Livestock Handling Blog

If a renowned expert on dog behavior suggested you kick your dog every time it misbehaved, would you? The expert advising this has a reputation and a considerable following; they should know what’s good for

“For crying out loud” This term is a euphemism for “For Christ’s Sake” [Colloquial; early 1900s], an exclamation of anger or frustration. Forgive my use of this colloquialism. Playing with words is my twisted sense

Is the glass half-empty or half-full? Research has found that seeing the glass is half full makes people happier, healthier, and wealthier. The optimist sees the glass as half full, while the pessimist sees the

Part I Before I continue with Part 3 “HORSE WELFARE, LATERALITY, AND HAIR WHORLS & COGNITIVE BIAS, I want to get this out of the way. Several people have asked me about the confusing behavior

Note: Part I of this series, posted on August 12, 2023, under the title ABNORMAL HAIR WHORLS, is an introduction to this extended series. In the early 1990s, I got an invitation to meet with

There are countless examples in the scientific literature of animals with genetic defects through inbreeding, exposure to environmental toxins, or many other factors causing brain abnormalities that affect behavior. In livestock animals, inbreeding, or what

For those of you like me that grew up in the 1960s, you’ll remember the hilarious TV sitcom “Mister Ed” about a sober and sarcastic talking horse who only talked to his owner, a genial

In part 3 of this series, I spelled out the Horse Behaviorist UT mantra— “first experiences are critical to forming future responses.” In this post, you’ll learn there’s no comparison to the contemporary practice of

The neonatal handling procedure I use can help reduce stress in foals at the weaning time by developing a robust human-foal relationship. As I discussed in part 4, the process begins very early and continues