24-h sheltering behaviour of individually kept horses during Swedish summer weather

• DOI: 10.1186/s13028-015-0135-x
• Publication Date: 2015-08-19T03:28:51Z
• Authors: Elke Hartmann; Richard J Hopkins; Claudia von Brömssen; Kristina Dahlborn
• Keywords: Warmblood; Animal Husbandry

Provision of shelter for horses kept on summer pasture is rarely considered in welfare guidelines, perhaps because the benefits warm conditions are poorly documented scientifically. For cattle, shade a valued resource during and can mitigate adverse effects weather well-being performance. We found previous study that utilized shelters frequently summer. A with roof closed three sides (shelter A) was preferred reduce insect pressure whereas open not utilized. However, restricts all-round view horse, which may be important as flight animals. Therefore, we studied whether roof, where only upper half rear wall B), would while maintaining protection properties satisfying horses' sense security. third offered walls but no C) to evaluate itself an feature from horse's perspective. Eight Warmblood were tested each 2 days, individually 24 h two paddocks access B, or C, respectively. Shelter use recorded continuously night (1800-2400 h, 0200-0600 h) following day (0900-1600 h), defensive behaviour (e.g., tail swish) instantaneous scan samples at 5-min intervals daytime.Seven used both when given choice between C scarcely visited. There difference duration (105.8 ± 53.6 min) (100.8 53.8, P = 0.829). Daytime had significant effect behaviours (P 0.027). The probability performing these lowest compared being outside 0.038).Horses whilst best potential lower disturbance daytime