Browsing by Subject "unikäyttäytyminen"

The background of the research was a societal need to find a compensatory for peat, which is widely used as a horses’ bedding material in Finland. It is estimated that exploitation possibilities and availability of peat is decreasing in the future. Because of the horses' welfare, it is needed to be researched what kind of bedding material would be as agreeable material for horses as peat is. In this research, the effects of two different bedding materials, reed canary grass pellets and peat, on horses' resting and sleeping behavior were investigated. The research was a part of the UNIHEPO-project, and it was executed in Ylä-Savo Vocational College, in Hingunniemi unit, at Kiuruvesi in November-December in 2022. The study consisted of two 21-day experimental periods. In the first period individual pens were littered by reed canary grass pellets of 15 centimeters. In the second period individual pens were littered by 15 centimeters of peat. Altogether 16 clinically healthy riding horses were involved, and they were kept in the same individual stalls. Horses’ behavior was recorded by videocameras, and their rest and sleep behavior were observed from both periods’ two (2) first and last days between 4 pm and 6 am. The average total duration of horses’ rest and sleep behavior were determined by dividing horses’ total duration of behavior by the number of behavioral periods. The differences between bedding materials were tested by linear repeated measurement to mixed models. The results of the research gave more information about horses’ rest and sleep behavior and how reed canary grass pellets affect horses' rest and sleep behavior compared to peat litter. The results showed that horses' rest behavior was longer on peat. Reed canary grass pellets increased horses’ activity of the neck and decreased the length of laying down periods during the first days of the period. On peat horses’ total duration of sleep was found to be longer and the rest that appeared to be paradoxical sleep was also longer. The horses laid on lateral and sternal recumbency more often and longer on peat periods. Results show that in the future more research is needed to be done into other bedding materials and their effects on horses’ rest and sleep behavior to promote horses’ wellbeing.