Kicking and Striking
Kicking is described as the use of one or both hind hooves in an aggressive or anticipatory manner while striking is described as the use of one or both fore feet in an aggressive or anticipatory manner. These behaviours are usually directed towards a nearby horse or person in response to a fearful or frightening situation. If a horse is isolated form other horses or people, striking or kicking a wall or gait may be considered to be similar in intent to kicking or striking at another individual. Modifications of kicking or striking include cow-kicking, bucking, stamping and rearing. These behaviours are also undesirable as they, like kicking and striking may cause fracture of the phalanges, injury to other horses or damage the environment. Treatment of kicking or striking may include counter conditioning, negative reinforcement, rearrangement of pasture mates or neighbours and the use of protective bandages and rubber mats or kicking chains or hopples.
Nymphomania
Nymphomania is described as abnormal mating behaviour in mares.
It may be caused by ovarian tumors, ovarian cysts or by the administration of exogenous hormones. The clinical presentation of nymphomania includes winking, squatting, frequent urination and urine scald unrelated to the normal esterous cycle. Treatment of nymphomania includes the administration of progesterone, exogenous corticosteroids or ovareohisterectomy.
Foal Rejection
Three types of foal rejection are recognized in horses:
Rejection of nursing
Fear of foal leading to flight Aggression towards foal
Foal rejection may be caused by food shortage, mastitis and idiopathic or iatrogenic reasons.
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