Leaving radios on for horses in stables??

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chocolategirl

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Hi all just wondered if on your yard you plug a radio in during the day for any horses that are in? or do you think it's not worth bothering.do you think horses benefit from having them on or not?just researching thanks!
 
I have done when one has been on box rest, but only for a few hours.

I noticed that during a rock festival weekend, my horses chose to stand in the field nearest to the music. They were listening and swishing their tails to the music.

They are particular about what they listen to though. One mare hated Vivaldi's Four Seasons with a passion.
 
MerrySherryRider said:
I have done when one has been on box rest, but only for a few hours.

I noticed that during a rock festival weekend, my horses chose to stand in the field nearest to the music. They were listening and swishing their tails to the music.

They are particular about what they listen to though. One mare hated Vivaldi's Four Seasons with a passion.
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This - my old horse loved U2 and Coldplay, hated any kind of hip hop. Current one loving the Frozen soundtrack.
 
Hi,

For my dissertation at University I actually did a study on box rested horses and different kinds of environtmental enrichment to see what (if any) affect it had on the horses. Music (I used piano nursery rhymes) proved to lower the heart rate, increase feeding on hay/haylage, and reduce nervous/anxious behaviours such as box walking, calling to friends and cribbing. although during my research I found other papers that had been done on elephants and other types of animals to show that like people horses have a taste in music and some can be more effective than others. One of the horses in my study actually hated a specific song so much that her heart rate increased and she started bucking and rearing....as soon as the song changed she went right back to normal eating her hay and having a snooze! (and yes I did test this more than once and there was no outside interference! So my theory is that yes music does help!
 
XxCoriexX said:
Hi,

For my dissertation at University I actually did a study on box rested horses and different kinds of environtmental enrichment to see what (if any) affect it had on the horses. Music (I used piano nursery rhymes) proved to lower the heart rate, increase feeding on hay/haylage, and reduce nervous/anxious behaviours such as box walking, calling to friends and cribbing. although during my research I found other papers that had been done on elephants and other types of animals to show that like people horses have a taste in music and some can be more effective than others. One of the horses in my study actually hated a specific song so much that her heart rate increased and she started bucking and rearing....as soon as the song changed she went right back to normal eating her hay and having a snooze! (and yes I did test this more than once and there was no outside interference! So my theory is that yes music does help!
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That's really interesting and is pretty much what I've noticed. I love the way they have different tastes in music but shouldn't be surprised really.
 
When Ishara was at the RVC they played her some music to calm her down after her op. She didn't like the pop music but loved the classical apparently.
 
I like to leave it on. I can tell my horses like radio 4 /classical because they always have their heads out the door listening and looking calm. If i have another station on they stand in the back lol
 
Mine seen to like sounds of the 70's (on sunday pm), they're not sure about Planet Rock but definitely like Radio4. Sound FX sometimes on there of horses hooves and neighing certainly grabs their attention.

ps I remember reading somewhere that cows produce more milk when classical music is played to them...
 
I think the constant drone of tractors and radios playing in the yard rather frustrating after a while, so to me a horse who has no control over this noise it must be quite disturbing to them as well, so i do not believe in it. Sorry.
 
I've no doubt that some sounds soothe some horses . . . but, tbh, it will depend how wound up the horse is to start with. When mine is in full-on adrenalin mode because he's been left in, no amount of any music will soothe him . . . the only thing that works is either equine company or some controlled exercise (time in the walker) combined with a shot of Magic or some sedalin.

P
 
I don't have a radio for the ponies but they do hear it when it someone is in the workshop or has parked a tractor by them. We have the radio on in the milking parlour, if the ponies are in at milking times they can hear that too. Not noticed my current ponies take much notice of it. A mare I had years and years ago loved music.
 
When one of mine was on box rest I use to leave the radio on for a couple of hours but I wouldn't leave it on overnight. Mine seemed to really enjoy Bob Marley. :)
 
XxCoriexX said:
Hi,

For my dissertation at University I actually did a study on box rested horses and different kinds of environtmental enrichment to see what (if any) affect it had on the horses. Music (I used piano nursery rhymes) proved to lower the heart rate, increase feeding on hay/haylage, and reduce nervous/anxious behaviours such as box walking, calling to friends and cribbing. although during my research I found other papers that had been done on elephants and other types of animals to show that like people horses have a taste in music and some can be more effective than others. One of the horses in my study actually hated a specific song so much that her heart rate increased and she started bucking and rearing....as soon as the song changed she went right back to normal eating her hay and having a snooze! (and yes I did test this more than once and there was no outside interference! So my theory is that yes music does help!
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Were the behaviour changes (stopping box walking etc.) mirrored in reduced heart and breathing rates? Were there any quiet horses with raised heart and respiration rates?

I'm not convinced myself I'm afraid it just seems to me owners are left guessing unless horses are monitored 24/7 by video and heart rate monitors.

I'd so much rather there were studies done on whether box rest is required for many conditions and does the stress and related physical and behavioural problems caused outweigh any benefits?
For eg how is a tendon or ligament strain helped by box walking? Would there be less strain on the T's and L's if the horse contiued calmly in it's turnout/yard routine?
I'm afraid I hate box rest unless 100% necessary. Sorry.

ps. I don't like the idea of leaving radios on for horses as the music is variable and the horses can't turn it off. What if one wants to listen and another doesn't? Do horses suffer from sensory overload?
 
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I always have Harry Potter on in the wash box for plaiting - gees their spirits on a damp Saturday morning. I don't leave it on during the evening, and they are always out during the day.
 
amandap said:
Were the behaviour changes (stopping box walking etc.) mirrored in reduced heart and breathing rates? Were there any quiet horses with raised heart and respiration rates?

I'm not convinced myself I'm afraid it just seems to me owners are left guessing unless horses are monitored 24/7 by video and heart rate monitors.

I'd so much rather there were studies done on whether box rest is required for many conditions and does the stress and related physical and behavioural problems caused outweigh any benefits?
For eg how is a tendon or ligament strain helped by box walking? Would there be less strain on the T's and L's if the horse contiued calmly in it's turnout/yard routine?
I'm afraid I hate box rest unless 100% necessary. Sorry.

ps. I don't like the idea of leaving radios on for horses as the music is variable and the horses can't turn it off. What if one wants to listen and another doesn't? Do horses suffer from sensory overload?
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Exactly my own thoughts.
 
I only have a generator though do like a radio on while I am at the stables. If I had mains electric though I would still turn the whole system of power completely off as a fire prevention measure while I wasn't around
 
On a slightly different note, our stable managers decided that a loud radio in the stable was a contribution to a healthy work environment for staff. Also argued that it is good for the horses.
 
My boy settles to pieces from the Black Beauty OST, but I’m not sure if that’s because he likes them or because he’s responding to a change in my energy.

Gloi said:
Someone needs to do research where the horse is trained to press a button to switch it on or off, or even change channel.
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Martha Kiley-Worthington did this with her Arabians, and described the results in one of her books - though I can’t remember for the life of me which one. She recommended it as a method of giving horses a little more control over their environment.
 
Wasn't there some research that showed they didn't like loud rock music? I have to say I don't like loud music being played near to them as they have to listen to it as in a stable they can't get away from it. I was on a yard where the staff played Radio 1 very loudly outside my stable- it drove me mad. |We didn't stay long!
 
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