Spontaneous locomotor behavior in a novel space reveals insights into an animal's world view or Umwelt. For example, in many animal species, spontaneous behavior in a novel environment is parsed into activities at a home base and excursions from the home base. Domestic horses (Equus ferus caballas) are frequently ridden for recreation or in performance events in an equestrian arena but there has been no description of horse behavior in an arena when they are unconstrained and "exploring" or when moving freely under saddle. The present examination exploration provides insights into horse adaptive behavior more generally as well as insights into horse performance under saddle. Thoroughbred, American Quarter Horse and mixed-breed mares and geldings of various ages, with various degrees of training under saddle, and with varying familiarity with the arena were given 30-min tests in which they were at liberty to explore an equestrian arena. Additional 30-min tests were given in which horses explored the arena containing a tethered partner, or were ridden. Despite breed, sex, age and experience, behavior was similar. A horse spent most of its time near the entrance door of the area where it looked out, paced, and rolled. Periodic excursions formed loops. The outward leg of a loop was slow, often featured sniffing the ground, and ended with a head-raised, ears-forward look toward the far end of the arena. The homeward leg of a loop was made with lowered-head and ears-back and was relatively direct and fast. Successive loops could increase or decrease in size over a test period. If a partner was tethered at the far end of the area, a horse shifted its activity toward the partner. When horses under saddle were asked to make excursions into the arena but otherwise left unconstrained, they made loops, similar to that of freely moving horses. When ridden around the arena they returned more quickly to the near end of the arena than when leaving the near end of the arena. This organized home base/excursion behavior is discussed in relation to horse social structure and to its expression while under saddle.

中文翻译：

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在马术竞技场中自由或在马鞍下时，嗅闻，观察和循环游览作为马（Equus ferus caballis）的“探索”单元

新空间中的自发运动行为揭示了对动物世界观或环境世界的洞察。例如，在许多动物物种中，在新环境中的自发行为被解析为在基地的活动和从基地的远足。家马 (Equus ferus caballas) 经常被骑在马术竞技场上用于娱乐或表演活动，但没有描述马匹在竞​​技场中不受约束和“探索”或在马鞍下自由移动时的行为。目前的考试探索提供了对马适应行为的更普遍的见解，以及对马鞍下马表现的见解。纯种、美国夸特马和各种年龄的混种母马和阉马，在马鞍下接受不同程度的训练，并且对竞技场的熟悉程度各不相同，他们接受了 30 分钟的测试，其中他们可以自由探索马术竞技场。还进行了额外的 30 分钟测试，其中马探索了包含系绳伙伴的竞技场，或被骑乘。尽管品种、性别、年龄和经验不同，但行为是相似的。一匹马大部分时间都在靠近该区域的入口处，在那里向外看、踱步和滚动。定期远足形成了循环。环的外腿很慢，通常以嗅探地面为特征，并以抬起头，耳朵向前看向竞技场的远端结束。回环的回程腿是低头和耳后的，相对直接和快速。在测试期间，连续循环的大小可能会增加或减少。如果伙伴被拴在该区域的远端，一匹马将其活动转向了伙伴。当马鞍下的马被要求进入竞技场但不受约束时，它们会形成循环，类似于自由移动的马。在竞技场周围骑行时，他们返回到竞技场近端的速度比离开竞技场近端时更快。这种有组织的基地/远足行为与马的社会结构及其在鞍下时的表达有关。