A Survey of Pennsylvania Horse Management: Part Two – Exercise.

This research conducted a survey to understand the exercise habits of horses in Pennsylvania, outlining the frequency, duration, and intensity of exercise. Nearly two thirds (68%) of the 470 horses surveyed were regularly exercised, and of those, 43% were ridden for recreational purposes rather than for competition.

Methodology

• An online survey was distributed between February 27th and August 31st, 2020.
• Horse owners were requested to categorize the intensity of their horse’s exercise, report on the frequency and duration of the exercise, and time spent at each gait.
• Nonparametric statistics were applied to analyze the obtained data.

Results

• Out of a total of 470 horses, 68% were exercised on a regular basis.
• Among the horses regularly exercised, 49% were classified as light exercise, 41% as moderate, and 12% as heavy/very heavy exercise.
• 43% of those horses exercised were ridden for recreation, and not for competition.
• The median time horses spent exercising was 180 minutes per week.
• The average number of exercise sessions per week for all horses was 3.6.
• It was discovered that horses in heavy/very heavy and moderate exercise categories spent more time exercising per week than those in light exercise.
• The number of weekly exercise sessions differed between horses in light, moderate, and heavy/very heavy exercise categories.

Conclusion

• The study concluded that the duration and frequency of exercise among horses in Pennsylvania were generally similar to those reported in previous studies.
• The study also pointed out some challenges around categorizing horses into NRC (National Research Council) exercise categories based solely on self-reported data.

Implications

• The findings of this research are important in understanding the exercise habits of horses and for defining optimal diet and management practices. Especially, they could guide further research and management strategies related to exercise regimes for horses.
• This could lead to improved health and well-being for horses, and could potentially affect the efficiency and effectiveness of sport and competition horses.