Document Detail


The effect of ocular blinkers on the horses' reactions to four different visual and audible stimuli: results of a crossover trial.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  21929610     Owner:  NLM     Status:  Publisher    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Objective  To determine the effect of ocular blinkers on driving horses' reactions to visual and audible stimuli. Design  Balanced crossover trial with horses randomly assigned to either wear blinkers or not wear blinkers first or second, then subjected to repeated sequences of four distinct stimuli (chain rattle, cap gun, umbrella opening, and shaking of an aluminum can containing coins). Two weeks later, this process was repeated with the ordering of wearing blinkers reversed. Animal studied  Eight driving horses of various breeds. Procedures  Responses were recorded quantitatively as inter-beat times (the time between each heart beat in msec) and qualitatively via video recording. Statistical analysis of the first 10 s of inter-beat times poststimulus assessed the effect of the presence of blinkers, order of blinker application and stimulus type using a linear regression model with a random effect for horse. Results  Wearing blinkers is significantly associated with a decrease in the inter-beat times (increase in heart rate) when they are worn by horses experiencing an unfamiliar sound. However, wearing blinkers is significantly associated with an increase in the inter-beat times (decrease in heart rate) when worn by horses experiencing a primarily visual, familiar stimulus. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance  Trained driving horses, when they wear blinkers, have a decrease in inter-beat time (an increase in heart rate) when there is an unfamiliar sound. This may have relevance to horses who have limited vision caused by trauma or disease.
Authors:
Joan Dziezyc; Lathrop Taylor; May M Boggess; H Morgan Scott
Publication Detail:
Type:  JOURNAL ARTICLE     Date:  2011-4-18
Journal Detail:
Title:  Veterinary ophthalmology     Volume:  14     ISSN:  1463-5224     ISO Abbreviation:  -     Publication Date:  2011 Sep 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2011-9-20     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  100887377     Medline TA:  Vet Ophthalmol     Country:  -    
Other Details:
Languages:  ENG     Pagination:  327-332     Citation Subset:  -    
Copyright Information:
© 2011 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.
Affiliation:
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4474, USA Department of Biology, College of Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3258, USA Department of Mathematics, College of Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3368, USA Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4458, USA.
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