Development of a fixed list of descriptors for the qualitative behavioral assessment of thoroughbred horses in the racing environment.
Abstract: Horse racing is a major sport practiced worldwide. The environment to which horses are exposed during race meetings can influence their behavior. However, to the best of our knowledge, a method for assessing a horse's response to its surroundings during the pre- and post-race periods has not yet been reported. This study aimed to create a standard list of descriptors for use in a qualitative behavioral assessment (QBA) focused on assessing the emotional expressivity of horses before and after racing events. Unassigned: Seventy pre- or post-race 30-second videos of horses were randomly selected from our database of 700 videos. A panel of 8 experienced equine sports medicine specialist veterinarians watched a 60 min presentation on QBA. The panel then watched all videos randomly, simultaneously, individually, continuously, and without any verbal interaction, describing the descriptors related to the emotional expressivity of the horse after each video using a method known as free-choice profiling (FCP). Unassigned: The initial selection of descriptors was based on those indicated by more than one evaluator in the same video, or descriptors with more than 20 occurrences. The second selection was performed based on the content validity index (CVR) to select the descriptors retained in the previous step. Another panel of six veterinarians scored each of the descriptors retained for content validity on a visual scale. Interobserver reliability was estimated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and its respective 95% confidence intervals (CI). A natural language processing (NLP) algorithm was used to analyze the behavior (positive or negative polarity) of the descriptors based on the lexicoPT package of R software. Unassigned: NLP analysis considered the descriptors "agitated," "troubled," "restless" and "irritated" to have a negative polarity, while "focused," "relaxed" and "peaceful" had a positive polarity. In the principal component analysis (PCA), descriptors in a negative state were associated with each other and inversely associated with descriptors in a positive state. We conclude with a fixed list of descriptors to be used in a QBA to assess emotional and welfare expressivity in racehorses' pre- and post-race environments.
Copyright © 2023 Jaramillo, Oliveira, Silva, Trindade and Baccarin.
Publication Date: 2023-08-10 PubMed ID: 37680385PubMed Central: PMC10482396DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1189846Google 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 study presents the development of a standardized list of terms for assessing the emotional behavior of racehorses before and after races.
Study Objectives and Methodology
- The primary goal was to create a standardized list of descriptors for assessing the emotional expressivity of racehorses during pre- and post-race periods.
- A total of 70 videos of horses either pre- or post-race from a larger database were randomly chosen.
- An evaluation panel of 8 experienced vets in equine sports medicine were introduced to Qualitative Behavioral Assessment (QBA) via a 60 min presentation.
- The panel observed the videos individually and sequentially without any discussion, describing the emotional behavior of the horses using a method termed free-choice profiling (FCP).
Selection and Validation of Descriptors
- The initial selection of descriptors was primarily based on those repeatedly suggested by more than one panel member, or those recurring more than 20 times.
- The second selection used the content validity index (CVR) to retain the descriptors from the first step.
- A different panel of six veterinarians then evaluated the remaining descriptors for content validity using a visual scale.
- The researchers estimated the Interobserver reliability with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and determined its 95% confidence intervals (CI).
- A natural language processing (NLP) algorithm analyzed the behavioral (either positive or negative) context of the descriptors.
Results and Conclusion
- The NLP analysis determined descriptors “agitated,” “troubled,” “restless” and “irritated” as having a negative context, while “focused,” “relaxed” and “peaceful” were considered positive.
- In the principal component analysis (PCA), negative descriptors related to each other and showed a reverse association with positive descriptors.
- The study concluded with a pre-determined list of descriptors for QBA to evaluate emotional and welfare expressivity in racehorses’ pre and post-race settings.
Cite This Article
APA
Jaramillo FM, Oliveira TM, Silva PEA, Trindade PHE, Baccarin RYA.
(2023).
Development of a fixed list of descriptors for the qualitative behavioral assessment of thoroughbred horses in the racing environment.
Front Vet Sci, 10, 1189846.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1189846 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Equine Centre, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Graduate Program in Anesthesiology, Medical School, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Botucatu, Brazil.
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, NC, United States.
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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.
