2022 Equine Community Needs Assessment Survey.
Abstract: To stay up-to-date with the demographics, interests, and needs of the equine community, equine extension programs commonly conduct so called "needs assessment surveys". The main goals of the 2022 Rutgers Equine Science Center (ESC) needs assessment survey were to: 1) characterize the equine community, 2) identify information sources used by the equine community, 3) assess the usefulness of selected equine-related services and programs, and 4) determine the perceived importance of selected equine-related issues. An anonymous online survey was distributed through the Rutgers ESC's email list, a press release, and social media. Analysis-eligible surveys were received from n = 493. Most participants were female (92.7%), 36-60 years of age (48.4%), white (88.8%), and horse owners (87.8%). The top three sources of equine-related information used were 1) personal knowledge (95.7%), 2) the veterinarian (93.7%), and 3) the farrier (83.7%). The survey showed that the provision of horse health information is the most useful service that the Rutgers ESC specifically can provide (79.3%). This service may also be most useful for other extension programs, but a follow-up study is needed for clarification. The five equine-related issues most often considered to be extremely important were "Lameness and Soundness" (76.5%), "Ethical Use of Horses" (73.2%), "Nutrition" (63.9%), "Right to Farm" (56.8%), and "Care of Old Horses" (55.6%). The survey provided insights into the current demographics of the equine community, highlighted personal knowledge, veterinarians and farriers as important information sources, and elucidated "Lameness and Soundness" as the most important equine-related issue.
Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Publication Date: 2024-09-12 PubMed ID: 39276953DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105193Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article reports on a survey conducted in 2022 by the Rutgers Equine Science Center (ESC) that sought to understand the demographics and interests of the equine community, their preferred sources of equine-related information, the relevance of the ESC’s services, and significant issues within the equine industry.
Characterisation of the Equine Community
- The survey targeted the equine community and received 493 valid responses, making it a valuable source of information about the equine community, its preferences, and needs.
- The demographics of the respondents indicated that they were predominantly female (92.7%), aged between 36 and 60 years (48.4%), identified as white (88.8%), and were horse owners (87.8%).
Information Sources for the Equine Community
- The survey results showed that the equine community relied mainly on personal knowledge (95.7%) as their primary source of information. Other significant sources were veterinarians (93.7%) and farriers (83.7%).
Assessing the Usefulness of Equine-Related Services and Programs
- The survey queried the community about the utility of the Rutgers ESC services. According to the results, the provision of horse health information was seen as the most beneficial (79.3%).
- The findings suggest that other extension programs may likewise gain from providing similar information, although further research is advised to confirm this.
Understanding Equine-Related Issues
- The survey also asked respondents to rate the perceived importance of selected equine-related issues.
- The top five issues deemed as significantly important were “Lameness and Soundness” (76.5%), “Ethical Use of Horses” (73.2%), “Nutrition” (63.9%), “Right to Farm” (56.8%), and “Care of Old Horses” (55.6%).
Implications of the Survey
- The survey, by highlighting the demographics of the equine community, their main sources of information, and key issues, provides valuable insights for organizations like Rutgers ESC to tailor their programs and services to meet community needs.
- The spotlight on “Lameness and Soundness” as a central equine-related issue helps inform targeted resource allocation and policy making.
Cite This Article
APA
Herbst C, Hartmann KS, Brown DO, Malinowski K.
(2024).
2022 Equine Community Needs Assessment Survey.
J Equine Vet Sci, 105193.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105193 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Rutgers Equine Science Center, Department of Animal Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901.
- Rutgers Equine Science Center, Department of Animal Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901.
- Rutgers Equine Science Center, Department of Animal Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901.
- Rutgers Equine Science Center, Department of Animal Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901. Electronic address: karynmal@njaes.rutgers.edu.
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of competing interest None of the authors has any financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of this paper.
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