Body position and direction preferences in horses during road transport.

The research paper investigates whether horses have a preference for facing a certain direction in a trailer during transport, specifically hypothesizing that horses prefer to face backward to balance weight shifts. The study indicates that horses do tend to face backward while in motion, but not when stationary.

Methods

• The study involved 8 Thoroughbred geldings which were videotaped during transport in a 4-horse trailer.
• These horses were transported singly and untethered over a 32 km route of country roads.
• For comparison purposes, the same horses were also left untethered in the same trailer while stationary in a parking lot, and this was also videotaped.

Data Analysis

• The researchers analyzed the percentages of time horses spent in different body positions (facing forward, backward, etc.) while in the moving or stationary trailer.
• This data was logit-transformed for better understanding and interpretation.

Findings

• The findings indicated that when the trailer was in motion, horses spent significantly more time facing backward.
• However, this preference was not as evident when the trailer was stationary.
• The study also found that there were strong individual preferences among horses for directions faced during road transport, suggesting that individual factors might also affect direction preference.

Conclusion

• This study provides evidence supporting the hypothesis that horses prefer to face backward during transport to minimise shifts of body weight because of accelerations and decelerations.
• It also underscores the importance of considering individual preferences when transporting horses, potentially improving animal welfare during transportation scenarios.