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PloS one2015; 10(5); e0126160; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126160

Evaluation of changes in equine care and limb-related abnormalities in working horses in Jaipur, India, as part of a two year participatory intervention study.

Abstract: Previous studies have found the prevalence of lameness in working horses to be 90-100%. Risk factors for lameness in this important equine population, together with risk-reduction strategies adopted by their owners, are poorly understood. The objective was to uncover risk factors for lameness and limb abnormalities in working horses, by associating clinical lameness examination findings on three occasions over two years with owner reported changes in equine management and work practices over this period. Results: Twenty-one communities of horse owners in Jaipur, India, took part in a participatory intervention (PI) project aiming to reduce risk factors for poor welfare, particularly lameness and limb problems. Associations between quantitative measures of equine lameness/limb abnormalities and reported changes in management and work practices were compared with 21 control (C) communities of owners where no intervention had taken place. Key findings from 'complete cases', where the same horse stayed with the same owner for the whole study period (PI group = 73 owners of 83 horses, C group = 58 owners of 66 horses), were that more positive statements of change in equine management and work practices were made by PI group owners than C group owners. A mixed picture of potential risk factors emerged: some reported management improvements, for example reducing the weight of the load for cart animals, were associated with improved limbs and lameness, and others, such as making improvements in shoeing and increasing the age at which their animals started work, with negative outcomes. Conclusions: This study illustrates the complexity and interacting nature of risk factors for lameness in working horses, and highlights the importance of longitudinal investigations that recognise and address this. PI group owners found the project useful and requested similar inputs in future. Our findings demonstrate the value of exploratory and participatory research methodology in the field of working horse welfare.
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Publication Date: 2015-05-22 PubMed ID: 26000967PubMed Central: PMC4441452DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126160Google Scholar: Lookup
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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 examines the factors influencing lameness or limb abnormalities in working horses in Jaipur, India, during a two-year participatory intervention project specifically designed to enhance horse welfare and reduce lameness risk factors. It discovered both positive and negative outcomes related to certain management practices.

Research Context and Goal

  • The research was set in Jaipur, India, with 21 communities of horse owners participating in a participatory intervention (PI) project that aimed to decrease risk factors causing poor horse welfare, primarily focusing on lameness and limb problems.
  • The study’s intention was to identify risk factors leading to lameness and limb abnormalities in working horses and to associate these factors with the changes and improvements the horse owners made in management and work practices over a two-year period.

Methodology and Data Collection

  • The research team collected data on the horse’s health status, particularly in relation to lameness/limb abnormalities, and the adjustments made in management and work practices, across three distinct periods over two years.
  • These findings from the PI project were then compared with data from 21 control communities where no such interventions had taken place.
  • The most reliable findings came from ‘complete cases’ where the same horse stayed with the same owner throughout the study period.

Key Findings

  • Owners who participated in the PI project reported more positive changes in equine management and work practices than the owners who were part of the control group.
  • Reduction of load weight for cart animals was reported to have a positive impact on the health of the equine’s limbs and on the prevalence of lameness.
  • However, certain measures such as improvements in shoeing and raising the working age of the animals were linked to negative outcomes, demonstrating the interplay of various risk factors.

Conclusion and Further Implications

  • The study underscores the complexity of risk factors that contribute to lameness in working horses, emphasizing the necessity for longitudinal research to fully understand and address these issues.
  • The owners who were part of the PI project found the initiative helpful and expressed interest in further similar initiatives.
  • Overall, the research affirms the potential of participatory research methodology in improving the welfare of working horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Whay HR, Dikshit AK, Hockenhull J, Parker RM, Banerjee A, Hughes SI, Pritchard JC, Reix CE. (2015). Evaluation of changes in equine care and limb-related abnormalities in working horses in Jaipur, India, as part of a two year participatory intervention study. PLoS One, 10(5), e0126160. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0126160

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 5
Pages: e0126160
PII: e0126160

Researcher Affiliations

Whay, Helen R
  • School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford House, North Somerset, United Kingdom.
Dikshit, Amit K
  • Help in Suffering, Maharani Farm, Durgapura, Jaipur, India.
Hockenhull, Jo
  • School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford House, North Somerset, United Kingdom.
Parker, Richard M A
  • School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford House, North Somerset, United Kingdom.
Banerjee, Anindo
  • Praxis Institute for Participatory Practices, C-75, South Extension, Part II, New Delhi, India.
Hughes, Sue I
  • School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford House, North Somerset, United Kingdom.
Pritchard, Joy C
  • Animals in International Development, Banwell, North Somerset, United Kingdom; The Brooke, Friars Bridge Court, London, United Kingdom.
Reix, Christine E
  • School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford House, North Somerset, United Kingdom; The Brooke, Friars Bridge Court, London, United Kingdom.

MeSH Terms

  • Animal Husbandry / methods
  • Animals
  • Female
  • Gait
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horses
  • India
  • Lameness, Animal / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Risk Reduction Behavior

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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Citations

This article has been cited 9 times.
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