Weaving is a behaviour in horses that is classified as a stable vice, [1] in which the horse repetitively sways on its forelegs, shifting its weight back and forth by moving the head and neck side to side. It may also include swaying of the rest of the body and picking up the front legs. Some horses exhibit non-stereotypical weaving, and instead engage in variations on this behavior. [2]
Ultimately, the housing condition of horses is considered to be the cause of stable vices such as weaving. [3] There are no reports of wild horses displaying weaving behaviour, mainly because these horses are in their natural state, i.e. they are not confined or on a schedule. Domestic horses are often housed in stalls (typically 8x8 or 12x12) at night, and are allowed turnout (i.e. time outside) during the day. Horses that are housed in solitary confinement from other horses, or those that do not get daily turnout, or inadequate turnout, are more at risk for developing stable vices such as weaving. [3]
Horses often perform this vice due to stress. [3] Horses tend to weave near the door of their stall, possibly because they desire to leave the stall to move around. Horses also sometimes weave near a window to the aisle or the exterior of the stable, which would provide visual stimulation.
Stress during critical periods such as weaning may also contribute to the development of stables vices. [3]
However, some horses that have developed the habit will also weave while turned out, signifying that the problem is not solely one of confinement.
Many equestrians believe weaving is a learned habit. However, some experts theorize that weaving could more likely develop in horses with a genetic predisposition to it. [4] Thus, there is a debate over whether weaving is a learned behavior that horses pick up by observing another horse who weaves, or if it is an inborn tendency that develops under a certain set of environmental conditions. These two arguments fail to take into account the fact that most behaviours can be both genetically and environmentally influenced. It is possible that both sides are correct to some extent. Horses that exhibit non-stereotypical weaving do not necessarily begin after watching another horse weaving (stereotypical or non-stereotypical), suggesting that horses can begin weaving without learning it from another horse. [2]
Some people claim that it is usually safe to allow other horses to see a weaver, unless it is known that the horse may be genetically predisposed (their sire or dam was a weaver). [4] Others feel it is caused by environmental factors, and that other horses in the same setting will pick up the behavior once a single horse starts. However, this may be due to all horses experiencing similar stresses, and thus engaging in similar behavior.
Weaving may also be caused by anticipation of predictable events such as feeding or turnout, as the behavior has been observed to increase prior to these events. [2]
Weaving is generally not a very damaging vice over short periods of time, but horses that are consistent weavers may show abnormal hoof wear, and stress on their joints (which can cause lameness). Damage to the stall floor may also occur. The overall value of a horse is not necessarily diminished by its weaving, but the underlying cause of stress or boredom that is causing the behavior should be investigated and rectified to ensure the horse's well-being.
Weaving is also linked to weight loss, uneven muscle development, and performance problems. [3]
Like most vices, weaving is a very difficult habit to break, and may not disappear even after the original problem has been resolved. However, there are several ways to manage a weaver and reduce its stress:
Dairy cattle are cattle bred for the ability to produce large quantities of milk, from which dairy products are made. Dairy cattle generally are of the species Bos taurus.
Dog aggression expressed by dogs is considered to be normal behaviour and various types of aggression are influenced by a dog's environment and genetic predisposition. Dogs commonly display possessive aggression when defending resources or themselves.
A stereotypy is a repetitive or ritualistic movement, posture, or utterance. Stereotypies may be simple movements such as body rocking, or complex, such as self-caressing, crossing and uncrossing of legs, and marching in place. They are found especially in people with autism spectrum disorders and visually impaired children, and are also found in intellectual disabilities, tardive dyskinesia and stereotypic movement disorder, yet may also be encountered in neurotypical individuals as well. Studies have shown stereotypies associated with some types of schizophrenia. Frontotemporal dementia is also a common neurological cause of repetitive behaviors and stereotypies. Several causes have been hypothesized for stereotypy, and several treatment options are available.
Feather-plucking, sometimes termed feather-picking, feather damaging behaviour or pterotillomania, is a maladaptive, behavioural disorder commonly seen in captive birds that chew, bite or pluck their own feathers with their beak, resulting in damage to the feathers and occasionally the skin. It is especially common among parrots, with an estimated 10% of captive parrots exhibiting the disorder. The areas of the body that are mainly pecked or plucked are the more accessible regions such as the neck, chest, flank, inner thigh and ventral wing area. Contour and down feathers are generally identified as the main target, although in some cases, tail and flight feathers are affected. Although feather-plucking shares characteristics with feather pecking commonly seen in commercial poultry, the two behaviours are currently considered to be distinct as in the latter, the birds peck at and pull out the feathers of other individuals.
Cribbing is a form of stereotypy (equine oral stereotypic behaviour), otherwise known as wind sucking or crib-biting. Cribbing is considered to be an abnormal, compulsive behavior seen in some horses, and is often labelled a stable vice. The major factors that cause cribbing include stress, stable management, genetic and gastrointestinal irritability.
