Evaluating Stress in Riding Horses: Part One-Behavior Assessment and Serum Cortisol.

This research investigates the correlation between behavior alterations and serum cortisol levels to determine stress levels in horses involved in therapeutic and university riding programs. Specifically, the study evaluates horse behavior during riding lessons, and it measures cortisol concentrations before and after the sessions.

Context and Objective

• The research aims to clarify if there is a valid interrelation between changes in stress-related cortisol concentrations and alterations in horse behavior due to stress.
• The authors note that while stressors can negatively impact animal health and welfare, few earlier studies have confirmed a positive relationship between serum cortisol levels—a physiological marker of stress—and associated behaviors in horses.

Methods

• The researchers studied horses involved in a therapeutic riding program (TRH) and a university riding program (UNI). Riders participating in these programs were categorized based on their disability type (for TRH) or experience level (for UNI).
• During various riding lessons, two trained observers assessed each horse’s behavior. The assessments were made both live and through video footage to validate the accuracy of the live scoring methodology.
• To measure physiological stress, blood samples for cortisol concentration testing were collected from each horse before, immediately after, and 30 minutes following the riding lessons.

Results

• The study found that serum cortisol levels in horses decreased from pre-lesson to post-lesson measurements in both riding programs.
• However, the cortisol concentrations increased over the course of the study in both TRH and UNI horses. Despite these variations, all cortisol concentrations remained within or below standard ranges throughout the study.
• The behavior scores were overall low for horses in both riding programs, suggesting a low-stress environment. While similar scores were reflected in horses ridden by novice and experienced riders, the behavior scores varied significantly for horses ridden by a particular group of disabled riders in the TRH.

Conclusion

• Although the analysis could not clearly demonstrate a relationship between stress-associated behavior alterations and cortisol concentration variations, the accumulated data suggests that the horses were operating in a low-stress environment.