Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
COVID-19 effects on horses in-transition: A survey analysis of United States equine industry perspectives.
Abstract: The welfare of unwanted horses presents a significant concern for the equine industry. However, there is a lack of research on how unwanted horses are affected by major crises. The drastic changes that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic presented ample opportunity to investigate how unwanted horses are impacted by challenging circumstances. Study objectives were to evaluate the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the unwanted horse population and determine the current perceptions of horses in-transition. A 23-question online survey designed using Qualtrics was administered electronically to adults living in the United States. Questions pertained to effects on equine ownership, equine management, event participation, and perceptions of unwanted horses. Frequency analysis combined with Chi-squared analyses and analyses of variance identified the impacts of COVID-19 on horse owners, non-horse owners, and equine professionals. From survey results, equine ownership, management practices, and time spent with horses proved to be unaffected (P < 0.001) by the coronavirus pandemic. A decreased ability to participate in equine events was evident across all groups (P ≤ 0.03). Financial hardship, unmanageable behavior, and injury were cited as leading causes for horses becoming "in-transition." Euthanasia was the transitioning method perceived as most accessible, while donation to an equine program was least accessible. Based on results, the COVID-19 pandemic had negligible impact on the number of unwanted horses in the United States. Long-term effects of COVID-19 on equine ownership and management decisions should be considered to provide a deeper base of knowledge for how major crises affect the horse in-transition population.
Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Publication Date: 2024-04-29 PubMed ID: 38692396DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105077Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- 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.
The research focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on unwanted horses in the United States, with a specific focus on perceptions and changes in horse ownership and management. It concludes that the pandemic had little impact on these aspects, although it did affect participation in equine events.
Study Objectives and Methodology
In this study, the researchers aimed to:
- Assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on unwanted or “in-transition” horses.
- Determine the current perceptions and behaviors related to horses in-transition.
The researchers designed a 23-question online survey using the Qualtrics platform. This survey focused on multiple aspects, including the effects of the pandemic on equine ownership and management, participation in equine events, and views on unwanted horses.
Key Results and Findings
The survey results showed:
- No significant effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on horse ownership, management practices, and time spent with horses.
- A decrease in participation in equine events, likely linked to pandemic-related restrictions and changes.
- As regards the causes for horses becoming “in-transition,” financial hardship, unmanageable behavior, and injury were cited most frequently.
- Euthanasia was viewed as the most accessible method for transitioning unwanted horses, whereas donation to an equine program was perceived as least accessible.
Implications and Conclusions
Based on the study findings, the researchers concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic had limited impact on the number of unwanted horses in the United States during the period of the study. However, specific impacts such as decreased participation in equine events were identified.
There is also a need to consider the long-term effects of COVID-19 on equine ownership and management decisions and how this might affect the in-transition horse population in the future. Increased understanding in these areas could guide industry responses and improve welfare outcomes for horses during major crises.
Cite This Article
APA
Esterl-Byrne LL, Huseman CJ, Haynes C, Kinman LA, Jones TN.
(2024).
COVID-19 effects on horses in-transition: A survey analysis of United States equine industry perspectives.
J Equine Vet Sci, 105077.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105077 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Science, Tarleton State University, 1133 W. Washington St., Stephenville, TX, 76401, USA.
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University-College Station, 474 Olsen Blvd., College Station, TX, USA.
- Department of Animal Science, Tarleton State University, 1133 W. Washington St., Stephenville, TX, 76401, USA.
- Department of Agriculture, Nutrition and Human Ecology, Texas A&M University-Prairie View, 805 A.G. Cleaver St., Prairie View, TX, USA.
- Department of Animal Science, Tarleton State University, 1133 W. Washington St., Stephenville, TX, 76401, USA. Electronic address: tnjones@tarleton.edu.
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of competing interest None of the authors has any financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper.
Citations
This article has been cited 0 times.Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
