Detecting Welfare in a Non-Verbal Species: Social/Cultural Biases and Difficulties in Horse Welfare Assessment

Forced Handling Decreases Emotionality but Does Not Improve Young Horses' Responses toward Humans and their Adaptability to Stress

Horses are often still exposed to stressful or inadequate conditions and difficult relationships with humans, despite growing concerns about animal welfare. In the present study, we investigated the impact of different approaches of short-term handling sessions on young Lusitanian horses raised on a high-breed farm, specifically on their later adaptability to humans and stressful environments. Thirty-one foals (3 months old ± 15 days), from both sexes, were separated into three groups, one submitted to 3 consecutive days of handling sessions (Int-H), another to one handling session each month for 3 months (Month-H), and one left undisturbed (control). At 8 months old ± 15 days, all foals were evaluated during behavioral tests (restraint in a stock and forced-person test). Evaluations were based on behavioral observations and physiological assessments. The handled foals (Int-H and Month-H) reacted less to being isolated and restrained and better tolerated human contact and veterinary procedures than the control ones. The handled foals displayed less evasive and negative behaviors toward human approach, but also sought less human contact and did not interact, regardless of the handling timeframe. All animals displayed signs of stress when restrained in the stock, with increased neutrophil counts and CHCM levels in the blood, and no differences in metabolic (CK and LDH) and other hematological parameters. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in handled foals than in control ones, suggesting low standards of welfare. Our data suggest that early forced handling decreases fearfulness in new environments; however, it does not improve the horses' relationship with humans, and it decreases welfare.

An Exploratory Study into the Backgrounds and Perspectives of Equine-Assisted Service Practitioners

Equine-Assisted Services (EASs) are commonplace in today's society, but vary widely in both theoretical and practical applications. Until now, practitioners' experiences and perspectives in relation to these services have received little attention. To address this, a purpose-designed online questionnaire was distributed to EAS practitioners, exploring issues relating to the nature of the service provided, practice patterns, practitioner education, perceived knowledge, challenges faced and the future direction of these services. An analysis revealed a significant association between practitioners' backgrounds and the nature of the service offered, as well as perceived knowledge. Median EAS training received to first practice was 20 days of block release over a year; however, nearly half of the sample (42.4%) reported less training than this. Equine-specific training was more limited, with 41.5% of practitioners having no horse-relevant qualifications. The most important challenges reported by practitioners involved client and equine welfare, financial sustainability and raising awareness of EAS. This research highlights the diverse nature of EAS and also raises important challenges and possible opportunities for development. Findings suggest that more progress is needed to professionalise and legitimise the area to support and help practitioners provide the best service for all concerned.

Finnish and Swedish riding school pupils' motivation towards participation in non-riding education

Many horse enthusiasts have insufficient knowledge about horse behavior and welfare (BW) and learning and human-horse communication (LC), which poses a risk for both horse welfare and human safety. The main objective of this study was to investigate why riding school pupils participate or do not participate in non-riding education in BW and LC, using Self-determination theory (SDT). SDT posits that the quality of motivation is related to the individual's basic psychological needs. A convenience sample of 568 riding school pupils from Finland and Sweden completed an online questionnaire. The results showed that forty percent of the riding schools offered education in BW, and thirty-two in LC. Twenty-seven percent of the respondents participated in education in BW, and twenty-five in LC at their riding school. The respondents were autonomously motivated to participate in education, i.e., they would participate because it is interesting and personally important. Perceived needs satisfaction at the riding school predicted autonomous motivation to participate. Education was offered to a greater extent in Swedish riding schools and Swedish respondents participated more often, as well as experienced more autonomous motivation, relatedness and competence satisfaction compared with Finnish respondents. To our knowledge, this study is the first to explore riding school pupils' motivation towards non-riding education.

Horses' Tactile Reactivity Differs According to the Type of Work: The Example of Equine-Assisted Intervention

Tactile perception in humans varies between individuals and could depend on extrinsic factors such as working activity. In animals, there is no study relating the influence of animals' work and their tactile reactivity per se. We investigated horses' tactile reactivity using von Frey filament in different body areas and compared horses working only in equine-assisted interventions (EAI), in riding school (RS) lessons, and in both activities (EAI-RS). We further compared tactile actions by people with or without mental and/or developmental disorders during brushing sessions. The results indicated that EAI horses showed higher tactile reactivity compared to EAI-RS and RS horses, both in terms of number of reactions overall, and especially when the test involved thin filaments. All horses showed high tactile reactivity when tested on the stifle, and this was particularly true for EAI horses. These differences could be related to humans' actions, as participants diagnosed with disorders brushed more the hindquarters and showed more fragmented actions. This study opens new lines of thought on the influence of EAI working activity on horses' tactile reactivity, and hence, on horses' sensory perception. Tactile reactivity outside work, may be directly (via tactile stimulations) or indirectly (via the welfare state), influenced by working conditions.

