Relationship Between Behavioural Traits and Performance Test Scores in Sport Horses

Kr‰ková L. , J . Mlynek, M. Halo: Relationship Between Behavioural Traits and Performance Test Scores in Sport Horses. Acta Vet. Brno 2003, 72: 429-435. The objective of this work was to demonstrate the relationship between performance test scores and the individual differences in behaviour of sport horses. Individual differences in emotionality expressed by behavioural traits (conditioned by the type of nervous system) were determined as differences of spontaneous reactions (exploratory behaviour) to new and unknown environment of a testing arena (4.5 × 6-meter room divided into 12 squares – 3 × 4 configuration). Using a modified open-field test (habituation test), we observed 14 Slovak sport pony breed horses. Individual differences in emotionality expressed by behaviour and summarized in the frequencies of locomotor activity were used as criteria for classification of the horses into categories as follows: low emotionality (the horses crossed less than 130 squares during 40 minutes – 57.14% of the tested animals), medium emotionality (the horses crossed from 131 to 220 squares – 7.14% of the tested animals) and high emotionality (the horses crossed more than 220 squares during 40 minutes – 37.71% of the tested animals). Individual horses with a low level of emotionality achieved a higher score in the performance test than the animals with high emotionality. Slovak sport pony, behaviours, open-field test, performance test Training is an important part of the preparation of sport horses for a performance test. From the physiological point of view, training is mainly an adaptation process, which poses increased demands on mental processes of sport horses. Early determination of differences in excitability of the central nervous system enables an individual approach to training (Hanák 1983). A typological distribution is possible on the basis of the frequency of exploratory activities occurring per time unit, as well as on the speed of habituation (Lát 1967, 1973). Habituation is defined as a decrement of an innate response as a result of repetitive stimulation (Hernández Peón 1960). It is classified as the most simple kind of learning: learning not to respond to neutral environmental stimuli. Information on the learning abilities of horses should be used in developing training methods (McCall 1990). Based on the above-mentioned knowledge, we decided to verify the use of open-field (habituation) test methods of horses. Individual horses with a low level of emotionality as expressed by behavioural traits were included in group E (stands for “elite” as given by horse performance test scale, STN 46 63 10 – Slovak Technical Norm 46 63 10) for the performance test. Based on the evaluation by trainer, these horses had a very good performance score and very good results in a 100-day test (Medveck ̆ et al. 1992; Halo 1992; Kr‰ková 2000a). These horses seemed to be more suitable and safe for children horse-riding courses (Kr‰ková and Halo 1998; Kr‰ková 2000b). Performance of horses, whether in sports or leisure, depends on both physical abilities as well as temperament. Visse r et al. (2001) proved that behavioural tests may be used ACTA VET. BRNO 2003, 72: 429–435 Address for correspondence: RNDr. Lucia Kr‰ková, PhD. Comenius University, Faculty of Natural Science Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Mlynská dolina B-2, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia Phone: + 421 260 296 680 Fax: + 421 265 429 064 E-mail: krskova@fns.uniba.sk http://www.vfu.cz/acta-vet/actavet.htm to reliably identify individual behaviour variables and temperament traits in young horses. The purpose of this study was to document the relationship between the categorization of horses on the basis of the differences in emotionality and performance test scores. Materials and Methods We observed 14 Slovak sport pony breed horses (6 mares, 7 stallions, 1 gelding – Table 1). Animals were housed in a stable situated 50 m away from the testing chamber. The distance between the testing chamber and the stable guaranteed isolation of the tested animals. All horses had passed a 100-day test a (100-day training finished with the performance test), and the performance test (overall review of the evaluated signs, features and testing disciplines). The Slovak sport pony was chosen especially for the needs of riding a horse course of older children (8-16-yearold). It is a crossbreed of domestic warm-blooded mares, with their typical smaller growth, and Welsh pony stallions of section “B” (the height at withers does not exceed 137.2 cm). 430 Table 1 Data of the tested animals Name Sex Date of birth Date of experiment Mother/father Time of experiment IBER stallion 12.2.1990 30.1.1996 Búrka/Luskáãik 09:33 h JOURA mare 1.1.1991 16.1.1996 Fistula/Fain 10:39 h JASNÁ mare 20.1.1991 15.1.1996 Carmen/Fain 09:33 h JACHTA mare 25.1.1991 30.11.1995 Aida/Fain 11:33 h JARABINA mare 27.1.1991 16.1.1996 Búrka/Fain 09:35 h JAGA mare 15.3.1991 15.1.1996 Fortuna/Fain 10:24 h JAWA mare 26.4.1991 16.1.1996 Drahofiica/Fain 11:25 h KASÍNO gelding 5.1.1992 30.1.1996 Aida/Fain 10:30 h KAPITÁN stallion 7.1.1992 28.5.1996 Carmen/Fain 09:23 h LESK stallion 27.2.1993 15.5.1996 Aida/Fain 11:31 h LIBOR stallion 9.4.1993 15.5.1996 Fistula/Fain 10:37 h LOTOS stallion 4.6.1993 28.5.1996 Fanka/Grant 10:20 h MOHYKÁN stallion 21.3.1994 29.5.1996 Hviezda/Dukát 10:55 h MOTEL stallion 1.4.1994 29.5.1996 Dukát/Chrupka 10:07 h The experiments took place in the testing (habituation) chamber built for this purpose at the facility of the Slovak University of Agriculture in Koliãany. The chamber, with a floor size of 4.5 × 6 m and a height of 2.5 m, was divided into 12 squares of 1.5 × 1.5 m each, with a 3 × 4 configuration. It was also equipped with a oneway window. An observer was in a side-room and observed the horses through a one-way window. The frequency of observed activities were recorded on a notepad. We used the modified open field (habituation) test for horses (M e d v e c k  ̆ et al. 1992). Our observations took place between 09.00 and 12.00 h. Each tested horse was placed in the testing chamber by an assistant. The following activities were recorded each minute within the 40-minute observation period: frequency of locomotor activity (transition of squares grid-crossing), standing, vocalization (snorting and neighing), defecation and urination, sniffing, as well as other behaviours (pawing, head swinging, turning, activity towards the chamber entrance, activity towards the one-way window). The ethological characteristics of the individual animals was determined on the basis of their individual behaviours. Emotionality is expressed by the summary figures of the frequency of indicators, while habituation is reflected in the dynamics of the course of response intensity. Based on the emotionality values measured during the experiment, the animals were divided into three categories: low, medium, and high emotionality. For practical purposes, the activities for statistics processing were reduced to just locomotor activity, which is the most significant demonstration of behaviour in unknown environment (M e d v e c k  ̆ et al. 1992). Based on our data, the tested animals were divided into groups as follows: low (the horses crossed less than 130 squares during 40 min), medium (the horses crossed from 131 to 220 squares) and high (the horses crossed over 220 squares) emotionality. The tested horses were classified to groups on the basis of individual differences in behaviour. Their results were compared with those obtained in the 100-day test (which together with the physiological test forms the preliminary performance test) and with the main performance test score (STN 46 63 10 – Slovak Technical Norm 46 63 10). Stat is t ical analysis Non-parametric, double-preferential Mann-Whitney U-test and Spearman rank correlation were used.

