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Posted: 16th May 2023

Scientists hunt for ‘spooky’ horse genes
Researchers tested how horses responded to an umbrella opening.
New study published on equine startle responses.

Researchers at the University of Florida have published a new study on startle responses in horses, as part of a long-term project to identify the genes which influence how individual horses react to startling objects.

Dr Samantha Brooks and her team hope their work will one day make it easier to select or breed horses which are less prone to being startled.

The study, which aimed to identify startle response phenotypes, tested the responses of several groups of young horses to an umbrella opening.

Data collected from the experiment revealed two distinct groups of horses. The first group reacted to the umbrella with a spike in their heart rate and then maintained a hyper-alert state. In contrast, the second group experienced an initial spike in heart rate, but quickly calmed down.

Dr Brooks said: “Horses have adapted over thousands of years to live with people. Some of those changes include a reduction in startle response and are really helpful to better understand the horses we work with today.”

Following these findings, the researchers plan to conduct a genome-wide association study to identify which genes influence different startle reactions. Blood and hair samples have been taken from each horse involved in the study.

Barclay Powell, a PhD student working on the project, said: “It’s important to know these traits because it can impact how we care for horses overall. This will be hugely important to the veterinary field as well. It’s not only helpful for the people handling the animals, but also for the horses’ welfare.

“It doesn’t matter if the horse is a racehorse, therapy animal or driving a carriage, an unplanned startle response is generally a problem. We are just beginning to scratch the surface of this. It might take us 10 years or more to really have a clear understanding, but it is worth the effort.”

The study has been published in the journal Genes.



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