Houpt K A, Parsons M S, Hintz H F
J Anim Sci. 1982 Nov;55(5):1027-32. doi: 10.2527/jas1982.5551027x.
The maze learning ability of six pony foals that had been weaned at birth was compared to that of six foals reared normally. The foals' learning ability was also compared to their mothers' learning ability at the same task; the correct turn in a single choice point maze. The maze learning test was conducted when the foals were 6 to 8 mo old and after the mothered foals had been weaned. There was no significant difference between the ability of orphaned (weaned at birth) and mothered foals in their ability to learn to turn left (6 +/- .7 and 5.1 +/- .1 trials, respectively) or to learn the reversal, to turn right (6.7 +/- .6 and 6.2 +/- .6 trials, respectively). The orphan foals spent significantly more time in the maze in their first exposure to it than the mothered foals (184 +/- 42 vs 55 +/- 15 s. Mann Whitney U = 7, P less than .05). The mothers of the foals (n = 11) learned to turn left as rapidly as the foals (5.9 +/- .7 trials), but they were slower to learn to turn right (9.8 +/- 1.4 vs 6.4 +/- .4 trials, Mann Whitney U = 33, P less than .05), indicating that the younger horses learned more rapidly. There was no correlation between the trials to criteria of the mare and those of her foal, but there was a significant negative correlation between rank in trials to criteria and age (r = -65, P less than .05) when data from the mare and foal trials were combined. The dominance hierarchy of the mares was determined using a paired feeding test in which two horses competed for one bucket of feed. Although there was no correlation between rank in the hierarchy and maze learning ability, there was a correlation between body weight and rank in the hierarchy (r = .7, P less than .05). This may indicate either that heavier horses are likely to be dominant or that horses high in dominance gain more weight. Maternal deprivation did not appear to seriously retard learning of a simple maze by foals, although the orphans moved more slowly initially. The lack of maternal influence on learning is also reflected in the lack of correlation between the mare's learning ability and that of her foal. Young horses appear to learn more rapidly than older horses.
将六匹出生时就断奶的小马驹的迷宫学习能力，与六匹正常饲养的马驹的迷宫学习能力进行了比较。这些马驹的学习能力还与它们的母亲在同一任务（即在单选择点迷宫中做出正确转向）中的学习能力进行了比较。迷宫学习测试在马驹6至8个月大时以及由母马抚养的马驹断奶后进行。在学习向左转（分别为6±0.7次和5.1±0.1次尝试）或学习反转（向右转，分别为6.7±0.6次和6.2±0.6次尝试）的能力方面，孤儿马驹（出生时断奶）和由母马抚养的马驹之间没有显著差异。在首次接触迷宫时，孤儿马驹在迷宫中花费的时间明显比由母马抚养的马驹多（184±42秒对55±15秒。曼-惠特尼U检验=7，P＜0.05）。马驹的母亲（n = 11）学习向左转的速度与马驹一样快（5.9±0.7次尝试），但她们学习向右转的速度较慢（9.8±1.4次对6.4±0.4次尝试，曼-惠特尼U检验=33，P＜0.05），这表明年轻的马学习速度更快。母马达到标准所需的尝试次数与它的马驹达到标准所需的尝试次数之间没有相关性，但当将母马和马驹的试验数据合并时，达到标准所需的尝试次数排名与年龄之间存在显著的负相关（r = -0.65，P＜0.05）。母马的优势等级通过配对喂食测试来确定，即两匹马竞争一桶饲料。虽然等级排名与迷宫学习能力之间没有相关性，但体重与等级排名之间存在相关性（r = 0.7，P＜0.05）。这可能表明要么较重的马可能占主导地位，要么占主导地位的马体重增加更多。虽然孤儿马驹最初行动较慢，但母体剥夺似乎并没有严重阻碍马驹对简单迷宫的学习。母马学习能力与马驹学习能力之间缺乏相关性也反映了母体影响对学习的缺乏。年轻的马似乎比年长的马学习速度更快。