to reliably identify individual behaviour variables and temperament traits in young horses.The purpose of this study was to document the relationship between the categorization of horses on the basis of the differences in emotionality and performance test scores.

Materials and Methods
We observed 14 Slovak sport pony breed horses (6 mares, 7 stallions, 1 gelding -Table 1).Animals were housed in a stable situated 50 m away from the testing chamber.The distance between the testing chamber and the stable guaranteed isolation of the tested animals.All horses had passed a 100-day test a (100-day training finished with the performance test), and the performance test (overall review of the evaluated signs, features and testing disciplines).
The Slovak sport pony was chosen especially for the needs of riding a horse course of older children (8-16-yearold).It is a crossbreed of domestic warm-blooded mares, with their typical smaller growth, and Welsh pony stallions of section "B" (the height at withers does not exceed 137.2 cm).The experiments took place in the testing (habituation) chamber built for this purpose at the facility of the Slovak University of Agriculture in Koliãany.The chamber, with a floor size of 4.5 × 6 m and a height of 2.5 m, was divided into 12 squares of 1.5 × 1.5 m each, with a 3 × 4 configuration.It was also equipped with a oneway window.An observer was in a side-room and observed the horses through a one-way window.The frequency of observed activities were recorded on a notepad.We used the modified open field (habituation) test for horses (M e d v e c k ˘et al. 1992).Our observations took place between 09.00 and 12.00 h.Each tested horse was placed in the testing chamber by an assistant.The following activities were recorded each minute within the 40-minute observation period: frequency of locomotor activity (transition of squares -grid-crossing), standing, vocalization (snorting and neighing), defecation and urination, sniffing, as well as other behaviours (pawing, head swinging, turning, activity towards the chamber entrance, activity towards the one-way window).The ethological characteristics of the individual animals was determined on the basis of their individual behaviours.Emotionality is expressed by the summary figures of the frequency of indicators, while habituation is reflected in the dynamics of the course of response intensity.Based on the emotionality values measured during the experiment, the animals were divided into three categories: low, medium, and high emotionality.For practical purposes, the activities for statistics processing were reduced to just locomotor activity, which is the most significant demonstration of behaviour in unknown environment (M e d v e c k ˘et al. 1992).Based on our data, the tested animals were divided into groups as follows: low (the horses crossed less than 130 squares during 40 min), medium (the horses crossed from 131 to 220 squares) and high (the horses crossed over 220 squares) emotionality.
The tested horses were classified to groups on the basis of individual differences in behaviour.Their results were compared with those obtained in the 100-day test (which together with the physiological test forms the preliminary performance test) and with the main performance test score (STN 46 63 10 -Slovak Technical Norm 46 63 10).

