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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / A Pilot Welfare Assessment of Working Ponies on Gili Trawang...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2019; 9(7); doi: 10.3390/ani9070433

A Pilot Welfare Assessment of Working Ponies on Gili Trawangan, Indonesia.

Abstract: Many working equids in developing countries experience poor health and welfare due to environmental and management factors. Collecting baseline data on these populations is essential to inform education projects to improve equid health and welfare. Gili Trawangan is an island in Indonesia that has no motor vehicles and a working pony population of approximately 200. This pilot study sought to determine baseline data on their health, welfare, and husbandry to inform future health and welfare strategies. A cross-sectional study was performed in May 2017 consisting of a pony cart driver questionnaire (n = 33) and a basic pony health examination (n = 38). The body condition scores of ponies were 3/5 (60.5%), 2/5 (31.6%), and 1/5 (7.9%), while 38% and 92% of ponies had lameness and foot pathology, respectively, and 31 ponies (86.1%) had at least one wound. Thirty percent of cart drivers stated they would work their ponies despite evidence of injury or illness. Limited education, poor access to veterinary services, and remoteness pose barriers to improving pony health and welfare. Our results indicate a need for, and can help inform, targeted education programmes to improve the lives of working ponies and protect livelihoods and tourism on Gili Trawangan.
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Publication Date: 2019-07-09 PubMed ID: 31323983PubMed Central: PMC6680438DOI: 10.3390/ani9070433Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article presents the findings of a pilot study conducted in Gili Trawangan, Indonesia, where the health and welfare of working ponies were assessed. Given the location’s reliance on these animals for transportation, due to the absence of motor vehicles, the objective was to gather initial data to aid in the development of health and welfare strategies.

Study Objective and Scope

  • The study’s primary objective was to assess the health, welfare and husbandry of approximately 200 working ponies in Gili Trawangan, a small island with no motor vehicles in Indonesia.
  • The authors aimed to collect initial data to guide future strategies to improve the health and welfare of these working ponies.

Methodology

  • The researchers conducted a cross-sectional study in May 2017, which included a questionnaire for pony cart drivers and a basic health examination of the ponies.
  • The sample size of the study was 33 drivers and 38 ponies, providing both human and animal perspectives on the health and welfare situation.

Key Findings

  • The health status of the ponies was determined based on their body condition scores, with 60.5% scoring 3/5, 31.6% scoring 2/5, and 7.9% scoring 1/5.
  • About 38% of the ponies had signs of lameness and 92% showed foot pathology. Also, 86.1% of the examined ponies had at least one wound.
  • According to the survey results, 30% of cart drivers admitted they would continue working their ponies even when there was evidence of injury or illness.
  • The study identified that limited education, poor access to veterinary services, and geographic remoteness acted as barriers to improving pony health and welfare on the island.

Implications of the Study

  • The findings of the study emphasise the urgent need for targeted education programmes to improve the welfare of working ponies in Gili Trawangan.
  • The authors suggest the study could guide development of such programs, with the ultimate goal of ensuring sustainable livelihoods for the local community and preserving the island’s reliance on ponies for transportation, which is a tourist attraction.

Cite This Article

APA
Pinsky TC, Puja IK, Aleri J, Hood J, Sasadara MM, Collins T. (2019). A Pilot Welfare Assessment of Working Ponies on Gili Trawangan, Indonesia. Animals (Basel), 9(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9070433

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 7

Researcher Affiliations

Pinsky, Tova C
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
Puja, I Ketut
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Udayana University, Denpasar, Bali 80114, Indonesia.
Aleri, Joshua
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
Hood, Jennifer
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Udayana University, Denpasar, Bali 80114, Indonesia.
  • Animals International (Animals Australia) 37 O'Connell St; Melbourne, VIC 3051, Australia.
Sasadara, Maria M
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Udayana University, Denpasar, Bali 80114, Indonesia.
  • Animals International (Animals Australia) 37 O'Connell St; Melbourne, VIC 3051, Australia.
Collins, Teresa
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia. T.Collins@murdoch.edu.au.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The sponsors had no role in the design, execution, interpretation, or writing of the study.

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