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Topic:Welfare
Equine welfare encompasses the physical and psychological well-being of horses, focusing on their health, comfort, and overall quality of life. This area of study addresses various aspects, including nutrition, housing, behavior, and management practices, aiming to ensure that horses are kept in environments that meet their physiological and behavioral needs. Research in equine welfare examines factors such as stress indicators, pain assessment, and the impact of human interactions on horse behavior and health. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the assessment, improvement, and implications of welfare practices in equine management.
Human-horse interactions as complementary strategies for mental health promotion. Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) represent complementary rehabilitative approaches designed to address a range of physical and mental health conditions. Among these, Equine-assisted interventions (EAI) offer structured opportunities for engagement through diverse activities conducted within naturalistic settings, thereby integrating therapeutic processes with ecological contexts. Methods: Over the past years, our group has developed and implemented standardized AAI methodologies that are now embedded within comprehensive intervention planning. This overview summarizes the application of dif...
Improving sport horse selection using machine learning: Early prediction of elite-level show jumping performance. Early identification of sport potential in show jumping horses remains challenging because competition outcomes vary widely, and elite-level performance develops after considerable time. In this study, we evaluated the applicability of machine learning approaches to competition records from horses identified through FEI participation, complemented by national-level records from Sweden, Belgium and France, with the aim of identifying horses likely to reach elite performance. Performance data from Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) competitions were analysed using an Extreme Gradient Bo...
Stable Beginnings – A call to transform methods of weaning horses. There are currently a range of different weaning methods used in the UK, with no clear consensus or guidance to support the optimal welfare of both mares and foals during and post weaning. Objective: To explore welfare charity professionals' perceptions of approaches to weaning horses in the UK. Methods: Participants from welfare charities with experience in management, and welfare of horses from birth to death were recruited. They reviewed videos of weaning approaches and a chart of behavioural welfare indicators. They then took part in discussions on methods of weaning, considering their opi...
Equine-based community service offered through horse breed association youth programs: Parent and community partner perceptions of participation, benefits, and program growth. Equine-based community service activities offered through horse breed association youth programs provide opportunities for youth to engage in volunteerism while interacting with horses. Although these programs are widely available, research examining stakeholder perceptions remains limited. Objective: To examine parent and community partner perceptions of equine-based community service activities offered through horse breed association youth programs, including perceived benefits, participation patterns, recruitment, implementation challenges, and opportunities for program development. Methods...
Management practices and human-horse relationships are associated with horse personality traits. The human-horse relationship has evolved through centuries of domestication, shaping how horses are managed and interact with people. Horses show interindividual behavioural differences that constitute personality, with implications for welfare, management and human-horse interactions. Although equine personality has a genetic component, environmental and relational factors may influence its expression, yet effects of everyday management practices remain poorly understood. This study examined associations between owner-rated horse personality traits and human-controlled environmental and relat...
The Polish Konik Horse: A Multidisciplinary Review of Its Origin, Genetics, Ecology, Health, Behaviour and Reproductive Biology. The Polish Konik horse (PKH) is one of Europe's best-known native conservation breeds. Traditionally associated with the extinct Eurasian tarpan and conservation grazing, the breed has recently become the subject of multidisciplinary research encompassing genetics, ecology, health, behaviour and reproduction. This narrative review summarises current knowledge on the biological characteristics and contemporary scientific significance of the PKH. Literature published between 2005 and 2026 was identified through searches of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar and narratively synthes...
Pilot Study on the Development and Assessment of a Novel Sensor for Measuring Rein Tension. Effective horse-rider communication is essential in equestrian sports, both for performance and animal welfare. Rein tension, which is often applied through negative reinforcement (i.e., the release of pressure to reward a desired response), plays a central role in this interaction. However, high or inconsistent tension can lead to discomfort or injury, particularly in the mouth cavity. While previous studies have analyzed rein tension in basic gaits such as walk, trot, and canter, limited research exists on more complex maneuvers like jumping or abrupt stops. This pilot study introduces a cus...
Veterinarian and breeder perspectives surrounding ovum pick-up and intracytoplasmic sperm injection in mares: A survey study. There is an ethical debate about the application of ovum pick-up (OPU) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in mares. Objective: To survey the opinions of equine veterinarians and breeders of sport horses on the ethics of using OPU-ICSI in mares. Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Methods: Three surveys were distributed. The first targeted breeders ('Breeder Survey') who were actively involved in sport horse breeding. The second targeted veterinarians performing OPU ('OPU-Reprovets Survey'). The third targeted general equine practitioners ('Practitioner Survey'). There were six...
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...
