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Topic:Communication
Communication in horses encompasses the various ways in which these animals convey information, emotions, and intentions to each other and to humans. This involves a range of vocalizations, body postures, facial expressions, and behavioral cues. Horses utilize these communication methods to establish social hierarchies, express discomfort or stress, and coordinate group movements. Understanding equine communication can enhance human-horse interactions and improve welfare practices. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the mechanisms, interpretation, and implications of communication behaviors in equine species.
Observations on Anti-Predator Defense Behavior in Feral Horses in Venezuela. Apart from vigilance and flight, anti-predator defense behavior in horses has not been well documented despite its importance during natural selection. In this study, observations of a feral herd (around 140) of Venezuelan horses sympatric with puma and jaguar divided such defense into precaution and reaction. Group living and the avoidance of danger areas are precautionary measures enhanced by the stallion's vigilance and his actions to keep small foals with the band. Reactions to perceived threats comprise communication of alarm; bunching, or cohesion, as a primary response; massed flight fo...
Horse species symposium: Current and future outlook on equine industry, research trends, and opportunities: How to promote a sustainable field into the future. The equine industry represents a complex and evolving sector with substantial economic, social, and scientific significance, yet it faces growing challenges related to funding constraints, societal expectations for animal welfare, regulatory pressures, and rapid scientific and technological change. This article synthesizes perspectives presented at the 2025 Horse Species Symposium, held during the joint Annual Meeting of the American Society of Animal Science and Canadian Society of Animal Science, which convened experts from academia, government, and industry to evaluate the current state and...
A service provider perspective in Irish horseracing on the availability of retirement specific support services for professional jockeys and perceived barriers and facilitators to their use. Retirement can come at any time in horse racing due to the unpredictable nature of the sport. Preplanning for the retirement transition in sport has been reported to lead to faster adjustment to retirement and better transition for athletes. The purpose of this study was to highlight the current support services available to Irish horseracing jockeys to aid with career transitions and to a) explore perceived barriers and b) perceived facilitators to their use. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 representatives from various racing bodies including the Irish Horse Racing Regulator...
“If you trust a vet, it’s easier to reach out to them with questions”: Flemish horse owner perspectives on communication about complementary and alternative veterinary medicine. To assess horse owners' behaviors and perceptions regarding communication about complementary and alternative veterinary medicine (CAVM) with their veterinarian. Unassigned: A cross-sectional online survey was combined with a qualitative study in the form of in-depth interviews with Flemish horse owners. Unassigned: The study included 1,532 fully completed survey responses and 26 interviews. Overall, horse owners showed high trust in the veterinarian and were satisfied with veterinarian-client communication. While 61.7% of participants indicated that they had already talked about CAVM with the...
Horseback opinions: what do visitors see when they see the wild horses that concern conservation biologists? Social conflicts surrounding invasive alien species can hinder their management, which makes studying the human dimension increasingly important. This approach is particularly relevant in natural reserves, where assessing visitors' perceptions of invasive alien species can help guide the design of more effective outreach and engagement strategies. This study examines visitors' knowledge of feral horses, their perceptions of these animals' value and ecological impact, and their acceptance of different management alternatives in a protected grassland area in the Argentine Pampas. We expect that ...
Equine-Assisted Learning for Children with Trauma and their Caregivers. Animal-assisted therapies, including work with horses, are increasingly incorporated into interventions aiming to promote health and well-being for individuals exposed to trauma. This study evaluates an equine-assisted learning (EAL) intervention with children who have experienced trauma and their caregivers. Children and caregivers were referred for participation by social service agencies and law enforcement based on reports of children's exposure to trauma. Children participated in a seven-week psycho-educational EAL Intervention, Resilience Reins, which aims to improve children's competenc...
Effectiveness of Equine-Assisted Intervention as a Therapeutic Strategy for Improving Adaptive Behaviour in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. : This study examines the effectiveness of equine-assisted intervention (EAI) in improving adaptive behaviour and motor skills in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). : To that effect, a self-controlled experimental analytical study has been designed, which is longitudinal and prospective in nature, with pre- and post-intervention measures, using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale II (VABS-II) as the assessment instrument. The sample consists of 19 children who participated in weekly therapeutic sessions involving horses for eight months; these sessions included horseback riding, gr...
