Activity of group-transported horses was evaluated during onboard rest stops to determine if horses derive meaningful rest. A single-deck semi-trailer separated into three compartments was used for all shipments. In Experiment One, twelve video cameras were used to record behavior of horses during five, 16 to 20 h shipments, with a high (397.44kg/m2), medium (348.48 kg/m2) and low (220.91 kg/m2) density group in each shipment. One-hour rest stops occurred after 8 h of transport and prior to unloading, during which two groups were provided water. Movement of each horse visible on video was quantified by counting the number of times the head crossed the vertical and/or horizontal axes of the body at the withers. Mean number of movements per 5-min interval in each group (n=13) was used to compare effects of density, access to water, and order of stops. The high and low-density watered groups had increased activity during the first 10 min of both rest stops potentially due to maneuvering for access to water. The medium-density watered groups had increased activity during the first 10 min of only the second rest stop. Activity slightly increased in the medium and low-density groups after 55 min possibly indicating adequate rest, but a similar increase did not occur in highdensity groups. In Experiment Two, two shipments, lasting 23 h and 24 h respectively, consisted of three groups of horses loaded at high density (397.32 kg/m2). Ninety-minute rest stops occurred after every 6 h of transport and prior to unloading for a total of three rest stops. Percentage of visible horses "active" was averaged across each 5-min interval of the stop. Activity was highly variable within and between shipments. Activity was high at the beginning of stops one and three of Shipment One. A similar but less dramatic settling occurred at the start of all three rest stops in Shipment Two. Twenty three of thirty-four noted increases in alertness were due to aggression or noises outside the trailer. In both experiments horses remained active during all stops indicating fatigue had not become a major factor in these studies.

Recently, the European Union published regulations regarding the welfare of horses during transport requiring that horses be transported in individual stalls separated by partitions. The objective of this study was to determine if concentrations of cortisol, corticosterone, or dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) differed among horses with no prior transport experience when transported in individual stalls versus loose groups. Twenty na�ve yearlings were assigned to either individual stalls or a loose group, then transported for 6 hours. Ten horses were transported per day (5 in stalls and 5 in a loose group) over a two day trial. The experiment was replicated with a second trial 35 days later, and utilized a switchback design where the horses exchanged treatments between trials. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for cortisol, corticosterone, and DHEA concentrations at pre-transport, 2, 4, and 6 h of transport, and at 2 and 4 h after unloading. After Trial 2, the horses? changed housing from group paddocks to stalls and a follow-up experiment was conducted. The data were analyzed using a mixed model repeated measures ANOVA with the animal as the subject, with trial, treatment, sample time, and treatment-sample time interaction in the model with unstructured covariance (SAS 9.1). Differences between sample times within each trial, and pre-transport concentrations between trials, were analyzed using paired t-tests (SPSS 12.0.1). No significant differences were found in hormone concentrations for horses transported in individual stalls versus in loose groups. Horses exhibited a significant elevation in cortisol and corticosterone during transport which returned to pre-transport concentrations by 2 hr after transport (P < 0.01). Mean pre-transport cortisol concentrations rose significantly in Trial 3 (7.87 ng/ml) from Trials 1 (2.71 ng/ml) and 2 (2.84 ng/ml) (P < 0.001). Pre-transport concentrations of DHEA in Trials 1 (482 pg/ml) and 2 (392 pg/ml) also rose significantly in Trial 3 (1607 pg/ml) (P < 0.01). Changes in cortisol and DHEA indicated that transportation was a significant stressor for horses, however, being transported in a loose group versus individual stalls was not different. Also, housing changes from paddocks to stalls resulted in significant increases in pre-transport concentrations of stress-related compounds.

Recently, the European Union published regulations regarding the welfare of horses during transport requiring that horses be transported in individual stalls separated by partitions. The objective of this study was to determine if concentrations of cortisol, corticosterone, or dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) differed among horses with no prior transport experience when transported in individual stalls versus loose groups. Twenty na�ve yearlings were assigned to either individual stalls or a loose group, then transported for 6 hours. Ten horses were transported per day (5 in stalls and 5 in a loose group) over a two day trial. The experiment was replicated with a second trial 35 days later, and utilized a switchback design where the horses exchanged treatments between trials. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for cortisol, corticosterone, and DHEA concentrations at pre-transport, 2, 4, and 6 h of transport, and at 2 and 4 h after unloading. After Trial 2, the horses? changed housing from group paddocks to stalls and a follow-up experiment was conducted. The data were analyzed using a mixed model repeated measures ANOVA with the animal as the subject, with trial, treatment, sample time, and treatment-sample time interaction in the model with unstructured covariance (SAS 9.1). Differences between sample times within each trial, and pre-transport concentrations between trials, were analyzed using paired t-tests (SPSS 12.0.1). No significant differences were found in hormone concentrations for horses transported in individual stalls versus in loose groups. Horses exhibited a significant elevation in cortisol and corticosterone during transport which returned to pre-transport concentrations by 2 hr after transport (P < 0.01). Mean pre-transport cortisol concentrations rose significantly in Trial 3 (7.87 ng/ml) from Trials 1 (2.71 ng/ml) and 2 (2.84 ng/ml) (P < 0.001). Pre-transport concentrations of DHEA in Trials 1 (482 pg/ml) and 2 (392 pg/ml) also rose significantly in Trial 3 (1607 pg/ml) (P < 0.01). Changes in cortisol and DHEA indicated that transportation was a significant stressor for horses, however, being transported in a loose group versus individual stalls was not different. Also, housing changes from paddocks to stalls resulted in significant increases in pre-transport concentrations of stress-related compounds.