Behavioral enrichment is an animal husbandry principle that seeks to enhance the quality of captive animal care by identifying and providing the environmental stimuli necessary for optimal psychological and physiological well-being. Enrichment can either be active or passive, depending on whether it requires direct contact between the animal and the enrichment. A variety of enrichment techniques are used to create desired outcomes similar to an animal's individual and species' history. Each of the techniques used is intended to stimulate the animal's senses similarly to how they would be activated in the wild. Provided enrichment may be seen in the form of auditory, olfactory, habitat factors, food, research projects, training, and objects.
Horse behavior is best understood from the view that horses are prey animals with a well-developed fight-or-flight response. Their first reaction to a threat is often to flee, although sometimes they stand their ground and defend themselves or their offspring in cases where flight is untenable, such as when a foal would be threatened.
Savaging is a term used in the study of ethology that refers to aggressive behaviour displayed by the mother towards the offspring. Aggressive behaviour includes being rough with, injuring, biting, attacking, crushing and killing of the offspring. While savaging behaviour has been seen in multiple species, it is predominantly demonstrated in domestic pigs. As the definition of savaging is so broad, research on the prevalence of savaging behaviour varies with reports of little savaging of offspring to savaging of offspring up to the 20th percentile. Prevalence of aggressive, non-fatal savaging is greater in gilts, or females who have not yet previously farrowed, as piglet-focused aggression is more frequent in young animals than sows, adult females who have previously given birth. Occurrence of savaging demonstrated by sows is greater if the sow has previously savaged her offspring either as a gilt or sow. Savaging behaviour usually occurs during the first two days after parturition. Prevalence of savaging is similar among first and second farrowing cycles. Savaging behaviour has a significant impact on both agricultural economy and animal welfare which is why it is currently a subject of interest in the pig industry.
Stable vices are stereotypies of equines, especially horses. They are usually undesirable habits that often develop as a result of being confined in a stable with boredom, hunger, isolation, excess energy, or insufficient exercise. They present a management issue, not only leading to facility damage from chewing, kicking, and repetitive motion, but also leading to health consequences for the animal if not addressed. They also raise animal welfare concerns.
Animal psychopathology is the study of mental or behavioral disorders in non-human animals.
Vacuum activities are innate fixed action patterns (FAPs) of animal behaviour that are performed in the absence of a sign stimulus (releaser) that normally elicit them. This type of abnormal behaviour shows that a key stimulus is not always needed to produce an activity. Vacuum activities often take place when an animal is placed in captivity and is subjected to a lack of stimuli that would normally cause a FAP.
Dust bathing is an animal behavior characterized by rolling or moving around in dust, dry earth or sand, with the likely purpose of removing parasites from fur, feathers or skin. Dust bathing is a maintenance behavior performed by a wide range of mammalian and avian species. For some animals, dust baths are necessary to maintain healthy feathers, skin, or fur, similar to bathing in water or wallowing in mud. In some mammals, dust bathing may be a way of transmitting chemical signals to the ground which marks an individual's territory.
Cat training is the process of modifying a domestic cat's behavior for entertainment or companionship purposes. Training is commonly used to reduce unwanted or problematic behaviors in domestic cats, to enhance interactions between humans and pet cats, and to allow them to coexist comfortably. There are various methods for training cats which employ different balances between reward and punishment.
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In animal behaviour, stereotypy, stereotypic or stereotyped behaviour has several meanings, leading to ambiguity in the scientific literature. A stereotypy is a term for a group of phenotypic behaviours that are repetitive, morphologically identical and which possess no obvious goal or function. These behaviours have been defined as 'abnormal', as they exhibit themselves solely in animals subjected to barren environments, scheduled or restricted feedings, social deprivation and other cases of frustration, but do not arise in 'normal' animals in their natural environments. These behaviours may be maladaptive, involving self-injury or reduced reproductive success, and in laboratory animals can confound behavioural research. Stereotypical behaviours are thought to be caused ultimately by artificial environments that do not allow animals to satisfy their normal behavioural needs. Rather than refer to the behaviour as abnormal, it has been suggested that it be described as "behaviour indicative of an abnormal environment".
Animal welfare science is the scientific study of the welfare of animals as pets, in zoos, laboratories, on farms and in the wild. Although animal welfare has been of great concern for many thousands of years in religion and culture, the investigation of animal welfare using rigorous scientific methods is a relatively recent development. The world's first Professor of Animal Welfare Science, Donald Broom, was appointed by Cambridge University (UK) in 1986.
An interspecies friendship is a nonsexual bond that is formed between animals of different species. Numerous cases of interspecies friendships among wild and domesticated animals have been reported and documented with photography and video. Domestication of animals has led to interspecies friendships between species that would never naturally exist together. In many cases of interspecies friendship, the species are not normally seen together, and sometimes, one is of a species that ordinarily preys on the other in nature.
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Ngaio Jessica Beausoleil is a New Zealand academic, and is a full professor at Massey University, specialising in animal welfare and the cross-disciplinary field of conservation welfare.