A Qualitative Exploration of UK Leisure Horse Owners' Perceptions of Equine Wellbeing

Human assessment of equine wellbeing is fundamental to ensuring the optimal care of domestic horses. However, terminology associated with wellbeing is still not fully defined and there are currently no validated quality of life (QoL) assessment tools. Furthermore, little is known about what equine wellbeing or QoL means to horse owners, or how their beliefs impact on the management decisions they make for their horse. This study sought to establish how UK leisure horse owners use wellbeing-related terminology by exploring their accounts within a focus group setting. Four online focus group discussions (FGD) were held and qualitative data were collected. FGDs involved a semi-structured discussion, followed by a group activity to compare seven equine wellbeing-related terms of interest introduced by the facilitator. The collected data were analysed using a constructivist grounded theory approach, and also by content analysis, to examine the frequency and subjective meaning of the terms of interest. The results showed that horse owners did not clearly delineate between different terms, rather, they used the terms in the context of their own assessments of their horse. The meanings assigned to what owners experienced with their horse were individual and subjective, shaped by past experiences, relationships with their animal, and peers or social groups. This individualised construction of equine wellbeing impacted on the meaning conveyed when using wellbeing-related terminology. In this study, we extend the literature on equine wellbeing terminology usage, and highlight differences between the academic literature and the real-world experiences of horse owners.

Moving toward Fear-Free Husbandry and Veterinary Care for Horses

Husbandry and veterinary procedures have the potential to generate fear and stress in animals. In horses, the associated responses can pose a significant safety risk to the human personnel involved in the procedure, as well as to the animal itself. Traditionally, physical restraint, punishment, and/or threat of an aversive, have been the most common strategies used to achieve compliance from the horse. However, from a welfare perspective, this is less than ideal. This approach also has the potential for creating a more dangerous response from the horse in future similar situations. When caring for companion animals, and captive animals within zoological facilities, there has been a steady transition away from this approach, and toward strategies aimed at reducing fear and stress during veterinary visits and when undertaking routine husbandry procedures. This review discusses the current approaches to horse care and training, the strategies being used in other animal sectors, and potential strategies for improving human safety, as well as the horse's experience, during husbandry and veterinary procedures.

Social Licence to Operate: What Can Equestrian Sports Learn from Other Industries?

Simple Summary

Most societies regulate human activities using laws that state clearly what is, and is not, legally permissible. However, there is a second layer of permission that is granted—or revoked—by the public. This second layer is known as a ‘social licence to operate’ (SLO), and it represents an intangible, implicit agreement between the public and an industry or group. The public may approve of an activity, in which case it can proceed with minimal formalised restrictions, or it may disapprove, and this may herald legal restrictions, or even an outright ban. This review discusses the concept of SLO in relation to equestrianism. Experience from other industries suggests that, to maintain its SLO, equestrianism should take an ethics-based, proactive, progressive, and holistic approach to the protection of equine welfare, and should establish the trust of all stakeholders, including the public. Trust will only ensue if society is confident that equestrianism operates transparently, that its leaders and practitioners are credible, legitimate, and competent, and that its practice reflects society’s values. Earning and maintaining this status will undoubtedly require substantial effort and funding—inputs that should be regarded as an investment in the future of the sport.

Abstract

The concept of ‘social licence to operate’ (SLO) is relevant to all animal-use activities. An SLO is an intangible, implicit agreement between the public and an industry/group. Its existence allows that industry/group to pursue its activities with minimal formalised restrictions because such activities have widespread societal approval. In contrast, the imposition of legal restrictions—or even an outright ban—reflect qualified or lack of public support for an activity. This review discusses current threats to equestrianism’s SLO and suggests actions that those across the equine sector need to take to justify the continuation of the SLO. The most important of these is earning the trust of all stakeholders, including the public. Trust requires transparency of operations, establishment and communication of shared values, and demonstration of competence. These attributes can only be gained by taking an ethics-based, proactive, progressive, and holistic approach to the protection of equine welfare. Animal-use activities that have faced challenges to their SLO have achieved variable success in re-establishing the approval of society, and equestrianism can learn from the experience of these groups as it maps its future. The associated effort and cost should be regarded as an investment in the future of the sport.