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Topic:Horse Training
Horse training involves the systematic process of teaching horses specific behaviors and skills to enhance their performance and manageability. This process encompasses a variety of techniques and methods tailored to the individual horse's temperament, age, and intended use, such as riding, racing, or working. Training regimens aim to develop desired traits such as obedience, agility, and endurance while ensuring the horse's physical and mental well-being. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various aspects of horse training, including methodologies, behavioral outcomes, and the impact on equine welfare and performance.
Survey of rider and horse size proportions and associated rider perceptions. The influence of a rider's size on equine performance and welfare remains a topic of debate in the equestrian industry. Most previous research has examined the weight ratios of riders and horses in controlled experimental settings, and the existing perceptions of acceptable rider-horse unit proportions have not been investigated. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate horse and rider size and skill proportions among Finnish horses and riders. The study also investigated riders' perceptions of the acceptability of these size proportions. Methods: Riders over 18 years of age were in...
Transforming retraining: Supporting racehorses to have successful second careers. Optimizing long-term welfare outcomes for Thoroughbred racehorses following retirement from racing is a priority across the global horse racing industry. Following their racing career, horses are required to adapt to a markedly different lifestyle, involving substantial physical, behavioural, and mental adjustment. This study consulted experienced retrainers to identify factors that inform successful retraining and transition of former racehorses to promote positive lifelong outcomes beyond racing. An online survey of 100 global stakeholders experienced in retraining former racehorses explor...
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response and glucose homeostasis during exercise to fatigue before and after training in old and young adult Standardbred mares. While reduced cortisol responses to exercise have been described in older horses, the effects of aging and training on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) and downstream metabolic signaling are currently unknown. Unassigned: This study tested the hypothesis that age and exercise training alter the response of the HPA axis, insulin, and glucose during an acute exercise challenge to fatigue. Methods: Six old (22.0±0.7 years) and six young adult (7.3±0.6 years) unfit Standardbred mares were tested. Mares ran a graded exercise test before (GXT1) and after (GXT2) 8 weeks of trainin...
Environmental and genetic effects on measured hock bone proportions in young Polish Warmblood horses undergoing performance test training for breeding horses. The hock bone proportions in young Polish Warmblood horses (69) were studied based on x-ray image measurements done during official breeding horse performance testing. Six measurements were used to identify 4 width and length proportion indices. The radiological examinations were done before and after horse training, which consists of work with or without the rider at walk, trot and canter (40-50min) with some light class (< 100cm) jumping (<12 jumps) 6 days a week. The training effect was investigated using analysis of variance (procedure MIXED, Statistical Analysis System). The statist...
Phenotypic and genetic factors that affect the likelihood of Standardbred foals achieving a race start. This study was conducted to quantify the probability of a Standardbred foal attaining early career milestones and to estimate some environmental and genetic factors that influence achievement of those milestones. Data for all Standardbred foals registered at birth in New Zealand from 1995 to 2018 were used to estimate variance components and fixed effects influencing attainment of three early-career traits; registered with trainer (REG), starting in a trial (TRIAL) and starting in a race (RACE). The study population comprised 65,256 foals. Of these, 65.5% attained REG, 55.4% progressed to TRIA...
In-Hand Training of Piaffe and Passage with Leg Stimulation: A Literature-Based Biomechanical Argument for Why This Method Fails to Produce True Collection. In-hand training of piaffe and passage via tactile leg stimulation (Handarbeit mit Touchieren) is widely practised in dressage, yet consistently produces horses that elevate their legs without achieving collection - a pattern termed Schenkelgänger (leg-movers) in classical German equitation. Based on published kinetic, kinematic, and electromyographic literature, this review argues that tactile leg stimulation activates the spinal nociceptive withdrawal reflex, an unloading movement mechanistically opposed to the elastic tendon rebound and ventral muscular chain activation that define true co...
“At what line does poor horsemanship cross the line to abuse, for you?” Social media discourse around high-profile incidents in the performance horse world reveals polarised views on animal welfare. High profile equestrians set an example for equestrian culture as well as public perception of horse sports. The present instrumental case study considers two incidents shared across social media. One is a dressage session featuring an elite equestrian striking at a horse 24 times with a long whip during a two-minute video. The second scenario shows a high-profile rider whipping and spurring a horse for a jump refusal during an international showjumping competition. We collected (and anonymised) 416 social media responses from a performance horse welfare equestrian group, general horse welfare...
