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Veterinary sciences2023; 10(2); 130; doi: 10.3390/vetsci10020130

Horses’ Tactile Reactivity Differs According to the Type of Work: The Example of Equine-Assisted Intervention.

Abstract: Tactile perception in humans varies between individuals and could depend on extrinsic factors such as working activity. In animals, there is no study relating the influence of animals' work and their tactile reactivity . We investigated horses' tactile reactivity using von Frey filament in different body areas and compared horses working only in equine-assisted interventions (EAI), in riding school (RS) lessons, and in both activities (EAI-RS). We further compared tactile actions by people with or without mental and/or developmental disorders during brushing sessions. The results indicated that EAI horses showed higher tactile reactivity compared to EAI-RS and RS horses, both in terms of number of reactions overall, and especially when the test involved thin filaments. All horses showed high tactile reactivity when tested on the stifle, and this was particularly true for EAI horses. These differences could be related to humans' actions, as participants diagnosed with disorders brushed more the hindquarters and showed more fragmented actions. This study opens new lines of thought on the influence of EAI working activity on horses' tactile reactivity, and hence, on horses' sensory perception. Tactile reactivity outside work, may be directly ( tactile stimulations) or indirectly ( the welfare state), influenced by working conditions.
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Publication Date: 2023-02-07 PubMed ID: 36851434PubMed Central: PMC9959874DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10020130Google 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.

This research article discusses the variance in horses’ tactile reactivity based upon their type of work, particularly highlighting the difference in horses involved in equine-assisted interventions (EAI), riding school (RS), and both activities (EAI-RS). The study explores how such working activities impact horses’ sensory perception and affirms that horses’ tactile reactions may be subject to working conditions, either directly or indirectly.

Research Background and Objective

  • The research addresses a gap in animal studies, which seldom consider the influence of working activities on animals’ tactile reactivity, i.e., their response to touch or tactile sensations.
  • The central objective was to investigate this phenomenon particularly in horses, focusing on those involved in riding schools, equine-assisted interventions or both.
  • The authors compare the tactile reactivity of horses in different situations and aim to discern whether the type of work has an impact on the horses’ sensory perceptions.

Methodology

  • The study employed the method of testing horses’ tactile sensitivity using a von Frey filament, a tool used to measure pressure sensations in different body parts.
  • The researchers also compared the techniques people employed while brushing horses, specifically contrasting those with and without mental and/or developmental disorders.

Key Findings

  • The essential finding of this study is that horses involved in equine-assisted interventions (EAI) demonstrated higher tactile reactivity than those in riding schools (RS) or involved in both activities. This discrepancy was most noticeable when horses were tested with thin filaments.
  • All horses depicted a heightened sensitivity when tested on the ‘stifle’ (a joint in their hind legs), especially true for EAI horses.
  • Peculiarly, people with disorders brushed the horses’ hindquarters more and demonstrated fragmented actions.

Implications and Conclusion

  • The research implies that the type of work horses are involved in could influence their tactile reactivity, suggesting that it may play an integral role in shaping horses’ sensory perceptions.
  • It establishes that horses’ sensitivity to touch outside their working hours could be either directly influenced by tactile stimulations they experience during work, or indirectly affected by their overall welfare state.
  • The outcomes of this study pave the way for further research into how working conditions in different contexts affect tactile reactivity and sensory experience in animals.

Cite This Article

APA
Rochais C, Lerch N, Gueguen L, Schmidlin M, Bonamy O, Grandgeorge M, Hausberger M. (2023). Horses’ Tactile Reactivity Differs According to the Type of Work: The Example of Equine-Assisted Intervention. Vet Sci, 10(2), 130. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10020130

Publication

Veterinary sciences
ISSN: 2306-7381
NlmUniqueID: 101680127
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 2
PII: 130

Researcher Affiliations

Rochais, Céline
  • CNRS, EthoS Department of Éthologie animale et humaine-UMR 6552, University Rennes, Normandie University, Station Biologique, 35380 Paimpont, France.
Lerch, Noémie
  • CNRS, EthoS Department of Éthologie animale et humaine-UMR 6552, University Rennes, Normandie University, Station Biologique, 35380 Paimpont, France.
Gueguen, Léa
  • CNRS, EthoS Department of Éthologie animale et humaine-UMR 6552, University Rennes, Normandie University, Station Biologique, 35380 Paimpont, France.
Schmidlin, Margaux
  • CNRS, EthoS Department of Éthologie animale et humaine-UMR 6552, University Rennes, Normandie University, Station Biologique, 35380 Paimpont, France.
Bonamy, Ombeline
  • CNRS, EthoS Department of Éthologie animale et humaine-UMR 6552, University Rennes, Normandie University, Station Biologique, 35380 Paimpont, France.
Grandgeorge, Marine
  • CNRS, EthoS Department of Éthologie animale et humaine-UMR 6552, University Rennes, Normandie University, Station Biologique, 35380 Paimpont, France.
Hausberger, Martine
  • CNRS, EthoS Department of Éthologie animale et humaine-UMR 6552, University Rennes, Normandie University, Station Biologique, 35380 Paimpont, France.

Grant Funding

  • CS_2018_18 ; CS_2017_32 ; CS_2015_01 / Institut Franu00e7ais du Cheval et de l'u00c9quitation
  • ARED 20007248 / Ru00e9gion Bretagne
  • NA / Fondation Adrienne et Pierre Sommer
  • NA / Rennes 1 University
  • NA / French National Centre for Scientific Research

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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