Managing Horse Behavior - Let Your Horse Be a Horse

Summary

Horses which have some freedom to act like a horse usually exhibit fewer behavioral "problems" and perform more happily and consistently than horses that are managed in ways that ignore their natural behavior patterns. This webcast discusses the natural behavior patterns of horses and ways to modify your horse management practices so that your horse has opportunities to perform these natural behaviors.

Presenter Information

Cindy McCall grew up riding and showing hunters and jumpers in Eastern Tennessee. She received a B.S. in Agriculture from the University of Tennessee and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Science from Texas A & M University. She served as an instructor at Texas A & M, teaching their horse management and training class and hunt seat and stock seat riding classes. After completing her doctoral degree, she accepted a position as the Equine Technology Coordinator at the Ohio State University’s Agricultural Technical Institute. She then moved to the University of Connecticut where she served as the Extension Horse Specialist and taught horse judging and companion animal behavior courses. She moved to Auburn University in 1989.

Currently she is a professor in their Department of Animal Sciences teaching course in their equine science option and serving as the Extension Horse Specialist for Alabama. Cindy McCall is a registered Professional Animal Scientist in the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists, and she is a charter diplomate in the American College of Applied Animal Behavior Science. Her major research interest is equine behavior with an emphasis on factors affecting equine learning abilities. Recently her research work has expanded into investigating stereotypical behaviors in horses, such as crib biting, and possible links between these behaviors and the nutrition and physiology of the horse.

She is married to Dr. Wendell McElhenney and they have one son, William. They raise Dutch Warmblood horses and cattle on their farm in Alabama. She rides as often as possible and occasionally competes in local dressage shows.

Watch the recorded webcast below!