Activity type, sex, season, and number of prior starts are associated with proximal sesamoid bone fractures in Thoroughbred racehorses in South Korea. To identify risk factors associated with proximal sesamoid bone fractures in Thoroughbreds in South Korea. Unassigned: A retrospective case-control design with multivariable logistic regression was used. This study included 138 Thoroughbreds diagnosed with proximal sesamoid bone fractures following racetrack activity between 2020 and 2025. Additionally, 580 healthy Thoroughbreds (635 observations) with at least 1 racetrack activity during the same period were included as controls. Unassigned: A total of 7 risk factors were identified. Races or trials had markedly higher fracture risk than race...
Does the Distance Between Ground Poles Affect Limb, Spinal and Pelvic Kinematics in Horses When Walking In-Hand? Polework exercise is commonly used in equine training and rehabilitation; however, the influence of pole spacing on locomotor kinematics remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of pole spacing on limb, thoracolumbar and pelvic kinematics in horses walking in-hand. Eleven warmblood horses were assessed during overground walking and over five ground poles set at 85%, 100% and 105% of forelimb step length. Pole spacing did not significantly alter maximum fore- or hindlimb retraction; however, protraction-retraction range of motion (ROM) was reduced at 85% spacing. Forelimb ROM was re...
Differences in Stride Characteristics Between Lead and Wheel Horses in Competitive Chuckwagon Racing. In Chuckwagon racing, teams of four Thoroughbreds with two lead horses in front and two wheel horses directly behind pull a 600 kg wagon around a racetrack. Our study focuses on stride parameters that have previously retrospectively predicted impending injuries. We hypothesize that in aid of the initiation of the tight figure-of-eight turn at the start of the race, the more agile lead horses gallop with higher stride frequency (SF) and reduced stride length (SL), and that differences are exacerbated in the initial accelerative race segments. Methods: Speed, SF, and SL were quantified with glob...
Rider dislodgement events in U.S. steeplechase racing: participation outcomes in riders and horses. Steeplechase jockeys compete in high-risk races requiring horses and riders to clear fixed obstacles at speed. Although rider dislodgement events are recognized hazards, their incidence and participation consequences are not well characterized. Methods: This retrospective observational study used publicly available race charts from United States National Steeplechase Association races (2023-2025). Dislodgement events were defined as falls or lost rider events. Incidence rates were calculated per 1,000 starts, and timber and hurdle races were compared using Poisson regression. Rider interruptio...
Impact of collagen supplementation on the fecal microbiome of young horses in training. Intense training in athletic foals may alter fecal microbiota, highlighting the need for nutritional strategies such as hydrolyzed collagen supplementation. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary hydrolyzed collagen on the fecal microbiome of weanlings in training. Methods: Twenty Mangalarga Marchador foals (206 ± 18 kg; 7 ± 1 mo age) were assigned to two groups: a supplemented group (50 g/day of hydrolyzed collagen for 180 days) and a control group. A completely randomized design with repeated measures over time was used. Foals were exercised five consecutive days pe...
Positive Reinforcement (R+) Horse Training in Practice: Evaluation of Online Trailer-Training Demonstrations. Operant conditioning that includes primarily positive reinforcement (R+) has been shown to be an effective and welfare-friendly method of training horses. Despite this, operant conditioning and R+ are not fully understood by many horse trainers who claim to advocate for its use. Anecdotal observations suggest that some professional trainers who claim to use R+ do not use R+ primarily, even in publicly offered educational demonstrations. To better understand readily available training materials regarding the use of R+ with horses, we reviewed a sample of 20 online trailer-training demonstration...
Is the walk and trot efficiency a hereditary trait in primitive Konik Polski horses? Performance testing is a critical tool for achieving genetic progress, yet its long-term effectiveness in primitive breeds under conservation programs is poorly documented. The Konik Polski horse breeding program aims to improve utility while preserving primitive characteristics. Unassigned: This retrospective study analyzed a 25-year longitudinal dataset ( = 1,608) from the official Field Performance Test to quantify genetic trends in gait efficiency, using nonparametric methods to assess the effects of test type, year, and age on stride length and speed at the walk and trot. To estimate he...
Industry Perceptions of Thoroughbred Racehorse Emotions and Quality of Life: Implications for the Development of an Equine Quality of Life Assessment Tool. Understanding how horses experience their lives is essential for improving their welfare, particularly in high-performance industries such as horseracing. Quality of Life (QoL) frameworks highlight the balance between positive and negative experiences over time, yet there is limited evidence on how racing professionals assess horse emotions and QoL, especially positive emotional states. This study reports findings from an international online survey of 230 racing industry participants. It explored confidence in assessing racehorse emotions, the perceived importance of emotional state for perfo...
