Testing for Behavioral and Physiological Responses of Domestic Horses (Equus caballus) Across Different Contexts - Consistency Over Time and Effects of Context.

ABSTRACT: In a number of species, consistent behavioral differences between individuals have been described in standardized tests, e.g., novel object, open field test. Different behavioral expressions are reflective of different coping strategies of individuals in stressful situations. A causal link between behavioral responses and the activation of the physiological stress response is assumed but not thoroughly studied. Also, most standard paradigms investigating individual behavioral differences are framed in a fearful context, therefore the present study aimed to add a test in a more positive context, the feeding context. We assessed individual differences in physiological [heart rate (HR)] and behavioral responses (presence or absence of pawing, startle response, defecation, snorting) of 20 dome

SUBMITTER: Safryghin A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6482254 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature