Differences between facilities in horse welfare profiles: slight differences in management/working conditions may be enough.
Abstract: Many studies focus on animal welfare in terms of specific, either behavioural or physiological, indicators or on the impact of a particular management factor. However, an animal's welfare state results from the individual's perception of its general environment, which has consequences at both behavioural and physiological levels. Previous research on horses has shown that different riding schools could be characterised by different emotional/cognitive profiles of horses, in relation sometimes with one single management factor. In the present study, we aimed at determining if such facility-specific horse profiles could also be found in terms of welfare, i.e. facility-specific "welfare profiles", using a multifaceted approach where animals' welfare state was assessed based on detailed behavioural, health and physiological measurements. A total of 59 horses from three different riding schools, with a very similar global conventional management but differed slightly in terms of turn-out frequency and riding techniques were studied. A principal component analysis and statistical comparisons showed that, despite the close similarity in management between the three sites, the horses' welfare state was very different and specific to each structure. Thus, this study using behavioural, health and physiological measures, highlights the existence of facility horse welfare profiles and reveals that even apparently minor differences in management practices could have a major impact on the horses' welfare state. The quality of ridden work, which is often not taken into account in studies on horse welfare, could be a major issue.
Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2025-04-17 PubMed ID: 40393084DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2025.101520Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article investigates the possibility of distinct welfare profiles for horses, specific to the facility or riding schools they are maintained in. The study concludes that even minor differences in management practices can significantly impact horse welfare, including the quality of ridden work, which is often overlooked in similar studies.
Objective of the Study
- The research aimed to determine if facility-specific horse welfare profiles exist. This was approached by evaluating the horses’ welfare based on behavioral, health, and physiological measurements.
- The study surmised that there may potentially be unique emotional and cognitive profiles for horses, which may link to a single management factor in a facility.
Methodology
- In total, 59 horses from three different riding schools were studied. These schools shared similar conventional management systems but varied slightly in the frequency of turn-out and riding techniques.
- A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed and statistical comparisons were made to discern differences between the welfare of horses across the three facilities.
Findings
- Despite close similarities in management between the three riding schools, the welfare state of the horses differed significantly and was distinct to each facility.
- Even minor differences in management practices had a substantial impact on the horses’ welfare state.
- The quality of ridden work, a factor commonly unconsidered in horse welfare studies, proved to be a significant issue.
Implications of the Study
- The research points to the existence of facility-specific horse welfare profiles based on behavioral, health, and physiological measurements.
- The findings stress the importance of considering even minor differences in management practices while assessing the impact on an animal’s wellbeing, especially in relation to the quality of riding practices.
Cite This Article
APA
Gueguen L, Palme R, Jego P, Henry S, Hausberger M.
(2025).
Differences between facilities in horse welfare profiles: slight differences in management/working conditions may be enough.
Animal, 19(6), 101520.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2025.101520 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- UMR 8002 Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, CNRS, Université Paris-Cité, 75006 Paris, France; Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)-UMR 6552, 35000 Rennes, France; CCMSA, Caisse Centrale de la Mutualité Sociale Agricole, 93000 Bobigny, France. Electronic address: lea.gueguen.pro@gmail.com.
- University of Veterinary Medicine, Department Natural Sciences Biochemistry, Veterinär-Platz 1, Vienna A-1210, Austria.
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)-UMR 6552, 35000 Rennes, France.
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)-UMR 6552, 35000 Rennes, France.
- UMR 8002 Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, CNRS, Université Paris-Cité, 75006 Paris, France; Rhodes University, Dept Zoology and Entomology, Makhanda, South Africa.
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