The Behavior of the Horse

This book provides a comprehensive scientific overview of the behavior of horses as a basis for ensuring their well-being. It begins by discussing the evolutionary and neurological basis of their behavior, and concepts such as emotion and motivation. Chapter 3 considers maintenance behavior, that is, sleep and feeding, which relate to homeostasis in the individual. A chapter on reproduction then reviews male and female sexual behavior as well as fetal, parturient and maternal behavior. Chapter 5 examines behavior of the foal, play, general social behavior and interactions. There is then consideration of abnormal behaviors and how to control them, before the final chapter assesses horse welfare, particularly in the context of training and overall husbandry.