Multi-Detector Helical Computer Tomography, Transrectal Ultrasonography and Histology of the Lumbosacral Area: A Comparative Study in Warmblood Horse Cadavers. Pain arising from the lumbosacral region is a recognized cause of poor performance and impaired welfare in horses. However, structural changes in the intertransverse joints (ITJs), lumbar articular process joints (APJs), and lumbosacral intervertebral discs (LSDs) may also occur in asymptomatic horses, complicating interpretation of imaging findings.This study evaluated these structures in 14 middle-aged Warmblood cadavers that were not lame according to the owners prior the onset of the problem that resulted in euthanasia or slaughter and correlated ultrasonographic (US) and computed tomograp...
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...
Measuring Activity-Rest Condition by Using Two Different Accelerometer Devices in Trained and Retired Horses. To advance technological applications in animal welfare assessment, this study evaluated resting activity as a component of total locomotor activity (TLA) in horses using two different accelerometer devices: a collar-mounted device containing a single-axis accelerometer that records physical movement, and a three axes accelerometer that classifies the measured physical activity into nine different activities. Ten clinically healthy Italian saddle horses were enrolled in the study and divided into two groups on the basis of their lifestyle. Group A consisted of regularly trained horses housed c...
Semi-extensive management system drives lower prevalence of equine orodental disorders. The prevalence of orodental disorders in horses kept under different management systems is lacking. More detailed knowledge is needed to support targeted therapeutic and prophylactic approaches, as these conditions play a crucial role in maintaining equine health and welfare. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of orodental disorders in horses raised, kept, and fed under extensive, semi-extensive, or intensive management systems. Unassigned: Sixty-nine clinically healthy adult crossbred horses with no history of dental treatment were examined, with 23 horses included in each study group...
The 3Fs as conditions of being: relational ontology and equine welfare in disaster response and reconciliation. Disaster relief work requires the collaboration of many stakeholders and can be viewed through a One Health lens, emphasising transdisciplinarity and an openness to different ways of knowing as well as an appreciation of the interdependence of human, animal, environmental health, and welfare. This perspective piece provides an autoethnographic account of a wildfire response in Western Canada in which a herd of free-ranging horses was rescued outside of conventional disaster management protocol. Through lived experience, the convergence between equine welfare, reconciliation, and relational ont...
Questionnaire-Based Investigation into Stallion Management Practices in 28 Countries. Modern stud farm practices may limit stallion social contact, with potential welfare and safety implications. Objective: To describe housing, management and safety outcomes for stallions kept at horse breeding operations throughout the world and to assess regional differences. Methods: An online questionnaire was distributed via mailing lists and WhatsApp; 116 complete responses from breeding operations were collected and analysed. The focus was on management of the breeding facility, and stallion welfare indicated by management, handling and housing. Results: Respondents were from Europe (40....
Effect of equine flysheets on fly avoidance behaviours, body temperature, stress level, and heart rate. Flysheet use is common without any published scientific evidence to justify their use. Objective: To demonstrate the effectiveness of flysheets at reducing fly avoidance behaviours and measuring changes in body temperature, heart rate, and cortisol levels. Methods: Ten-week alternating crossover design. Methods: Five horses were enrolled. Flysheets were alternated (ON, OFF) between groups weekly for 10 weeks. Fly avoidance behaviours were recorded for 30 min once weekly. Cortisol samples were collected before flysheet application or removal, and again 10 min later. Star-Oddi data loggers...
Serum Osteocalcin and CTX-I in Fit-to-Race Thoroughbred Racehorses: Reference Intervals and Associations with Demographic, Training, and Lameness-Related Factors. Musculoskeletal injury remains a major welfare and performance concern in Thoroughbred racing, and biomarkers for early risk stratification are of scientific interest. This multicentre observational cohort study characterised serum concentrations of two bone turnover markers, osteocalcin/BGLAP (OC) and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I), in 1359 fit-to-race Thoroughbred racehorses sampled across New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia. Biomarker distributions, population-wide percentile ranges, demographic and training-related associations, and short-term soundness outc...
Human-Animal Therapeutic Relationships: Communication, Welfare and Interpretative Asymmetry. Human-animal therapeutic relationships are commonly evaluated through their effects on human psychological, emotional and social well-being, whereas the experiences and welfare of non-human animals remain less consistently examined. This narrative interdisciplinary review analyses such relationships through interpretative asymmetry, integrating human-animal studies, ethology, animal welfare science and biological approaches to interspecies communication. Selected cultural examples are used only as illustrative boundary narratives. Interpretative asymmetry is defined not as a statistically meas...
Choice for the horse is paramount: Owners’ experiences in facilitating friends, forage, and freedom in their management practices. Owned horses rely on people for their behavioural needs, such as access to conspecifics, constant access to low nutrient density, fibrous forage and freedom of movement; otherwise known as friends, forage and freedom (3Fs). Restricting the 3Fs prevents horses from achieving optimal welfare. We carried out 14 semi-structured interviews in the UK and Ireland to examine horse owners' experiences, attitudes and beliefs around the provision of the 3Fs. Most participants were female, aged from 25 to 65 years, resident in the UK and kept their horse at a livery facility. A reflexive thematic analysis...
