stereotype | Horse Racing Free Tips

Study Shows Owners Of OTTBs Discount Breed Stereotypes

A new study has shown that owners of retired Thoroughbred racehorses feel that many stereotypes of the breed are ultimately untrue.

Dr. Lillian Hellmann and colleagues from the University of Sydney, Auburn University, and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences created a study to try to better understand why those outside the racing industry often hold preconceived notions that many Thoroughbreds are dangerous or behave erratically. The team was interested in determining if these stereotypes affect the transition of retired racehorses into new homes and second careers.

[Story Continues Below]

The researchers hoped the information gleaned from the study would help develop and modify programs that transition horses into careers after racing. The researchers surveyed 313 horse owners, requesting information about breed, sex, birth year and discipline, as well as owner-perceived information about their horse's behavior.

The results included four main disciplines: eventing, dressage, show jumping, and pleasure riding. Owners of retired racehorses generally felt that their horses are more social than other sporthorse breeds. They also believed their horses possess greater self control, but that their horses also appeared to be more dominant and aggressive. Overall, they felt their horses behaved better than other breeds. The researchers conclude the belief that Thoroughbreds are not well-suited for specific disciplines because of their temperament is not supported.

Read the abstract here.

The post Study Shows Owners Of OTTBs Discount Breed Stereotypes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Howell: The High Maintenance Moniker Is Unfair — And Untrue — For OTTBs

While off-track thoroughbreds (OTTBs) have gained increasing popularity among amateur and professional sport horse riders in recent years, there are still some who avoid them. Allison Howell, a 2016 Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover competitor, writes in The Plaid Horse that one of the reasons is that people sometimes perceive the breed to be “high maintenance” which she finds unfair.

All performance horses are high maintenance, Howell says, but she notes that for OTTBs to have homes prepared for their needs and successful second careers, their owners must be honest about the horses themselves – including how they are both similar and dissimilar to other breeds. Retraining a retired racehorse can take a lot of time, effort and talent, but in many ways, they are just like every other breed of horse.

It's not unusual for upper-level athletes to have custom tack, long and involved grooming sessions, alternative therapy treatment and many other methods to keep them feeling their best. Few horses, no matter their breed or discipline, thrive in a heavy training program with just minimum care, Howell says – Thoroughbreds are not the anomaly in this respect.

Yes, it sometimes feels like a fresh off-the-track horse is a ticking time bomb between disasters … but truly: what horse isn't?” she writes. “If you think about all the people you know who have experienced heartache right before a show, clinic or big event, I think you'd find that it happens to every horseman, in every discipline, with every breed.”

Study: Your Horse’s Mood Affects His Way Of Going

A new study shows that observing how a horse acts in his stall could offer clues to how a ride might go: A horse that's angry or unhappy in his stall will most likely carry that negative attitude into the arena.

Lead researcher Alice Ruet used 43 lesson horses to test her theory. The study horses were kept in stalls and turned out for one hour a week in individual paddocks. They were used by advanced riders six hours a week for dressage, eventing or jumping lessons.

The study team watched the stalled horses for six weeks, noting their behavior several times each day. The scientists were specifically looking for clues that the horse was in a negative mental state—that he may be experiencing “compromised welfare” from being in a stall. The behaviors they were looking for included aggression toward people, cribbing or other stereotypies, hypervigilance, or a withdrawn posture, which indicated a depressed state.

The researchers then asked the head instructor three questions about each horse's way of going under saddle, including whether he was anxious or fearful, if he seemed uncomfortable, or if he was unwilling to go forward.

The final phase of the study had one rider who was unfamiliar with the horses ride each horse using the same tack. The rider was equipped with inertial sensors on her head and back. The horse wore a sensor on his girth. The ride was recorded, and an independent assessor noted behaviors that may indicate a negative attitude, like head shaking, tail swishing or bolting, as well as the horse's overall demeanor.

The scientists found a correlation between behavior in the stall and how a horse moved under saddle: Horses that were aggressive to humans while in their stalls had choppier gaits while being ridden. They also found that horses that were withdrawn in their stall were more reluctant to go forward when asked. The scientists conclude that a horse in a poor state of welfare is likely to be more unhappy when being ridden, linking welfare to performance.

Ruet suggests additional studies could be done to investigate whether management changes could influence a horse's mood and under-saddle movement.

How To Introduce A New Horse To The Herd

Stress in horses can manifest itself in a myriad of ways: some horses develop ulcers, while others begin to weave, crib or enact other stereotypies. Stressed horses can even become aggressive toward other horses, taking out their feelings of unrest on others in their barn or herd.

Aggression issues often manifest during turnout, when horses are free to interact with one another. Introducing a new horse to an established herd can be stressful to all horses involved, not just the newcomer. The introduction should be done as slowly and methodically as possible. This can be done multiple ways:

Place the new horse in a solid enclosure or field next to the new horses so he can see the other horses from a distance or “meet” them over a fence line. Once the majority of the drama has died down, turn the new horse out with the herd for short periods of time, slowly increasing the duration of time he is out with the herd. If the herd lives out 24/7, remove the new horse from the field at night.
Another option to safely introduce a new horse to a herd is to divide the herd into two groups, splitting the number of horses that can gang up on the newbie. Once the dust has settled with one group, the two groups can be combined.
If time is available, introducing the new horse one-by-one to every other herd member can make the transition as seamless as possible.

It's important to note that some horses may never be able to mingle safely with others. These anti-social animals were typically not socialized properly as foals or grew up in seclusion. These horses often become overly aggressive or become so timid they won't approach the feed or water. These horses will most likely feel comfortable being able to see other horses, but having no direct physical contact with them.