Applied quantification of equine sleep behaviour and environmental factors affecting its occurrence

Greening, Linda

Abstract

This thesis includes published academic work with a critical commentary submitted to fulfil the requirements of the University of the West of England, Bristol for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by publication (DPhil). Five peer reviewed journal articles are submitted (appendix 1), alongside a number of studies that have been presented at conference but remain unpublished (appendix 2), spanning ten years of research into the topic of equine sleep behaviour from 2013 to 2023. Paper 1 offers an overview of existing research in the field of equine sleep and proposes two novel measurements. Paper 2 demonstrates no significant differences were detected when comparing sleep behaviour on two different bedding substrates, whilst Papers 4 and 5 demonstrate how bedding depth and artificial lighting can have a significant effect on quantity and quality of sleep behaviour respectively. Meanwhile Paper 3 provides evidence that playing music overnight can influence the nocturnal behavioural profile. Evidence from these studies highlights how equine sleep is sensitive to factors within the environment, based on equine management practices. The critical commentary aims to position these studies to show case what is currently known about equine sleep and the factors which influence it within the domestic environment, whilst recognising limitations and offering opportunities for further research in this field. To support the development of this field of research and attract funding to support this work in the future, effort must be made to ensure measurements are reliable and accurate in order to enable greater exploration of the relationship between sleep, welfare and performance.

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jun 28, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 11, 2023
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10892682
• Award Date: Dec 11, 2023