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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Horse Injury during Non-Commercial Transport: Findings from ...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2016; 6(11); 65; doi: 10.3390/ani6110065

Horse Injury during Non-Commercial Transport: Findings from Researcher-Assisted Intercept Surveys at Southeastern Australian Equestrian Events.

Abstract: Equine transportation research has largely focused on the commercial land movement of horses. Data on the incidence and factors associated with horse injuries during non-commercial transportation (privately owned horse trucks and trailers) is scant. This study surveyed 223 drivers transporting horses to 12 equestrian events in southeastern Australia. Data collected encompassed driver demographics, travel practice, vehicle characteristics, and incidents involving horse injury. Approximately 25% (55/223) of participants reported that their horses were injured during transportation. Of these 72% were owner classified as horse associated (scrambling, slipping and horse-horse interaction), 11% due to mechanical failure, and 6% due to driver error. Horse injury was not significantly associated with driver age, gender, or experience. Participants that answer the telephone whilst driving were more likely to have previously had a horse injured ( p = 0.04). There was a trend for participants with <8 hours sleep prior to the survey to have experienced a previous transportation-related injury ( p = 0.056). Increased trailer age was associated with a greater number of injury reports (r² = 0.20; p < 0.04). The diversity in trailer models prevented identification of the importance of individual design features. This study highlights the potential for horses to sustain transportation injuries in privately owned vehicles and warrants further study to address this risk to their welfare.
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Publication Date: 2016-10-25 PubMed ID: 27792128PubMed Central: PMC5126767DOI: 10.3390/ani6110065Google 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 investigates the frequency and causes of horse injuries during non-commercial transport. It shows that about a quarter of participants reported their horses getting injured during transit, with the majority of accidents being related to horse behavior, not driver error.

Objective and Methodology

  • The study aims to fill a gap in the research about horse injuries during non-commercial transport, a topic which has been less studied than commercial horse transport.
  • 223 drivers transporting horses to 12 equestrian events in southeastern Australia were surveyed. The collected data included driver demographics, travel practices, vehicle features, and instances of horse injury.

Key Findings

  • Around 25% of the participants reported that their horses were injured during transportation.
  • Most of these injuries (72%) were attributed to horse behavior such as scrambling, slipping, and interactions between horses rather than mechanical failure (11%) or driver error (6%).
  • The study did not find any significant association between horse injury and the driver’s age, gender, or experience.

Correlation Between Communication, Sleep, Vehicle Age and Horse Injuries

  • There was a higher likelihood of horse injuries among participants who answered the telephone while driving.
  • Participants who had less than eight hours of sleep before the survey tended to report more instances of transportation-related injuries, although this correlation was not quite at the level of statistical significance.
  • The age of the trailer also affects the incidence of horse injuries. Older trailers were associated with more injury reports. The study’s authors noted this might be due to varying design features across different trailer models.

Significance and Implications

  • The findings of this study underline the risks posed to horses during non-commercial transport.
  • These injuries majority happen due to the horse’s behaviour and the trailer’s age, rather than driver demographics or errors.
  • This new knowledge can help to inform strategies to enhance horse welfare during transport, for instance, by de-emphasizing driver training and instead focusing on horse behavior and trailer maintenance.

Cite This Article

APA
Riley CB, Noble BR, Bridges J, Hazel SJ, Thompson K. (2016). Horse Injury during Non-Commercial Transport: Findings from Researcher-Assisted Intercept Surveys at Southeastern Australian Equestrian Events. Animals (Basel), 6(11), 65. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani6110065

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 6
Issue: 11
PII: 65

Researcher Affiliations

Riley, Christopher B
  • Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Tennent Drive, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand. c.b.riley@massey.ac.nz.
Noble, Belinda R
  • School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy SA 5371, Australia. belinda.noble@adelaide.edu.au.
Bridges, Janis
  • Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Tennent Drive, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand. j.p.bridges@massey.ac.nz.
Hazel, Susan J
  • School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy SA 5371, Australia. susan.hazel@adelaide.edu.au.
Thompson, Kirrilly
  • Appleton Institute, Central Queensland University, Adelaide SA 5034, Australia. kirrilly.thompson@cqu.edu.au.

Conflict of Interest Statement

Christopher B. Riley and Kirrilly Thompson have previously served as board members on the Australian Horse Industry Development Fund. The authors declare no other conflict of interest. The funding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results.

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Citations

This article has been cited 12 times.
  1. Riley CB, Padalino B, Rogers CW, Thompson KR. Human Injuries Associated with the Transport of Horses by Road.. Animals (Basel) 2023 May 10;13(10).
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  2. Rowland M, Hudson N, Connor M, Dwyer C, Coombs T. The Welfare of Traveller and Gypsy Owned Horses in the UK and Ireland.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Sep 13;12(18).
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  4. Riley CB, Rogers CW, Thompson KR, Guiver D, Padalino B. A Survey-Based Analysis of Injuries to Horses Associated with Transport by Road in New Zealand.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Jan 21;12(3).
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  5. Dai F, Zappaterra M, Minero M, Bocchini F, Riley CB, Padalino B. Equine Transport-Related Problem Behaviors and Injuries: A Survey of Italian Horse Industry Members.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jan 18;11(1).
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