Horse owners seeking online health information: a mixed-methods study. Many people seek health-related information online, not only for themselves but also on behalf of others who cannot articulate their symptoms. This proxy information-seeking behavior is particularly relevant for animal owners, who must interpret their animals' symptoms without direct verbal feedback. While online health information-seeking in the context of one's own health is well-studied, the specific challenges of searching by proxy, especially for animal health information, remain largely unexplored. Unassigned: This study aimed to determine the specific information needs and search behavi...
Striking a Balance: Stakeholder Perceptions of Risk in Horse Racing. Thoroughbred racing is a major industry, and in recent years, public concerns about equine safety have become more prominent, particularly in relation to on-track injuries and fatalities. This has challenged the industry's social licence to operate (SLO). Objective: To investigate and elucidate how UK and Irish racing stakeholders perceive risks to racehorses on race day and how those risks should be managed. Methods: Qualitative analysis of stakeholder perspectives using a constructionist approach. Methods: Twelve stakeholders from veterinary, communication and regulatory sectors within racin...
Official and private animal welfare inspectors’ perception of their own on-site inspections. The presence of a trustworthy and effective animal welfare control system is important both for animal welfare and for public and consumer trust. The inspectors' main task, regardless of whether they are official inspectors or private auditors, is to check for and enforce compliance with any relevant regulations. The aim of this study was to investigate how official animal welfare inspectors and private animal welfare auditors in Sweden perceive their inspection work and to explore any differences in the perception of being an inspector between these two groups. An electronic questionnaire was...
Predictors and barriers for biosecurity uptake and risk understanding among Ontario horse owners. This study aimed to describe implementation of biosecurity practices by Ontario horse owners and investigate whether biosecurity implementation was associated with horse-owner demographic characteristics and personality traits. Unassigned: A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of horse owners in Ontario to collect data on demographics, personality traits, risk comprehension, and biosecurity practices. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to identify clusters of participants with shared personality traits, and univariable associations between clusters and de...
Experiences of End-of-Life Decision-Making in Equine Veterinary and Charity Teams. Veterinary and charity teams are frequently involved in equine end-of-life decisions. These can cause ethical dilemmas and emotional burdens and complicate communication with owners. Semi-structured focus groups explored experiences of making decisions about end-of-life care and euthanasia at three UK equine veterinary practices and one charity. There were 26 participants in a mix of roles. Inductive coding was conducted during thematic analysis. Major themes generated were 'Equine Welfare', 'Relationships', 'Decision-Making', and 'Emotional Toll and Coping Strategies'. Communication, finances...
The rhythm of horse gaits. What makes animal gaits so audibly rhythmic? To answer this question, we recorded the footfall sound of 19 horses and quantified the rhythmic differences in the temporal structure of three natural gaits: walk, trot, and canter. Our analyses show that each gait displays a strikingly specific rhythmic pattern and that all gaits are organized according to small-integer ratios, those found when adjacent temporal intervals are related by a mathematically simple relationship of integer numbers. Walk and trot exhibit an isochronous structure (1:1)-similar to a ticking clock-while canter is characteri...
Communication skills influence horse owners’ trust in their equine veterinarians. Trust is an essential component of the relationship between veterinarians and horse owners. To what extent do horse owners consider their vets to be trustworthy, what aspects are important to horse owners when evaluating their vet's trustworthiness and how can equine vets become more trusted? Methods: Using an anonymous online survey, we asked horse owners whether they consider their veterinarians to be credible, reliable, empathetic and self-orientated, and therefore trustworthy compared with other professionals. Which of their equine vet's characteristics and behaviours influence how credibl...
Exploring horses’ (Equus caballus) gaze and asymmetric ear position in relation to human attentional cues. Studies have shown that horses are sensitive to human attentional cues. Also, there is some evidence that they might be able to infer the knowledge state of a human and communicate intentionally with us. However, this ability is not fully characterized and certain behaviors, like gaze, asymmetric ears position or vocalizations, which could work as attention-getting behaviors, have been scarcely studied in this context. The aim of the present study was to assess whether horses' gaze toward a person, asymmetric ears position and vocalizations are subject to audience effects and adjust to human a...
