Olfactory Stimulation as Environmental Enrichment for Domestic Horses—A Review
Horses constantly face several challenges inherent to the domestic environment, and it is common for the expression of their natural behavior to be drastically limited. Environmental enrichment has been suggested as an alternative to improve the captive situation of domestic horses. Among the recent...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-10-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/20/3180 |
| _version_ | 1797574950236717056 |
|---|---|
| author | Ana Caroline Bini de Lima Vanessa Cristini Sebastião da Fé Maria Simara Palermo Hernandes Viviane Maria Oliveira dos Santos |
| author_facet | Ana Caroline Bini de Lima Vanessa Cristini Sebastião da Fé Maria Simara Palermo Hernandes Viviane Maria Oliveira dos Santos |
| author_sort | Ana Caroline Bini de Lima |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Horses constantly face several challenges inherent to the domestic environment, and it is common for the expression of their natural behavior to be drastically limited. Environmental enrichment has been suggested as an alternative to improve the captive situation of domestic horses. Among the recently proposed enrichment strategies, olfactory stimulation has emerged as a method for improving several aspects related to animal behavior. Olfaction is a sensory modality that plays a significant role in the expression of equine behavior, and in recent years, studies have shown that olfactory stimulation can influence the physiological and behavioral parameters of horses. This review provides current information on the anatomical particularities of the equine olfactory system, presents the physiological mechanisms involved in the odor detection process, and demonstrates how stress can interfere with this process. Finally, the use of olfactory stimulation as an environmental enrichment for domestic horses (<i>Equus ferus caballus</i>) is explored. The need for new studies that answer pertinent questions related to this topic is discussed throughout the manuscript. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:30:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6c2a23e207cf4884bf2db62a23977028 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:30:21Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-6c2a23e207cf4884bf2db62a239770282023-11-19T15:24:17ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-10-011320318010.3390/ani13203180Olfactory Stimulation as Environmental Enrichment for Domestic Horses—A ReviewAna Caroline Bini de Lima0Vanessa Cristini Sebastião da Fé1Maria Simara Palermo Hernandes2Viviane Maria Oliveira dos Santos3Nucleus of Studies in Ambience, Bioclimatology, Welfare and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, BrazilNucleus of Studies in Ambience, Bioclimatology, Welfare and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, BrazilNucleus of Studies in Ambience, Bioclimatology, Welfare and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, BrazilNucleus of Studies in Ambience, Bioclimatology, Welfare and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, BrazilHorses constantly face several challenges inherent to the domestic environment, and it is common for the expression of their natural behavior to be drastically limited. Environmental enrichment has been suggested as an alternative to improve the captive situation of domestic horses. Among the recently proposed enrichment strategies, olfactory stimulation has emerged as a method for improving several aspects related to animal behavior. Olfaction is a sensory modality that plays a significant role in the expression of equine behavior, and in recent years, studies have shown that olfactory stimulation can influence the physiological and behavioral parameters of horses. This review provides current information on the anatomical particularities of the equine olfactory system, presents the physiological mechanisms involved in the odor detection process, and demonstrates how stress can interfere with this process. Finally, the use of olfactory stimulation as an environmental enrichment for domestic horses (<i>Equus ferus caballus</i>) is explored. The need for new studies that answer pertinent questions related to this topic is discussed throughout the manuscript.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/20/3180animal welfarebehaviorequineessential oilsodorantsodors |
| spellingShingle | Ana Caroline Bini de Lima Vanessa Cristini Sebastião da Fé Maria Simara Palermo Hernandes Viviane Maria Oliveira dos Santos Olfactory Stimulation as Environmental Enrichment for Domestic Horses—A Review Animals animal welfare behavior equine essential oils odorants odors |
| title | Olfactory Stimulation as Environmental Enrichment for Domestic Horses—A Review |
| title_full | Olfactory Stimulation as Environmental Enrichment for Domestic Horses—A Review |
| title_fullStr | Olfactory Stimulation as Environmental Enrichment for Domestic Horses—A Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Olfactory Stimulation as Environmental Enrichment for Domestic Horses—A Review |
| title_short | Olfactory Stimulation as Environmental Enrichment for Domestic Horses—A Review |
| title_sort | olfactory stimulation as environmental enrichment for domestic horses a review |
| topic | animal welfare behavior equine essential oils odorants odors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/20/3180 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT anacarolinebinidelima olfactorystimulationasenvironmentalenrichmentfordomestichorsesareview AT vanessacristinisebastiaodafe olfactorystimulationasenvironmentalenrichmentfordomestichorsesareview AT mariasimarapalermohernandes olfactorystimulationasenvironmentalenrichmentfordomestichorsesareview AT vivianemariaoliveiradossantos olfactorystimulationasenvironmentalenrichmentfordomestichorsesareview |