Department of Animal Health and Bioscience, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark.
Equine Vet J. 2011 Mar;43(2):223-8. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00151.x.
During riding, horses are frequently exposed to pressure from the rider, e.g. through the bit and reins, but few studies have investigated at which point rein tension becomes uncomfortable for the horse.
To investigate how much rein tension young inexperienced horses are willing to accept in order to obtain a food reward; whether the tension acceptance changes during 3 consecutive test days; and whether rein tension correlates with the expression of conflict behaviour and heart rate.
Pressure-naïve horses will apply only little rein tension in the first voluntary trial, but their acceptance will gradually increase. High levels of rein tension will lead to expression of conflict behaviour and increases in heart rate.
Fifteen 2-year-old, bridle-naïve mares were encouraged to stretch their head forward (across a 0.95 m high metal bar) to obtain a food reward in a voluntary test situation. On each test day, each horse was exposed to 2 control sessions (loose reins), an intermediate and a short rein session (1 min/session). Rein tension, heart rate and behaviour were recorded.
The horses applied significantly more tension on the first day (mean rein tension: 10.2 N), compared to the second and third test day (Day 2: 6.0 and Day 3: 5.7 N). The horses showed significantly more conflict behaviour in the short rein treatment. There was no treatment effect on heart rate.
The horses applied the highest rein tension on the first day, and apparently learned to avoid the tension, rather than habituate to it. Rein tension correlated with expression of conflict behaviour, indicating that the horses found the tension aversive. Further studies should focus on the correlation between rein tension and conflict behaviour in ridden horses.
在骑马过程中，马经常受到骑手的压力，例如通过马衔和缰绳，但很少有研究调查缰绳张力达到什么程度会使马感到不适。
调查未经训练的年轻马为了获得食物奖励愿意承受多大的缰绳张力；在连续 3 天的测试中，这种张力接受程度是否会发生变化；以及缰绳张力是否与冲突行为和心率的表达相关。
无压力经验的马在第一次自愿试验中只会施加很小的缰绳张力，但它们的接受程度会逐渐增加。高缰绳张力会导致冲突行为的表现和心率的增加。
15 匹 2 岁、未经缰绳训练的母马被鼓励在自愿测试环境中伸展头部（越过 0.95 米高的金属棒）以获得食物奖励。在每个测试日，每匹马都要经历 2 个对照期（缰绳松弛）、一个中间期和一个短缰绳期（1 分钟/期）。记录缰绳张力、心率和行为。
与第二和第三天（第 2 天：6.0 N，第 3 天：5.7 N）相比，马在第一天施加的张力明显更大（平均缰绳张力：10.2 N）。在短缰绳处理中，马表现出更多的冲突行为。心率没有受到处理的影响。
马在第一天施加的缰绳张力最大，显然学会了避免张力，而不是习惯它。缰绳张力与冲突行为的表达相关，表明马认为张力是令人厌恶的。进一步的研究应集中在骑马中缰绳张力与冲突行为的相关性上。