Becoming a matter of veterinary concern. Horses in Great Britain are living into increasingly older age and are often regarded as friends or family members by their owner. The horse is reliant on their owner to meet their needs and this paper discusses how horse owners frame an issue that becomes a matter of veterinary concern within the context of the older horse. Qualitative methods were used to explore the experiences of owners and veterinarians. Data were collected and analysed using a grounded theory approach during the period 2019-2022. Analysis identified that owners undertook an ongoing and iterative process of assessment, mo...
Video Ethogram of Equine Social Behaviour. Equine social behaviour studies face challenges stemming from the absence of a comprehensive ethogram with unequivocal standardised definitions and the resulting limits to data comparison across studies. To address these constraints, this ethogram offers researchers a standardised framework, defining thirty-seven distinct equine social behaviours supplemented by video examples for enhanced clarity. These definitions amalgamate insights from existing ethograms and are fine-tuned through meticulous video observations, encompassing contextual cues such as distinguishing between aggressive and pla...
The Role of an Equine Nutritionist in Equine Health, Performance and Wellbeing: Ideas stemming from an Equine Science Society Symposium Workshop. In the United States, there is little clarity on the qualifications and availability of equine nutritionists. Currently, no regulatory body exists for formal credentialing outside of veterinary medicine. Most equine nutritionists are not veterinarians but do have advanced scientific degrees (Master of Science and/or Doctor of Philosophy) in the field of Animal Science. However, not all reporting to be equine nutritionists have formal education in the field of equine nutrition. To discuss this, a workshop was held at the 2023 Equine Science Society (ESS) meeting. The purpose of this discussion ...
Follicular Fluid-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Influence on In Vitro Maturation of Equine Oocyte: Impact on Cumulus Cell Viability, Expansion and Transcriptome. Cumulus cell (CC) expansion is pivotal for oocyte maturation, during which CCs release factors that initiate paracrine signaling within the follicular fluid (FF). The FF is abundant in extracellular vesicles (EVs) that facilitate intercellular communication. Although bovine and murine EVs can control cumulus expansion, these effects have not been observed in equines. This study aimed to assess the impact of FF-derived EVs (ffEVs) on equine CC expansion, viability, and transcriptome. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) that underwent in vitro maturation (IVM) in the presence (200 µg protein/mL) or...
Bioinformatic analysis of endometrial miRNA expression profile at day 26-28 of pregnancy in the mare. The establishment of the fetomaternal interface depends on precisely regulated communication between the conceptus and the uterine environment. Recent evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) may play an important role in embryo-maternal dialogue. This study aimed to determine the expression profile of endometrial miRNAs during days 26-28 of equine pregnancy. Additionally, the study aimed to predict target genes for differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRs) and their potential role in embryo attachment, adhesion, and implantation. Using next-generation sequencing, we identified 81 DEmiRs betwe...
Dental sectioning for intraoral equine cheek teeth extractions: 29 cases. The objectives of this retrospective study were to describe cheek teeth extraction by the sectioning technique, the decision making to use this technique and its potentially associated complications. Sectioning for dental extraction purpose was used in 29/461 (6.3%) of cases. Oro-sinusal fistula was the main post-operative complication, with 4/29 (13.7%) cases developing a macroscopic communication between the alveolus of the tooth extracted and the adjacent sinus compartment. All teeth where sectioning was attempted were successfully extracted. Sectioning for dental extraction appears to be a...
Success rates and factors influencing pregnancy outcome after 464 transvaginal ultrasound-guided twin reductions in the mare. Transvaginal ultrasound-guided aspiration (TUA) is used for post-fixation twin reduction in mares. However, there is limited information regarding factors that influence pregnancy outcome after TUA. Objective: To evaluate the effect of day of gestation on which TUA is performed, aspiration volume, puncture of the conceptus, medication administered before and after TUA, embryo location, mare age and parity and operator experience on pregnancy and foaling rates after TUA. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Data were collected from case records of 464 TUAs performed by 14 operators in 4...
