Shetland pony behaviour observations

One of the many underrated features of the campus which I have only just discovered - fields behind the lake full of horses, ponies and donkeys! I went for 7 weeks without knowing they were here so thought I'd write about some of the behaviour I saw in the hour or so that I was there.

Grooming

Ponies partake in social grooming. It can be used for bonding, to reconcile or resolve conflicts, as well as to clean themselves. This includes removal of items including dead skin, foreign objects, insects, ectoparasites, leaves dirt etc. 


Itching on the fence


This particular pony in the image was itching itself extensively on the wire fence by rubbing its body and head up and down against the wire. This could be a sign of lice. In the summer this could also be suffering from sweet itch. This happens when a horse is bitten by a midge and the horse's immune system recognises foreign proteins and overreacts, similar to hayfever in humans. This leads to release of substances including histamine, which causes itching.

Feeding

Ponies are grazing animals, designed to eat little and often, and they have evolved to eat in 18 out of every 24 hours. They feed on grass in a natural environment, but when kept they are fed hay or hard feeds. They can also eat carrots, but due to having a relatively high sugar content, they should not be fed them too often. People feeding ponies carrots or human food can cause ponies to become addicted to eating human food, and can lead to them being aggressive in the wild with people who do not want to share their food. Human food also gives them bad stomach ache.

Lying down

Ponies lie down to get REM sleep - they can nap while standing but to deeply sleep they need to lie down. They sleep for about two and a half hours in a 24-hour period, in short periods of 15 to 30 minutes at a time. This is an adapted predator-prey response as in the wild it allows fast escape if they are already standing. Horses have a 'stay apparatus' in their legs which means they can relax their leg muscles and sleep without collapsing. They often do this when it is sunny as they find it relaxing. Ponies don't tend to lie down and sleep if they are on their own as there is no one to keep watch and their instincts tell them to watch out for danger. If horses don't lie down, they become sleep deprived after a few days.