a horse’s mental state and possibly also Of concern, however, is that McGreevy reports that the combined prevalence of all abnormal behaviours in thoroughbreds is estimated to be as high as 26%, which equates to an alarming one-quarter of the thoroughbred population. Further, Daniel Mills from the Animal Behaviour Cognition and Welfare Group at the University of Lincoln in Lincolnshire, UK, suggests that this data underreports the true prevalence of the condition and that stereotypies occur much more frequently. Specific to thoroughbreds racehorse, Tamara Tadich, MSc. et al. reported in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science that of the 743 evaluated horses at two separate facilities, the overall prevalence of abnormal behaviours was 11.03%. Of those, only 6.32% of horses were classified as having actual stereotypies. Behaviours viewed as stereotypies went beyond the classics and also included nodding, stall kicking, pawing, wood chewing, coprophagia (ingestion of faeces), licking, and bed eating. Similar results were subsequently reported by Lisandro Muñoz from the Universidad de Concepción, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias in Chile, and his colleagues in 2014. This latter group found that 13.2% of 341 thoroughbred racehorses had stereotypies, but they looked only at the occurrence of cribbing, weaving, and stall-walking. In other words, the overall occurrence of stereotypies was likely much higher. Stereotypic implications of stereotypies and what to do Why do we care about whether a horse bobs his head or sucks on her stall door? Other than damage caused by some stereotypies to the stall and potential injury to the horse, the real issue is one of welfare. According to a 2013 article by Amir Sarrafchi and Harry Blockhauis from Linköping University in Sweden published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, stereotypies are widely believed to be linked to poor welfare and are more frequently observed in suboptimal environments. While several studies have attempted to identify factors associated with the occurrence of stereotypies--such as diet composition, visual access to conspecifics, amount of turnout, and number of feedings per day--no consensus has been reached. In Gustafson’s opinion, lack of movement is a major contributor. “Stereotypies are a result of deprivation of friends, forage, and locomotion by their caretakers. Stalled horses require miles and miles of daily walking to maintain pulmonary, digestive, musculoskeletal, and behavioural health. Horses require near-constant 24/7 friends, forage, and locomotion to maintain behavioural health and contentment,” says Gustafson. A broad discussion of treatment is not possible here, but in a nutshell, the prevailing thought is that once a stereotypie develops it is extremely difficult to curtail the cribbing and other unwanted behaviours. Owners/trainers frequently turn to physically deter horses from performing the behaviour (e.g., using cribbing collars). Alternate techniques suggested by Mills include the following: l Reduced stable time and increased exercise; l Stable toys; l Additional social contact; l Alternating the horse’s stall, increasing the stall size, and providing a more varied view from the stable; l Using a chain instead of a door on the stall. Interestingly, during a presentation for the Havemeyer Foundation, Mills compared what we classify as equine stereotypies to human obsessive-compulsive behaviours rather than actual stereotypic behaviours. He said, “It may be that this distinction needs to be made when considering apparently stereotypic behaviours in the horse, since they may share more with the latter (obsessive-compulsive behaviours) than the former (stereotypies).” Concluding thoughts In sum, it is reasonable to suggest that although thoroughbreds do suffer from stereotypies like other horses when housed indoors or in heavily managed situations, their behaviours and tail swishing in the starting gate seems more comparable to the excitement of competition that is observed in human athletes. “Not all tail swishing is problematic, nor is all tail swishing reflective of discontentment or pain. Some horses have nervous tails, and some horses are simply communicating something to others. What the ‘something’ is, however, is not always evident,” added Gustafson. That said, it behooves the equine racing community to ensure that the horses are not swishing their tails due to discomfort from avoidable causes, such as tack issues. Further, taking proactive steps to abrogate the development or worsening of stereotypies that are fairly common in heavily managed horses is also encouraged.

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First published in European Trainer issue 56 - January '17 - March '17

Dec 31 Gordon Elliott - TRM Trainer of the Quarter - Jan to March 2017

Dec 31 Staff focus - working on regulations and hours