www.vet.upenn.edu/labs/equinebehavior

Introduction

It has long been a goal of Equine Behavior Laboratory is to provide good, sound knowledgeable information to the equine community as well as to answer frequently asked behavior questions from owners and clinicians via a web site. Toward that goal a lab website was started in 2000 by Havemeyer Summer Fellow Michael Cohen. In continuation of these goals, we have made a considerable effort this summer to improve the website.  Our specific objectives included:
1)     To update and expand website information
2)     To improve the style and format
3)     To add interactive teaching material on equine behavior
4)     To create documentation and instruct lab head on website maintenance

Results

          The Equine Behavior’s website at the University of Pennsylvania’s Veterinary School is currently located at http://www.vet.upenn.edu/labs/equinebehavior.   It was moved from its original site address of http://caltest.nbc.upenn.edu/behavior and links from the main Vet School and Department of Clinical Studies were added.  This enabled more widespread access to the public.
In an effort to make the website more aesthetic and to better organize the homepage, a new color scheme and button design was developed.  By contrast to the old design, the layout for the new homepage displays a more clean, crisp and organized layout as displayed in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Layout of new homepage

The site was re-organized in such a way that each button now takes the user to a sub-home page as to help organize the site in a more user-friendly way.  The following sub-home pages were created each with a link from the homepage: Short Courses, The Behavior Program and Clinic, Reference Library, Behavior of the Month, Havemeyer Summer Research Veterinary Training Program, Upcoming Events and Links.

The Short Courses pages include a complete listing of courses available to veterinarians, owners and breeders.  Each offering has full descriptions of the course as well as complete guide to registration, which now includes online registration, accommodations, driving directions to New Bolton Center, and local dining options for short course attendees.  It is designed to be a one-stop guide for the short course participants.

The Behavior Research and Clinic page is intended to give the user information regarding what goes on at the Behavior Lab.  Updated on this page, were links to the Research Team, History and Resources of the Lab, and Current Projects.  Also added was list of Frequently Asked Questions, which Dr. McDonnell has been asked over the years about Equine Behavior from horse owners.  Currently, about forty-five questions have been added which will be rotated throughout the year and then archived so the user can see past questions but not get overwhelmed with too many topics listed.  Also added was an interactive quiz at the end of the Frequently Asked Questions, which is intended to be fun and knowledgeable.

The Reference Library includes Lab publications and a list of recommended readings.  Added in this section are the proceedings for the Havemeyer Workshops from Iceland (June, 2002) about Horse Behavior and Welfare and from Poland (September 2000) about Advanced Topics in Stallion Veterinary Practice.  These proceedings include scientific articles regarding topics of the Havemeyer Workshops and allow the user to gain access to those scientific abstracts.

A new section added to the website includes the Behavior of the Month.  This section contains monthly and archived typical equine behaviors that contain a still photo or line drawing and video showing that particular behavior.  Following the photo and video is a question asking the user what the behavior is.  This allows the user to have a little fun with the page and makes it interactive and educational at the same time.  Currently the following six behaviors are located on the site: elimination marking behavior, maternal tending of a foal, head threat, interspecies interaction, coprophagy, and non-receptive sexual behavior.

The sub-home page of Havemeyer Summer Research Veterinary Training Program was updated and a listing of past student fellows was added to the page.  Also updated were the listing of links that the user might be interested about other equine websites.  Added to the website was a listing of upcoming events in which the Equine Behavior Lab will be participating, as well a links (if available) to those meetings, seminars or courses.

As well as building on the website, documentation on how to update and keep the website current was done for future students and faculty.  This will facilitate keeping the site current and encouraging the users coming back for more information and fun.

Acknowledgements

Dr. Sue McDonnell provided content, feedback and mentorship. Elkanah Grogan provided video, photographs, and feedback. Rosemary Riley provided feedback.  Dr. Richard Miselis coordinated website training; Deborah Gallek provided training and consultation; Peter Ivanick assisted with the new website address; Anne Drumheller assisted with purchasing equipment and software, and Kaye Johnson advised on technical questions. This was a Dorothy Russell Havemeyer Foundation Project.

Doug Gilison is a member of the Penn Vet Class of 2005.  He is a Dorothy Russell Havemeyer Foundation Veterinary Summer Research Fellow.