Impaired instrumental choice in crib-biting horses (Equus caballus)

Abstract

Horses displaying an oral stereotypy were tested on an instrumental choice paradigm to examine differences in learning from non-stereotypic counterparts. The paradigm was specifically applied in order to examine learning that requires maintenance of response-outcome judgements. The stereotypic horses were found not to choose a more immediate reinforcer over three learning sessions. This suggests an initial behavioural correlate for dorsomedial striatum dysregulation in the stereotypy phenotype