International Survey Exploring Rider-Perceived Sidedness of the Horse.
Abstract: Laterality or sidedness in the horse is commonly addressed as part of the horse's training. An international online survey regarding horse and rider sidedness and asymmetry was conducted, with 2304 useable responses. Confidence intervals (95%) were used to evaluate if some response options were chosen more frequently. Discounting answers of 'not sure' or 'not applicable', the right fore hoof was more often perceived to be more upright (22%) than the left (15%), and the left shoulder was more prominent (24%) more often than the right (17%), whilst most respondents reported no difference. Both lunging and bending was perceived to be most difficult to the right (48% and 52%) than to the left (33% and 42%), and more horses fell in on the right circle (lunging 40%, riding 38%) than on the left (31% and 33%). Horses commonly tracked their hindquarters to the left in walk, trot and left canter. Correspondence analysis showed that responses indicating horse side bias and relative symmetry, respectively, were associated across several questions, suggesting consistent individual patterns. While the mechanisms underpinning sidedness remain unclear, this study provides insights into horse owners' perceptions of laterality and related matters.
Publication Date: 2025-07-02 PubMed ID: 40646855PubMed Central: PMC12249039DOI: 10.3390/ani15131956Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article discusses an international survey on the perception of horse and rider-sidedness or asymmetry. It highlights patterns in horse-sidedness and behavior based on observations from horse riders and trainers.
Research Methodology
- The researchers conducted an international online survey to gather observations on horse and rider sidedness and asymmetry.
- The survey received 2304 usable responses, which were analyzed using confidence intervals to determine patterns or significantly favored responses.
Findings
- Excluding uncertain or non-applicable answers, the survey found that the right fore hoof of a horse is often perceived to be more upright than the left, and the left shoulder appears to be more prominent than the right one. Still, most respondents reported no noticeable difference.
- Both lunging and bending were perceived to be more challenging when performed to the right, with more horses falling on the right circle than the left. This was observed for both lunging and riding activities.
- Horses usually tracked their hindquarters to the left in various gaits, namely walk, trot, and left canter.
- Through correspondence analysis, the researchers found patterns in the responses linked to horse side bias and relative symmetry. This suggests individual patterns of sidedness or asymmetry in horses may be consistent across various behaviors or activities.
Significance
- The research provides an insightful understanding of horse owners’ perception of laterality in horses and related issues. It sheds light on horse behavior and handling strategies from an asymmetry perspective.
- Despite these findings, the underlying causes of horse sidedness are not explicitly detailed in the study. Nonetheless, the results help foster further research into possible biological or environmental factors influencing horse laterality.
Cite This Article
APA
MacKechnie-Guire R, Clayton H, Byström A, Marlin D, Haussler K, Latif S, Blum N, le Jeune SS, Wanless M, Egenvall A.
(2025).
International Survey Exploring Rider-Perceived Sidedness of the Horse.
Animals (Basel), 15(13), 1956.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15131956 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Department, Hartpury University, Gloucester GL19 3BE, UK.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, 736 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
- Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7024, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
- Animalweb Ltd., The Granary, Hermitage Court, Hermitage Lane, Maidstone, Kent ME16 9NT, UK.
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN 37752, USA.
- Pferdepraxis Vetcheck GmbH, Wierezwil-Rüberi 273, 3255 Rapperswil, Switzerland.
- Tierklinik Lüsche GmbH, Essener Straße 39, Lüsche (GER), 49456 Bakum, Germany.
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
- Independent Researcher, 1 Burtons Bank, Church Westcote, Chipping Norton OX7 6SE, UK.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7054, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
Conflict of Interest Statement
Author David Marlin was employed by the company Animalweb Ltd. Author Selma Latif was employed by the company Pferdepraxis Vetcheck GmbH. All the authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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