McKenzie Jessica, Fenner Kate, Hyde Michelle, Anzulewicz Ashley, Burattini Bibiana, Romness Nicole, Wilson Bethany, McGreevy Paul
School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
Animals (Basel). 2020 Dec 31;11(1):66. doi: 10.3390/ani11010066.
It is logical to assume that horses with multiple riders encounter variation in application of training cues. When training cues are inconsistent, we expect to see a decrease in trained responses or an increase in conflict behaviours. This study investigated the relationship between the number of people that regularly ride or handle a horse and the horse's response to operant cues. Data on 1819 equids were obtained from the Equine Behavior Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ), an online global survey of horse owners and caregivers. Three mutually independent indices (acceleration, deceleration, and responsiveness) were derived from a parallel analysis of E-BARQ items related to acceleration and deceleration cues. These indices were then subjected to multivariable modelling against a range of dependent variables including horse and human demographics, horse management, and the number of riders or handlers. The number of riders or handlers was a significant predictor for two out of three indices. As the number of riders or handlers increased, horses were more difficult to accelerate (regression coefficient = 0.0148 ± 0.0071; = 0.0366) and less difficult to decelerate (regression coefficient = -0.017 ± 0.008; = 0.030) than those with fewer riders or handlers. These findings suggest that horses' responses to rein tension cues are more persistent than their responses to leg pressure or whip cues. Alternatively, horses with these responses may be actively selected for multiple rider roles. Longitudinal studies of this sort should reveal how the number of riders or handlers affects horse behaviour and could lead to safer and more humane equestrian practices.
可以合理假设，有多个骑手的马在训练提示的应用上会遇到差异。当训练提示不一致时，我们预期会看到训练反应的减少或冲突行为的增加。本研究调查了定期骑马或与马互动的人数与马对操作性提示的反应之间的关系。关于1819匹马的数据来自《马行为评估与研究问卷》（E-BARQ），这是一项针对马主和饲养员的全球在线调查。通过对与加速和减速提示相关的E-BARQ项目进行平行分析，得出了三个相互独立的指标（加速、减速和反应性）。然后，针对一系列因变量，包括马和人类的人口统计学特征、马匹管理以及骑手或饲养员的数量，对这些指标进行多变量建模。骑手或饲养员的数量是三个指标中两个指标的显著预测因素。与骑手或饲养员较少的马相比，随着骑手或饲养员数量的增加，马加速更困难（回归系数 = 0.0148 ± 0.0071；P = 0.0366），减速更不困难（回归系数 = -0.017 ± 0.008；P = 0.030）。这些发现表明，马对缰绳张力提示的反应比对腿部压力或鞭子提示的反应更持久。或者，具有这些反应的马可能被积极挑选用于多个骑手角色。这类纵向研究应该能够揭示骑手或饲养员的数量如何影响马的行为，并可能导致更安全、更人道的马术实践。
