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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2021; 11(9); 2533; doi: 10.3390/ani11092533

Interest in Humans: Comparisons between Riding School Lesson Equids and Assisted-Intervention Equids.

Abstract: Little is known about the impact of equine-assisted interventions (EAI) on equids' perception of humans. In this study 172 equids, living in 12 riding centres, were submitted to a standardised human-horse relationship test: the motionless person test. Age, sex, type (horse/pony), housing, and feeding conditions of subjects were recorded. Overall, 17 equids worked in EAI, 95 in riding school lessons (RS), and 60 in both (EAI-RS). There were high inter-individual variations in the number of interactive behaviours directed towards the experimenter: negative binomial general linear models showed that activity was the most important factor: RS equids performed more interactive behaviours than EAI ( = 0.039) and EAI-RS ( < 0.001) equids. Daily quantity of hay appeared as the second most important factor (equids with more than 3 kg interacted more than equids with less than 3 kg, = 0.013). Individual characteristics were also important as horses interacted more than ponies ( = 0.009), geldings more than mares ( = 0.032), and 3-15-year-old equids more than equids over 15 years ( = 0.032). However, there was no interaction between factors. The lower number of interactive behaviours of EAI equids leads to different hypotheses-namely, selection on temperament, specific training, or compromised welfare (apathy). In any case, our results raised new lines of questions on EAI.
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Publication Date: 2021-08-28 PubMed ID: 34573500PubMed Central: PMC8468107DOI: 10.3390/ani11092533Google 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 research investigates the differences in human-horse interactions among horses used in riding school lessons, and those used in equine-assisted interventions – a form of therapy that uses horses. A study conducted on 172 horses in 12 riding centres, the results revealed that the daily quantity of hay, the age, sex and type of horse, as well as the specific activity the horse engaged in, significantly influenced the horse’s interactive behavior.

Research Context and Methodology

  • The researchers set out to examine how different factors affected equine behavior towards humans, focusing on horses and ponies used in riding schools (RS), equine-assisted interventions (EAI), or both (EAI-RS).
  • The study involved 172 equids, i.e horses and ponies, from 12 different riding centres.
  • A specific human-horse relationship test, the motionless person test, was applied to all subjects. In addition, the researchers recorded the age, sex, type, housing, feeding conditions, and activity of all subjects.

Key Findings

  • The study revealed meaningful inter-individual variations among the subjects in the number of interactive behaviors directed towards the experimenter.
  • The activity engaged in by the equids had the most significant impact on their behavior with RS equids showing more interactive behaviors than EAI and EAI-RS equids.
  • Next, the daily quantity of hay was deemed significantly influential; equids fed more than 3 kg of hay were more interactive than those fed less.
  • Type of equid, sex, and age also had a substantial bearing on interactions, with horses being more interactive than ponies, geldings more than mares, and younger equids (3-15 years old) more than horses over 15 years old.
  • Interestingly, the researchers found no interaction between these different factors.

Implications of the Findings

  • One of the significant implications of these results is that equine activity has a higher bearing on human-horse interaction than any other recorded factor.
  • EAI equids performed fewer interactive behaviors, which could suggest different temperaments, specialized training, or compromised welfare (such as apathy) in these horses.
  • These findings raise insightful questions about equine-assisted interventions and may help to improve human-equine interactions, potentially enhancing the effectiveness of EAIs and riding school lessons.

Cite This Article

APA
Lerch N, Cirulli F, Rochais C, Lesimple C, Guilbaud E, Contalbrigo L, Borgi M, Grandgeorge M, Hausberger M. (2021). Interest in Humans: Comparisons between Riding School Lesson Equids and Assisted-Intervention Equids. Animals (Basel), 11(9), 2533. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11092533

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 11
Issue: 9
PII: 2533

Researcher Affiliations

Lerch, Noémie
  • University Rennes, Normandie University, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine)-UMR 6552, F-35380 Paimpont, France.
Cirulli, Francesca
  • Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, I-00161 Rome, Italy.
Rochais, Céline
  • University Rennes, Normandie University, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine)-UMR 6552, F-35380 Paimpont, France.
Lesimple, Clémence
  • University Rennes, Normandie University, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine)-UMR 6552, F-35380 Paimpont, France.
Guilbaud, Estelle
  • University Rennes, Normandie University, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine)-UMR 6552, F-35380 Paimpont, France.
Contalbrigo, Laura
  • Italian National Reference Centre for Animal Assisted Interventions, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale Dell'Università 10, 35020 Legnaro (Padua), Italy.
Borgi, Marta
  • Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, I-00161 Rome, Italy.
Grandgeorge, Marine
  • University Rennes, Normandie University, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine)-UMR 6552, F-35380 Paimpont, France.
Hausberger, Martine
  • University Rennes, Normandie University, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine)-UMR 6552, F-35380 Paimpont, France.

Grant Funding

  • IFCE contrat : CS_2018_18; CS_2017_32; CS_2015_01 / Ifce - Institut Franu00e7ais du Cheval et de l'Equitation
  • No grant number / Fondation Adrienne et Pierre Sommer
  • No grant number / Caisse Centrale de la Mutualitu00e9 Sociale Agricole
  • ARED 20007248 / Ru00e9gion Bretagne

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 9 times.
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