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Table 3 Scores for statistically significant differences in cardiac activity and cortisol variables within groups. A horse group could achieve a sum of scores ranging from − 11 to 11 for the response to vocalization of one predator

From: The intensity of physiological and behavioral responses of horses to predator vocalizations

 

Sympathetic activity

Parasympathetic activity

Cortisol

Total

Variable:

HR

LF

RR

RMSSD

HF

Period:

2

3

2

3

2

3

2

3

2

3

3

Horse pedigree group

Wolf sound

  ¾TB

1

   

1

 

1

   

1

4

  ½TB

1

 

1

1

   

-1

-1

-1

1

1

  ¼TB

1

 

-1

-1

1

      

0

Horse pedigree group

Leopard sound

  ¾TB

1

 

1

-1

  

-1

1

1

1

 

3

  ½TB

1

1

  

1

   

-1

 

1

3

  ¼TB

1

  

1

1

  

-1

 

-1

1

2

  1. ¾TB, ½TB, ¼TB – horse groups with 75%, 50% and 25% Thoroughbred ancestry within the parental and grandparental generations, respectively
  2. HR heart rate, LF low frequency component of the power spectrum, ratio of LF and HF signal, where HF is a high frequency component of the power spectrum, RR beat-to-beat intervals, RMSSD root mean square of the successive differences in RR, HF high frequency component of the power spectrum
  3. Period 2 – stimulus period; Period 3 – poststimulus period