Sleep architecture and lying behavior in horses across age groups and two housing systems: an overnight non-invasive EEG study. Sleep is a crucial factor for the well-being of horses, yet assessing equine sleep in common housing conditions remains challenging. This study investigated the effects of changes in horses' immediate environment and the influence of age on their sleep and resting behavior using a novel, non-invasive electroencephalography (EEG) mask. Ten horses from the teaching herd at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna were observed over four consecutive nights in two different housing systems (a large communal stable vs. two separate, adjacent individual stalls). Data collection included EEG reco...
Differences between horses (Equus caballus) displaying oral and locomotor stereotypies in their responses to a stable mirror. Recent cross-species analyses suggest that the different forms of stereotypic behaviour have heterogeneous causal mechanisms. In ungulates, there are indications that some forms of locomotor stereotypy may be linked to social factors. Using the domestic horse as a model species within this clade, we investigated whether individuals displaying the locomotor stereotypy box-walking (n=6) demonstrated greater responses to a stable mirror, intended to mimic presence of a conspecific, than horses displaying the oral stereotypy crib-biting (n=5) and non-stereotypic horses (n=5). After a 24hr baseline...
Risk factors for horse falls in British jump racing (2010-2023). Horse falls are an important safety and welfare concern in jump racing, as they are associated with an increased risk of equine fatality and injury, as well as jockey injury. Objective: To identify risk factors for horse falls in British jump racing. Methods: Retrospective cohort. Methods: All jump race starts made on British racecourses between January 2010 and April 2023 were considered. Available horse, race, racecourse, trainer and jockey data were collated and combined with faller data recorded in official databases. Horses that were 'brought down' by another horse were not considered a f...
“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...
Clinical and microbiota alterations in performance horses undergoing long-distance transport. Transport-associated pneumonia contributes substantially to morbidity, impaired welfare, and economic loss in high-performance horses and may be associated with alterations in the respiratory microbiota. Objective: Examine the effect of long-distance transport on the respiratory microbiota and correlate changes in microbiota diversity and composition with systemic and airway inflammation. Methods: Seventeen client-owned performance horses transported from New England to Florida under optimized trailering conditions, and 12 non-traveling horses. Methods: Physical examination, blood testing, nas...
Circadian rhythm of heart rate variability in tropical horses: age-associated autonomic alterations and environmental air pollution effects in an urban field setting. Heart rate variability (HRV) reflects autonomic nervous system activity and is influenced by age, environmental conditions, and circadian rhythms. Information regarding these interactions in horses maintained under tropical conditions remains limited. This study aimed to characterize 24-h heart rate (HR) and HRV patterns in horses raised under tropical conditions and to investigate the effects of aging and environmental factors, including air pollution, on autonomic regulation. Unassigned: Fifteen clinically healthy horses aged 4-20 years were allocated to three age groups: 4-7 years, 8-14 yea...
Reply to Henshall et al. Commentary on “MacKechnie-Guire et al. Measuring Noseband Tightness on the Lateral Aspect of the Horse’s Face. Animals 2025, 15, 537”. In a paper published in 2017, Doherty et al [...].
Behaviour and Movement Activity of Stallions and Geldings in Group Housing. There has been little research on the social behaviour of stallions and geldings kept together in group housing systems. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in behaviour and movement activity between stallions and geldings kept together in group housing. Behavioural observations and GPS measurements were conducted in Germany from July to September 2024 in four mixed groups of horses in Germany. The groups comprised 35 animals, 18 stallions and 17 geldings. The horses were observed for three consecutive days over eight hours per day. No injuries or stereotypic behaviours were o...
Administration Study of Bedinvetmab, an Antinerve Growth Factor Monoclonal Antibody, in Horses for Doping Control Purposes. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting nerve growth factor (NGF) represent a novel therapeutic approach for managing acute and chronic pain in humans and animals. However, their potential misuse as pain-masking agents in competitive equine sports raises significant welfare and integrity concerns. To enhance understanding of the elimination profile of anti-NGF mAb if misused in horses, this study describes the first administration of bedinvetmab (a canine anti-NGF mAb) in three geldings, establishing its plasma elimination profile following subcutaneous administration. Bedinvetmab plasma concen...
Sixty minutes of daily solitary turnout improved physiological and behavioral indicators of stress and welfare in stall-housed horses. Housing horses in stalls restricts natural roaming behaviors, which in turn increases stress and stereotypic behaviors. Daily turnout for voluntary exercise is common for stress mitigation, but there is no consensus for optimal duration of turnout sessions. Objective: We sought to understand how minimal and moderate-duration daily turnout affects behavioral and physiological stress indicators. Methods: In a Latin-square design, adult Quarter horses (N=11) were allowed 0, 15, or 60 minutes/day of solitary turnout for 12-day periods. In-stall behaviors and 24-hour time budgets were assessed on d...
