Learning and memorisation of two different tasks in horses: the effects of age, sex and sire

• Published in: Applied animal behaviour science Vol. 46; no. 3; pp. 137 - 143
• Main Authors: Wolff, Anja, Hausberger, Martine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 1996; Elsevier
• Subjects: AGE; Animal biology; ANIMAL LEARNING; APPRENTISSAGE ANIMAL; APRENDIZAJE ANIMAL; CABALLOS; CAPACIDAD MENTAL; CAPACITE MENTALE; CHEVAL; DESCENDANCE; EDAD; FATHERS; Horse; HORSES; Instrumental task; Learning; Life Sciences; Memory; MENTAL ABILITY; Neurons and Cognition; PADRE; PERE; PROGENIE; PROGENY; Psychology and behavior; SEX; SEXE; SEXO; Spatial task; Learning; Spatial task; Instrumental task; Memory; Horse
• ISSN: 0168-1591; 1872-9045
• DOI: 10.1016/0168-1591(95)00659-1

Learning and memory abilities of 1–3 year old horses were assessed using instrumental and spatial tasks. No important differences were observed in the success of learning of the instrumental task (chest opening) according to sex or age. Younger females, however, seemed to learn more quickly. The offspring of a particular stallion were slower to learn than other horses. All horses memorised this task and opened the chest in a very short time in the second session. The animals that learned the task easily were not necessarily faster in the memorisation test. In the spatial task, learning ability did not seem to be related to age but more females than males were successful. The offspring of one stallion were more successful than other horses. Only 76% of the horses succeeded in the memorisation test, independently of age or sex. No correlation was found between the tasks in the latencies of either the learning or the memorisation tests for the same horses. The instrumental and spatial tasks may involve different processes.