Mating Behaviors and Courtship of Horses by https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz Not just horsing around en-us 2016-10-07 02:36:57 UTC 2026-03-22 00:26:01 UTC hello@padlet.com Estrus Detection adhayn1 https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129259490 Different Methods:
  • routine palpation and ultrasonic evaluation by a vet
  • teasing stallion or some other form of teasing
Teasing Methods Depend On:
  • size of operation
  • number of mares to be teased
  • housing of mares
  • stallion used
*Good Record Keeping Is important
For a closer look at estrus detection watch this video
]]> 2016-10-08 01:00:39 UTC https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129259490 Flehman Response adhayn1 https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129261434
  • upward curling of the upper lip
  • stimulated by sniffing or touching the vulva or urine of an estrous female with the tongue
  • exhibited by males of all of our common farm mammals
  • appears to aid the movement of chemical substances through the nasopalatine ducts and into the vomeronasal organ, where olfactory receptor neurons carry information to the hypothalamus of the brain 
    • (Price, Edward. "Principles and Applications of Domestic Animal Behavior")
    ]]>     2016-10-08 02:18:47 UTC https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129261434     Libido adhayn1 https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129287551
  • sexual drive or psychological energy directed toward copulation
    • Lack of Libido:
    • results in lack of arousal and a loss or decrease in ability to achieve intromission
    • influenced by genetics, overuse, hormones, environment, injury, and/or experience
    • can affect sexually immature or mature stallions
    • can have economic significance for busy studs
    (https://www.vetstream.com/equis/Content/Disease/dis00268)
    ]]>     2016-10-08 15:44:36 UTC https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129287551     Sexual Behavior of Females  adhayn1 https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129291487
  • hormones have a critical role
  • cyclic in nature
  • seasonally polyestrus (late winter to early summer)
  • average age of first estrus is 24 months
  • receptivity increases with experience
  • estrous cycles around 21 days in duration
  • introduction of a male or male secretions can aid the onset of estrus
  • terminates as estrogen levels plummet and progesterone secretions from the corpus luteum increase
    • (Price, Edward. "Principles and Applications of Domestic Animal Behavior)
    ]]>     2016-10-08 17:01:53 UTC https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129291487     Male to Male Competition in Feral Horses adhayn1 https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129372150 *Since natural selection is not as common in domestic horses, there is not as much competition for mares
    Study on Wyoming's Red Desert Feral Horses
    • fecal piles involved in 25% of all male-male aggressive encounters
    • fight for dominance
    • nearly exclusive breeding by dominant male
    • three different breeding systems in multiple male bands
            -which type depends on male dominance                structure in band
    (Miller, Richard. Journal of Ethology. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0310.1981.tb01930.x/abstract) 
    ]]>     2016-10-09 23:31:27 UTC https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129372150     adhayn1 https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129378445 2016-10-10 00:45:54 UTC https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129378445 Mate Preferences in Feral Horses adhayn1 https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129378957 *Again natural selection not as common in domestic horses, so not as much opportunity for mate selection
    Study on Assateague horses (Island off coast of Virginia)
    • stallions showed more interest in dominant mares over subordinate mares
    • males engaged in significantly more high-intensity and low-intensity sexual behavior with dominant mares
    • no effect on mare rank on relationships with the stallion
    • higher foaling rates among dominant mares could be the result of rank-related mate choice
    (Powell, David. Journal of Ethology.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10164-007-0043-2)
    ]]>     2016-10-10 00:52:50 UTC https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129378957     Importance of Studying Wild/Feral Horses for Behavior adhayn1 https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129387343 *Studying feral horses helps to understand behavior of domestic horses
    • by studying the way they eat, socialize, and other factors that could help take better care of domestic horses
    Some Things Discovered in This Study:
    • horses are social animals
    • stallions protect mares
    • dominance is an important factor in determining choice of feed, first chance of water, and opportunity to pass on genes
    • ways horses have evolved through the years to adapt to different environments and ecosystems
    (https://www.nps.gov/calo/learn/nature/upload/2006-Observing-Wild-Horse-Behavior.pdf)
    ]]>     2016-10-10 01:50:20 UTC https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129387343     Early Mounting Behavior adhayn1 https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129392184
  • first few weeks of life, colts and fillies playfully mount dams, initially all over their body, but progressively move toward the haunches
  • fillies tend to move past this stage after a few weeks and usually don't display sexually oriented behavior until puberty
  • colts continue in playful mounting behavior, mounting peers as well as their mothers
  • colts start to have occasional erections prior to puberty, but their erections are not usually associated with mounting behavior
  • it is not until horses hit puberty (between 1 and 2 years old) that true sexual behavior is initiated
    • (http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-breeds/stallion-mare-mating-207.aspx)
    ]]>     2016-10-10 02:33:19 UTC https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129392184     Breeding adhayn1 https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129399301
  • after rituals of smelling, nuzzling, nose to nose contact, nipping, and nickering, mares will typically assume a rigid, wide base stance and remain immobile to be mounted
  • this courtship behavior stimulates both partners by increasing the mares secretions to prepare her for breeding and enables the stallion to gain a full erection
  • stallion will normally attempt to mount a few times before successfully breeding the mare
  • once intromission has occurred, copulation takes around 20-90 seconds
  • after breeding the stallion will rest on the mare's back for a few seconds before dismounting
    • (http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-breeds/stallion-mare-mating-207.aspx)
    ]]>     2016-10-10 03:36:43 UTC https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129399301     adhayn1 https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129539784 2016-10-10 15:06:10 UTC https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129539784 adhayn1 https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129540836 2016-10-10 15:09:20 UTC https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129540836 Courtship of Wild Horses adhayn1 https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129554594 I found it interesting and kindof strange that there is a song about the courtship of wild horses. The singer uses the courtship of wild horses in terms of human experiences.]]> 2016-10-10 15:51:43 UTC https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129554594 More Interesting Facts adhayn1 https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129678658
  • hand breeding is commonly practiced with horses (male and female are brought into contact solely for the purpose of mating)
  • males will mount other males when females are not present
  • approximately 40% of stallions with normal libido successfully mount a phantom stimulus on the first day of training
    • (Price, Edward. "Principles and Applications of Domestic Animal Behavior)
    ]]>     2016-10-11 03:07:34 UTC https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/129678658     0 https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/177846442 2017-07-01 00:49:47 UTC https://padlet.com/adhayn1/1yge0xqb2fgz/wish/177846442