Scientists at the University of Guelph have found that stressed horses blink less than horses in a calm state of mind. The research team studied 33 horses in four different situations: standing in a paddock with a familiar horse; not being fed at the traditional time; being visually separated from the herd; and having a ball thrown to them.
Each horse wore a heart rate monitor that took readings every five seconds during the three-minute study periods. All horses and sessions were taped, reports EQUUS magazine.
The scientists analyzed the footage and found that when horses were with their herd mate in a familiar pasture, they blinked eight or nine times per minute. During the other three activities, the horses blinked less often.
During separation and feed restriction, the horses blinked about five times per minute. When the ball was thrown at the ground in front of them, the horses blinked about four times per minute.
The researchers also found that the horses' heart rates increased and the muscles surrounding the eyes twitched more often during the feed deprivation test. The team concludes that this information can be used as a way to determine whether a horse is stressed.
Read more at EQUUS magazine.
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