Horse Welfare 12: A Human Behavior Change Framework for Improving Horse Welfare. To improve horse welfare do we need more science or a different scientific approach? For over 40 years researchers have called for change to improve horse welfare. During this time, publications have grown exponentially, improving our understanding of horse's needs and the need for change. However, the translation of science into practice is arguably too slow, and yet, there is scant industry-specific research to guide change efforts. To assist behaviour change research, this paper recasts an influential, highly regarded systems thinking framework, the Meadows 12, for the horse industry as the...
Effects of acupuncture on stride, speed, and heart rate variability in Thoroughbred racehorses. Thoroughbred racehorses are at increased risk of injury during race preparations and trials, primarily due to intensive workloads that predispose them to musculoskeletal injuries. Evaluating clinical interventions to improve health and prevent injury is essential for addressing animal welfare concerns. This study investigated the medium-term effects of acupuncture on stride, speed and cardiac autonomic regulation (assessed via heart rate variability [HRV]), in Thoroughbred flat racehorses. This prospective, randomised, parallel-group study included an intervention and a control group. Thirty T...
Radiographic and Morphological Prevalence of Dorsopalmar Hoof Distortions in in Brazilian High-Performance Racehorses. Although racehorses represent a dominant segment in equine industry, there are growing concerns regarding injury prevention, with hoof conformation increasingly recognized as a contributing factor. Objective: To morphologically and radiographically evaluate the forelimb digits of racehorses at the São Paulo Jockey Club in order to determine the prevalence of dorsopalmar hoof distortions and to compare morphological and radiographic methods for assessing the hoof-pastern axis. Methods: The forelimb digits of 59 thoroughbred horses aged 3 to 4 years were evaluated using standardized photographi...
Horse genetics, archaeology, and the beginning of riding. Recent papers argued that the domestication of horses can be equated with the appearance of favorable genetic mutations that are first evident in individuals in the DOM2 clade dated about ∼2200-2100 BCE. We challenge the idea that this genetic shift alone defines domestication. Evidence from archaeology, ancient DNA, osteology, and other disciplines shows that horses from multiple genetic backgrounds (DOM1, DOM2, and, as we suggest here, DOM3) were managed, milked, and ridden long before 2200 BCE. Yamnaya groups (∼3200-2600 BCE) rode DOM2 horses-the direct ancestors of modern domestic stoc...
Influence of riders’ physical activity on improving seat balance in the context of horse welfare – A pilot study. This study aimed to investigate the impact of gym exercises for riders on their posture and the subsequent effect on reducing discomfort for their horses during training, using electronic pressure sensors. The study involved 20 warmblood horses aged 5-10 years, regularly ridden under saddle, and four riders of similar height and body weight. The study group was divided into a control group (10 horses) and an experimental group (10 horses). The horses were trained 5 days a week for 60 days in total. Riders trained three times a week for approximately 60 minutes. The exercises were designed to i...
Money, morality, and nationalism: the contested sponsorship of the Falsterbo horse show. In early 2025, the Falsterbo Horse Show entered a title sponsorship agreement with Al Shira'aa Stables in the United Arab Emirates, prompting extensive Swedish media coverage and strong public reactions. This controversy offers an opportunity to examine how sport sponsorship becomes a site for moral and geopolitical boundary-making. Drawing on a Foucauldian understanding of discourse as a meaning-making practice, the study analyses 210 Swedish newspaper articles published between February and April 2025 to explore how power/knowledge operates through language and how sponsorship is discursivel...
Effects of Head-Neck Position and Ground Surface on Gait Kinematics in Ridden Brazilian Criollo Horses. The Criollo horse is prized for its endurance, yet its specific biomechanical signatures remain under-researched. This study investigated diagonal dissociation and support patterns in eleven clinically sound Criollo horses to understand the influence of head and neck position (HNP), surface compliance, and morphometry. Using high-speed video (120 fps) and kinematic analysis, we found that diagonal dissociation occurred in 85.24% of hoof contacts, while HNP1 showed a higher frequency of positive (hindlimb-first) dissociation and HNP2 had a higher incidence of negative (forelimb-first) dissociat...