References
This article includes 21 references
- JFS X, da Silva Freitas G, Rigo LC. Dos Aplausos às Ruínas: Uma construção das memórias do turfe no hipódromo da cidade do Rio Grande/Rs. LICERE - Revista do Programa de Pós-graduação Interdisciplinar em Estudos do Lazer 2014 17:165–91.
- Rezende Ricci M. Um panorama da historiografia do turfe no Brasil: possibilidades e perspectivas. Semina - Revista Dos Pós-Graduandos Em História Da UPF 2020 19:165–80.
- Hutson GD, Haskell MJ. Pre-race behaviour of horses as a predictor of race finishing order. Appl Anim Behav Sci 1997 53:231–48.
- Amaral J, de Bernardo JO. Estereotipias Em Equinos De Esporte: Revisão De Literatura. Rev Científica Eletrônica Ciências Apl Da Fait 2016 7:1–10.
- McBride SD, Mills DS. Psychological factors affecting equine performance.. BMC Vet Res 2012 Sep 27;8:180.
- Wemelsfelder F, Hunter EA, Mendl MT, Lawrence AB. The spontaneous qualitative assessment of behavioural expressions in pigs: first explorations of a novel methodology for integrative animal welfare measurement.. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2000 Apr 3;67(3):193-215.
- Wemelsfelder F, Hunter TEA, Mendl MT, Lawrence AB. Assessing the “whole animal”: a free choice profiling approach. Anim Behav 2001 62:209–20.
- Hintze S, Murphy E, Bachmann I, Wemelsfelder F, Würbel H. Qualitative behaviour assessment of horses exposed to short-term emotional treatments. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2017 196:44–51.
- Fleming PA, Paisley CL, Barnes AL, Wemelsfelder F. Application of qualitative behavioural assessment to horses during an endurance ride. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2013 144:80–8.
- Wemelsfelder F, Hunter AE, Paul ES, Lawrence AB. Assessing pig body language: agreement and consistency between pig farmers, veterinarians, and animal activists.. J Anim Sci 2012 Oct;90(10):3652-65.
- Arena L, Wemelsfelder F, Messori S, Ferri N, Barnard S. Application of free choice profiling to assess the emotional state of dogs housed in shelter environments. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2017 195:72–9.
- Napolitano F, De Rosa G, Braghieri A, Grasso F, Bordi A, Wemelsfelder F. The qualitative assessment of responsiveness to environmental challenge in horses and ponies. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2008 109:342–54.
- Minero M, Tosi MV, Canali E, Wemelsfelder F. Quantitative and qualitative assessment of the response of foals to the presence of an unfamiliar human. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2009 116:74–81.
- Ellingsen K, Coleman GJ, Lund V, Mejdell CM. Using qualitative behaviour assessment to explore the link between stockperson behaviour and dairy calf behaviour. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2014 153:10–7.
- Minero M, Dalla Costa E, Dai F, Murray LAM, Canali E, Wemelsfelder F. Use of qualitative behaviour assessment as an indicator of welfare in donkeys. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2016 174:147–53.
- Camerlink I, Peijnenburg M, Wemelsfelder F, Turner SP. Emotions after victory or defeat assessed through qualitative behavioural assessment, skin lesions and blood parameters in pigs. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2016 183:28–34.
- Arena L, Wemelsfelder F, Messori S, Ferri N, Barnard S. Development of a fixed list of terms for the Qualitative Behavioural Assessment of shelter dogs.. PLoS One 2019;14(10):e0212652.
- Streiner DL, Norman GR. Health measurement scales: a practical guide to their development and use. 2008 4th edn (Oxford: Oxford Academic).
- Lawshe CH. A quantitative approach to content validity. Pers Psychol 1975 28:563–75.
- Walker JK, Dale AR, D’Eath RB, Wemelsfelder F. Qualitative behaviour assessment of dogs in the shelter and home environment and relationship with quantitative behaviour assessment and physiological responses. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2016 184:97–108.
- Sørensen JT, Sandøe P, Halberg N. Animal welfare as one among several values to be considered at farm level: the idea of an ethical account for livestock farming. Acta Agric Scand A Anim Sci 2001 51:11–6.
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