Statistical analysis
Non-parametric, double-preferential Mann-Whitney U-test and Spearman rank correlation were used.

On the basis of the observations, the following results have achieved:
The open field test showed that the process of habituation (decrease in the frequency of observed activities) occurred in most horses within the first 20-30 min.In four animals (n = 14), the process of dishabituation occurred (increase in the frequency of observed activities) in the last 10 min of the period.
The more frequent activity in an unknown territory was the locomotor activity (gridcrossing).Other activities were the only additional information about individual emotional characteristics.
On the basis of the frequency of grid-crossing (locomotor activity), the tested animals were divided into three groups (Table 2) -the majority of the tested horses (8 from a total of 14 horses = 57.14% of those tested) were low-emotionality horses, there was only one medium-emotionality horse (7.14% of the tested individuals), and the group of highemotionality individuals was represented by 5 tested horses (37.71% from total of 14 tested individuals).The correctness of the categorisation was verified statistically using Mann-Whitney U test (Table 3) with the following results: between the group of high and low-emotionality individuals there were significant differences (P < 0.05) in the number of crossed squares -locomotor activity, the other activities seemed to be supplementary -illustrating the running process of habituation, using the Spearman rank correlation (Table 4), a positive correlation was found between the activity of pawing and the activity towards the chamber entrance (P < 0.05, R = 0.581), negative correlation occurred between the activity of turning and locomotor activity (P < 0.05, R= -0.603) and between defecation and turning (P < 0.05, R = -0.560).Dividing the animals into groups on the basis of locomotor activity was compared with the results achieved in the 100-day test and the results in the main performance test (Table 5).In the 100-day test the low-emotionality horses achieved an average point evaluation (8.9 point) higher than the individuals of the high-emotionality animals group (7.9 point).Within the group of horses of low-emotionality there were 50% of the horses ranked among the elite

Discussion
Our results provide information about emotionality and the speed of habituation in horses.We found that the process of habituation occurred in the majority of animals within the first 20-30 min.The 40-minute time interval, as well as the period of testing, seemed to be satisfactory.In four horses (n = 14) the process of dishabituation occurred in the last 10 minutes of the period, and it was manifested by an increase in their locomotor activity.
According to Czako and Novack˘ (1985), dishabituation occurs when some other stimulus is given in the course of the habituation procedure and thus affects (interrupts) the habituation process.In our study, such stimulus could have been the sounds coming from the outside surroundings.
The level of emotionality was determined on the basis of locomotor activity frequency (criteria of distribution).Vocalisations, defecation and urination, sniffing of the floor, door, windows, pawing, head swinging, turning, flehmen, etc. were the only additional information about individual emotional characteristics.
We included urination in the experiment despite the assumption that it would not be as frequent in horses as, e.g., in pigs.Ihle (1984) claims that urination is significantly related to daytime, level of working load, individual year seasons and climatic factors, and no other factors affect the course of the analysed manifestation.However, in our experiment, no animal urinated.In our opinion, to the fact, that the horses in this activity needed a peaceful and familiar environment.
The existence of individual differences between testing animals was demonstrated not only in speed of the habituation process, but also in the preference of a specific activity.Horses with a low frequency of locomotor activity were usually swinging their heads intensively or pawing with forelimbs.
On the basis of the emotionality represented with the frequency of the locomotor activity, the tested individuals were divided into groups of high-, medium-and low-emotionality animals.In the group of low-emotionality horses the majority (57.14%) of the tested animals was included.This was a satisfactory result.The Slovak sport pony has been popular especially for children horse-riding courses.The low-emotionality animals did not manifest any behavioural sings of excitement in an unknown environment.Because of safety reasons, they are more suitable for work with children than horses belonging to medium-and highemotionality groups.
No significant differences in the 100-day test were found between the low-and highemotionality groups.

Table 1
Data of the tested animals