A Relaxed Horse-A Relaxed Client? An Experimental Investigation of the Effects of Therapy Horses’ Stress on Clients’ Stress, Mood, and Anxiety. Equine-assisted therapies are becoming increasingly popular for addressing physical and psychological disabilities in clients. The role of the horse's welfare in equine-assisted service receives increasing attention in research. Several studies have shown that horses are able to perceive human emotions and respond to human stress responses. However, no research has yet looked at the other side of the coin-whether and how humans perceive and react to equine stress levels during equine-assisted services. To fill this gap in the research, we employed a within-subjects design, in which horse-naïv...
Experiences of Interdisciplinary Working from the Perspective of the Society of Master Saddlers Qualified Saddle Fitters. Horse owners seek the advice and support of a number of equestrian professionals in carrying out their duty of care for their animal. In some instances, these professionals form a multi-disciplinary team (MDT). The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of the Society of Master Saddlers' qualified saddle fitters (SMSQSFs) working with other professionals and to understand the nature of inter-disciplinary working from an SMSQSF perspective. Semi-structured, one-to-one online interviews with fourteen SMSQSFs were completed. Areas explored included the nature of the participant's client...
Proteome and phospholipidome interrelationship of synovial fluid-derived extracellular vesicles in equine osteoarthritis: An exploratory ‘multi-omics’ study to identify composite biomarkers. Osteoarthritis causes progressive joint deterioration, severe morbidity, and reduced mobility in both humans and horses. Currently, osteoarthritis is diagnosed at late stages through clinical examination and radiographic imaging, hence it is challenging to address and provide timely therapeutic interventions to slow disease progression or ameliorate symptoms. Extracellular vesicles are cell-derived vesicles that play a key role in cell-to-cell communication and are potential sources for specific composite biomarker panel discovery. We here used a multi-omics strategy combining proteomics and p...
Short communication: Retrospective analysis of obligatory testing results for Equine virus arteritis reveals a decrease of its seroprevalence in stallions used for artificial insemination. Equine viral arteritis (EVA) can induce a persistent carrier state in stallions which then shed the virus via semen. About 30 years ago, obligatory EVA testing of stallions used for artificial insemination (AI) was implemented in the European Union. Information on the efficacy of these regulations on the prevalence of EVA in stallions are not yet available. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed results of serological and virus antigen testing for EVA in sires of different age and breed referred to Vetmeduni Vienna for semen preservation or veterinary diagnostic procedures between 2001 and 202...
Development of a three-dimensional computer model of the equine heart using a polyurethane casting technique and in vivo contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Insight into the three-dimensional (3D) anatomy of the equine heart is essential in veterinary education and to develop minimally invasive intracardiac procedures. The aim was to create a 3D computer model simulating the in vivo anatomy of the adult equine heart. Methods: Ten horses and five ponies. Methods: Ten horses, euthanized for non-cardiovascular reasons, were used for in situ cardiac casting with polyurethane foam and subsequent computed tomography (CT) of the excised heart. In five anaesthetized ponies, a contrast-enhanced electrocardiogram-gated CT protocol was optimized to image th...
Diagnostic Pathology of Equine Toxicoses. This article is intended to highlight toxicosis-associated pathology in horses that might be observed by a clinician in the living animal and at gross necropsy. When the clinician is aware of these pathologic changes (particularly when coupled with a suggestive environmental or herd history), then collaboration with a diagnostic laboratory can begin to help identify specific toxicants. Proper sampling and communication with the diagnostic laboratory will vastly improve the likelihood of a specific diagnosis; postmortem sampling and specimen submission are reviewed in the last section of this a...
Assessment of worm control practices recommended by equine veterinarians in Australia. This study aimed to assess Australian veterinarians' knowledge, perceptions and treatment strategies for worm control in horses with an online questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised 64 questions covering various aspects of: (i) veterinary practice; (ii) the veterinarian's knowledge of gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) and the importance of parasites in different age groups of horses; (iii) the diagnosis and control of worms; (iv) anthelmintics and anthelmintic resistance (AR); (v) grazing management; and (vi) the means of communication and the discussion between veterinarians and their cli...