Horses Prefer Their Rider: A Strange Situation Test Adaptation Shows Behavioural Evidence for Partner-Specific Bonding. The relationship between horses and humans is often described as cooperative and affective, yet empirical studies on horse-rider bond remain scarce. Previous findings on horse-human relationships yielded conflicting results on whether and how horses show bonding like behaviour toward their owners. Objective: We tested whether horses show partner-specific approach and proximity toward their primary rider compared with an unfamiliar experimenter in an adapted Strange Situation Test, and whether the rider's presence was associated with behavioural patterns indicative of safe haven and secure base...
Is there a difference in pressures and forces under the roller with different pads when lunging horses with the Pessoa training aid? Elevated pressures beneath training rollers during the Pessoa training aid (PTA) use have been reported, particularly over the thoracic region, which may contribute to back discomfort. Objective: To investigate the effect of different pads on pressures and forces beneath a training roller during lunging with a PTA. Methods: Six clinically sound horses (13.8 ± 5.2 years) were lunged on a 16-m circle in trot and canter using a randomised crossover design under three conditions: no padding (Pad 1), a folded cotton saddle cloth (Pad 2), and a purpose-made roller foam pad (Pad 3). Kinetic data wer...
Horse Olfactory Exploration of Various Plants with Regard to Smell and Taste Familiarity. The sense of smell is the first sense by which horses determine the suitability of feed for consumption. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of the degree of familiarity with the smell and taste of plants on horses' olfactory exploration. Behavioural responses of twenty adult horses to nine herbs of three degrees of familiarity-least familiar (unknown in the first trial), known only by smell, and known by smell and taste-were investigated. During the tests, the horses were allowed to explore the individual herbs placed in a crib constructed to prevent them from eating the contents...
How Inflamed Is the Horse in Training? Insights into Exercise-Induced Acute Phase Response in Endurance Horses. The article aimed to review the current literature analysing the complexity of an exercise-induced acute phase response in athletic horses undergoing intense training and endurance competitions. Since the endurance discipline demands physical fitness, exceptional health and excellent adaptation to an increasing workload, diagnostic methods of assessing the factors mentioned above are highly required. Athletic horses in endurance training undergo numerous metabolic but also immune adaptations, including changes in pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels. The inflammatory reaction...
Hoof and movement asymmetry in Thoroughbred racehorses with predominantly single direction training. To investigate associations between contralateral (left-right) hoof width asymmetry and vertical movement asymmetry in racing Thoroughbreds. We hypothesized that forehoof differences would be associated with poll and withers movement asymmetry and hind hoof differences with pelvis movement asymmetry. Unassigned: This observational cross-sectional study included 169 Thoroughbred racehorses recently retired from clockwise racing and assessed the day of scheduled farriery work. Contralateral hoof width differences were quantified and movement asymmetry during trot measured using inertial sensors ...
Thoroughbred Geldings’ Career: Influence of Age at the Start of Training and Racing. This retrospective report investigated whether starting racehorses' training and racing early is associated with a less successful and a shorter racing career. The data of 600 Thoroughbred racehorses from the German Racehorse Association's archiving programme were evaluated. The horses were classified into three groups regarding their different ages when starting training and racing: early training (16-24 months old)/early racing (two years old); early training/late racing (>two years old); and late training (25-30 months). Statistical models investigated effects on the horses' length of ca...
Sex-Related Differences in Show-Jumping Performance of Retired Thoroughbred Racehorses in Relation to the Interval Since Race Retirement. To investigate the factors affecting the utilization of retired Thoroughbred racehorses in equestrian disciplines, Bayesian linear mixed models were separately fitted using rank, round time, and obstacle faults from show-jumping competitions restricted to retired Thoroughbred racehorses as dependent variables, with the interaction between horse sex and the interval from race retirement to competition (as a proxy for transition training to show-jumping) as a fixed effect. When the interval was short (≤1 year), the estimated marginal mean of rank was statistically significantly lower in stalli...
A narrative review of factors influencing rider performance and horse welfare in equestrian activities. Equestrian sport is a unique multi-species discipline in which the performance of a horse-rider dyad depends on the harmonious interaction of two athletes with distinct biomechanics and needs. Although the sport contributes substantially to the global economy and is the only Olympic event involving two species, research on rider-centered factors has been fragmented. Current narrative review centered peer-reviewed evidence addressing three questions: (RQ1) how rider biomechanics and posture influence horse performance and welfare; (RQ2) what causes and consequences rider asymmetry has; and (RQ3...
