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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2020; 10(9); 1644; doi: 10.3390/ani10091644

Building Bridges between Theory and Practice: How Citizen Science Can Bring Equine Researchers and Practitioners Together.

Abstract: Over the last decade, equitation scientists have increasingly relied on online survey tools to gather information on horse training, management, behaviour and other equine-related subjects. With a detailed knowledge of their animals, horse owners and riders are ideally placed to contribute to research but are sometimes reluctant to engage with and devote time to surveys. The current article reveals, through consultation with stakeholder groups, the potential of a range of motivational items to boost horse-owner participation. A short, three-question inquiry was developed to rank respondents' ( = 747) preferred survey tools and other items designed to engage the equestrian community with the donation of data. Respondents were asked to assign themselves to one of four categories: academics/researchers, professionals, practitioners and enthusiasts. The inquiry offered respondents the choice of three hypothetical tools: a standardised tool to measure behaviour over time; a logbook tool to record training and behaviour on a regular basis; and a chart to compare an individual horse's behaviour with that of the general horse population. While analysis revealed that stakeholders considered at least one of the tools to be useful, it also exposed significant differences among the perceived usefulness of the various tools themselves. Using free-text responses, participants described the challenges faced when gathering information on horse training, management and behaviour. Qualitative analysis of these data revealed the need to improve the current dissemination of scientific findings to bridge various knowledge gaps. The Equine Behavior Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ) is a longitudinal instrument that investigates horse training and management practices and permits an analysis of their relationship with behaviour. The current stakeholder consultation contributed to the final version of the E-BARQ questionnaire, identified incentivising items that can be offered to putative E-BARQ respondents, guided the eventual selection of a feedback chart, and reinforced the need for open-access dissemination of findings.
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Publication Date: 2020-09-13 PubMed ID: 32933118PubMed Central: PMC7552242DOI: 10.3390/ani10091644Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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.

This research focused on increasing participation from horse owners and riders in equine research surveys by using different motivational items. They found that these stakeholders perceived at least one of the proposed hypothetical tools as useful, but also identified challenges in gathering information on horse training, management and behaviour which underscored the need for better dissemination of scientific findings.

Objective and Methodology

  • The purpose of the study was to facilitate discussions between equine researchers and practitioners by increasing the latter’s involvement in research surveys. Researchers often rely on surveys distributed online to gather detailed information about horse care and behaviour.
  • The researchers endeavoured to create a more appealing survey by adding motivational items and letting respondents choose their preferred tool – a standardised tool to gauge behaviour over time, a regular record of training and behaviour, or a chart comparing an individual horse’s behaviour to that of the general populace. The respondents were divided into four groups: academics/researchers, professionals, practitioners, and enthusiasts for better data analysis.

Findings

  • The research found that while there was interest in at least one of the proposed tools, the perceived usefulness of these tools varied significantly among the respondents.
  • Challenges identified by participants using free-text responses included issues related to gathering information about horse training, management and behaviour.
  • The qualitative data analysis underscored the need for better methods of disseminating scientific findings to bridge the gaps in knowledge and understanding among stakeholders.

Impact and Contribution

  • The consultation with the stakeholders led to improvements in the final version of the Equine Behavior Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ).
  • The findings helped identify incentives that could attract more respondents and informed the selection of a feedback chart.
  • The study emphasized the need for open-access dissemination of research findings, thereby facilitating better understanding and application of research results among practitioners.

Cite This Article

APA
Fenner K, Dashper K, Wilkins C, Serpell J, McLean A, Wilson B, McGreevy P. (2020). Building Bridges between Theory and Practice: How Citizen Science Can Bring Equine Researchers and Practitioners Together. Animals (Basel), 10(9), 1644. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10091644

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 9
PII: 1644

Researcher Affiliations

Fenner, Kate
  • Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia.
Dashper, Katherine
  • School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK.
Wilkins, Cristina
  • Saddletops Pty Ltd., Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia.
Serpell, James
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
McLean, Andrew
  • Equitation Science International, 3 Wonderland Ave, Tuerong, VIC 3915, Australia.
Wilson, Bethany
  • Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia.
McGreevy, Paul
  • Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
  1. Anzulewicz A, Fenner K, Hyde M, Heald S, Burattini B, Romness N, McKenzie J, Wilson B, McGreevy P. The Impact of the Sex of Handlers and Riders on the Reported Social Confidence, Compliance and Touch Sensitivity of Horses in Their Care. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jan 8;11(1).
    doi: 10.3390/ani11010130pubmed: 33430130google scholar: lookup
  2. Burattini B, Fenner K, Anzulewicz A, Romness N, McKenzie J, Wilson B, McGreevy P. Age-Related Changes in the Behaviour of Domestic Horses as Reported by Owners. Animals (Basel) 2020 Dec 7;10(12).
    doi: 10.3390/ani10122321pubmed: 33297447google scholar: lookup
  3. Fenner K, Matlock S, Williams J, Wilson B, McLean A, Serpell J, McGreevy P. Validation of the Equine Behaviour Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ): A New Survey Instrument for Exploring and Monitoring the Domestic Equine Triad. Animals (Basel) 2020 Oct 28;10(11).
    doi: 10.3390/ani10111982pubmed: 33126670google scholar: lookup
  4. Fenner K, Hyde M, Crean A, McGreevy P. Identifying Sources of Potential Bias When Using Online Survey Data to Explore Horse Training, Management, and Behaviour: A Systematic Literature Review. Vet Sci 2020 Sep 22;7(3).
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