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Veterinary sciences2025; 12(9); 865; doi: 10.3390/vetsci12090865

Behavioral Assessment of Equine Relaxation Following Manual Therapy: A Pilot Study.

Abstract: The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the relaxation, stress reduction and behavioral changes observed after manual therapy applied to horses exposed to racing and physical training stimulus. This descriptive approach is aimed at veterinary clinicians to evaluate the therapy process more effectively with behavioral feedback. For this purpose, the study was conducted in two different equestrian clubs in Adana (Adana Mediterranean and Suvari Equestrian Clubs) between 2023 and 2024. A total of 32 racehorses (16 Thoroughbred, 16 Arabian; 16 female, 16 male) of different ages, genders and breeds were included in the study. Five minutes of manual therapy was applied for each of 7 different muscle groups. After the massage, behavioral observations were made for 10 min by moving 2 m away from the animals, and no separate baseline assessment was performed prior to the intervention. The application was carried out by a veterinarian with 15 years of experience. Importantly, no separate baseline assessment or control group was performed, and only behavioral responses were evaluated, which represents a major limitation of this pilot study. Among the observed behaviors in all horses, blinking, muscle twitching, respiratory changes, lip relaxation, licking and chewing were recorded for all horses. Relaxation signs such as head dropping (78.1%), yawning (34.4%), and ears falling to the side (62.5%) were frequently observed. Behaviors such as the appearance of the third eyelid (3.1%), grunting (12.5%) and sneezing (15.6%) were observed at a low percentage. Individual variables such as gender and breed did not have a statistically significant effect on the percentage of behavior (Chi-square test, > 0.05). In conclusion, these preliminary findings suggest that manual therapy applications might be effective in reducing stress by triggering relaxation behaviors in riding horses, as these behaviors have been previously reported in the literature as reliable indicators of relaxation. Evaluation of behavioral responses after massage could be an important tool in determining physiotherapeutic effects. The fact that the application is performed by experienced people is an important factor that increases the success of the therapy and shows that manual therapy provides relaxation regardless of individual differences. Future controlled studies integrating physiological stress biomarkers are warranted to confirm these observations.
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Publication Date: 2025-09-05 PubMed ID: 41012790PubMed Central: PMC12474095DOI: 10.3390/vetsci12090865Google 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.

Overview

  • This pilot study explored whether manual therapy (massage) induces relaxation and reduces stress in racehorses by observing their behavior after treatment.
  • The study aimed to help veterinary clinicians use behavioral cues to assess the effectiveness of manual therapy in horses undergoing racing and training stress.

Study Purpose and Objectives

  • To evaluate behavioral signs of relaxation and stress reduction following manual therapy applied to racehorses.
  • To provide veterinary clinicians with a descriptive approach to interpret behavioral feedback during manual therapy.

Study Design and Methods

  • Location: Two equestrian clubs in Adana (Adana Mediterranean and Suvari Equestrian Clubs).
  • Duration: Conducted between 2023 and 2024.
  • Subjects: 32 racehorses total—16 Thoroughbred and 16 Arabian; equally split by gender (16 female, 16 male).
  • Intervention: Manual therapy (massage) applied for five minutes targeting seven different muscle groups per horse.
  • Behavioral Observation: After massage, behavior was observed for 10 minutes from 2 meters away.
  • Intervention Conducted By: A veterinarian with 15 years of experience.
  • Limitations:
    • No baseline behavioral assessment prior to massage was conducted.
    • No control group was included.
    • The study was descriptive and observational, limiting causal conclusions.

Behavioral Indicators Observed

  • Common behavioral responses observed in all horses included:
    • Blinking
    • Muscle twitching
    • Changes in respiration
    • Lip relaxation
    • Licking and chewing
  • Signs associated with relaxation were frequently seen:
    • Head dropping (78.1% of horses)
    • Yawning (34.4%)
    • Ears falling to the side (62.5%)
  • Less frequent behaviors included:
    • Appearance of the third eyelid (3.1%)
    • Grunting (12.5%)
    • Sneezing (15.6%)

Statistical Analysis and Results

  • Investigated whether individual factors (gender and breed) influenced behavioral responses.
  • Chi-square test results showed no statistically significant differences in behaviors according to these individual variables (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

  • Manual therapy may effectively reduce stress and induce relaxation behaviors in racehorses.
  • The observed behaviors are consistent with published reliable indicators of relaxation in equines.
  • Behavioral assessment post-massage can be a useful tool for veterinarians to evaluate therapy effectiveness.
  • The expertise of the therapist is emphasized as a key factor in achieving relaxation effects regardless of horse breed or gender.

Limitations and Future Directions

  • The absence of a control group and lack of baseline behavioral data restrict the ability to firmly conclude causality.
  • Future research should:
    • Include controlled experimental designs with baseline and control comparisons.
    • Incorporate physiological stress markers (e.g., cortisol levels, heart rate variability) alongside behavioral observations to confirm effects.

Significance for Veterinary Practice

  • This pilot study highlights that easily observable behavioral signs can provide immediate feedback about equine relaxation states post-therapy.
  • Veterinarians and equine therapists may improve treatment monitoring and decision-making by integrating these behavioral indicators.

Cite This Article

APA
Paksoy Y, Ural K, Erdoğan H, Erdoğan S, Paşa S. (2025). Behavioral Assessment of Equine Relaxation Following Manual Therapy: A Pilot Study. Vet Sci, 12(9), 865. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci12090865

Publication

Veterinary sciences
ISSN: 2306-7381
NlmUniqueID: 101680127
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 9
PII: 865

Researcher Affiliations

Paksoy, Yavuzkan
  • Department of Animal Nutrition and Animal Husbandry, Ceyhan Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana 01250, Türkiye.
Ural, Kerem
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Aydın 09020, Türkiye.
Erdoğan, Hasan
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Aydın 09020, Türkiye.
Erdoğan, Songül
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Aydın 09020, Türkiye.
Paşa, Serdar
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Aydın 09020, Türkiye.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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