| Popis: |
The quality and time of rest is together with feeding and physical activity the most important factor having an impact on both, mental and physical health in horses. This diploma thesis was dealing with the impact of a specific season and age on the use of a rest area in the conditions of active horse stables. The first part of this diploma thesis has processed a literary overview focused on the principles and types of horse-breeding technology and ethological rest activities. The topic of active stables has been sudied in greater detail. Observation was done at an active stable in Mažice. A total of 22 horses were being observed aged 2 to 27 in fifteen 24-hour long intervals using camera footage. The impact of individual seasons (summer, autumn and winter) and age (young, middle-aged and old horses) on the rest activities in rest areas was being observed and evaluated. A difference in the average length of one visit in the seasons observed. In autumn, it was longest on average, 35 minutes in comparison to 30 minutes in winter and summer. In case of lying down the average time of one visit differed significantly - in winter it was 30 minutes and 41 minutes in summer. The rest area was used least by young horses in autumn, 179 minutes per 24 hours. Comparing the utilization the rest areas during the year, a more significant utilization of rest area number 2 (352 minutes per 24 hours) was proven in comparison to the rest area number 1 (161 minutes per 24 hours in summer). Evaluating the day and night, the lowest average time values spent in rest areas were noted during autumn and summer (130 minutes per day and 162 minutes per day). On average, the horses would spend the longest time of 218 minutes per night and during the day in winter of 237 minutes per day in the rest areas. The results show that it is necessary to pay attention to stable design, not only from the perspective of size but also orientation. With regard to the time the horses spend there, they are a significant factor having an impact on the quality of their lives. |
