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PloS one2019; 14(5); e0216699; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216699

It’s all about the sex, or is it? Humans, horses and temperament.

Abstract: We propose that the anthropomorphic application of gender stereotypes to animals influences human-animal interactions and human expectations, often with negative consequences for female animals. An online survey was conducted to explore riders' perceptions of horse temperament and suitability for ridden work, based on horse sex. The questionnaire asked respondents to allocate three hypothetical horses (a mare, gelding and stallion) to four riders compromising a woman, man, girl and boy. Riders were described as equally capable of riding each horse and each horse was described as suitable for all riders. Participants were also asked which horses (mares, geldings or stallions) were most suitable for the three equestrian disciplines of show-jumping, dressage and trail-riding. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate people's perceptions about suitability of horse types for particular riders, to evaluate if age, strength or gender were important in rider choice and to investigate riders' allocation of various descriptors to a gelding, stallion or mare. There were 1,233 survey respondents, 94% of whom were female and 75% of whom were riders with at least eight years of experience. Binomial logistic regression revealed the girl had 2.5 times the odds of being allocated the gelding compared to the boy (p < 0.001). Respondents were significantly more likely to allocate the stallion to the man and nearly 50% of respondents did not allocate a horse to the boy, even though they ranked rider gender as least important to their choice (p < 0.001). In a forced choice selection of a positive or negative descriptor from a series of nine paired terms to describe horse temperament, a greater proportion of respondents assigned geldings positive ratings on terms such as calm, trainable, reliable and predictable. In terms of suitability for the three equestrian disciplines of show-jumping, dressage and trail-riding, participants overwhelmingly chose geldings for trail-riding, with mares being least preferred for both dressage and show-jumping disciplines. The results suggest that female riders are entering the horse-human dyad with gendered ideas about horse temperament and view horse-riding as an activity primarily for women and girls. This could have far-reaching implications for equine training and welfare.
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Publication Date: 2019-05-14 PubMed ID: 31086385PubMed Central: PMC6516668DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216699Google 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 study aims to explore how human gender stereotypes, when applied to horses, can impact human-horse interactions and expectations. The research conducted an online survey to evaluate riders’ perceptions of horse temperament and compatibility for riding activities in relation to the animal’s sex.

Methodology

  • The researchers designed an online survey to explore the riders’ perceptions of horse temperament and compatibility for riding tasks based on the animal’s sex.
  • The questionnaire required participants to assign three hypothetical horses, categorized by sex (a mare, gelding, and stallion), to four riders distinguished by gender and age (a woman, man, girl, and boy).
  • Participants were also asked to select which horses (mares, geldings, or stallions) were most appropriate for the three equestrian disciplines of show-jumping, dressage, and trail-riding.
  • Logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the respondents’ perceptions regarding the suitability of different horse types for specific riders, and the allocation of descriptive terms to a gelding, stallion, or mare.

Sample Population

  • The survey was completed by 1,233 participants, 94% of whom were female and 75% of whom were riders with at least eight years of experience.

Survey Findings

  • According to the results, the girl rider was 2.5 times more likely to be assigned the gelding compared to the boy.
  • Many participants were significantly more likely to assign the stallion to the man rider. Interestingly, nearly 50% of respondents did not assign a horse type to the boy rider. They indicated that rider gender was the least important factor in their decision.
  • When presented with a series of nine paired terms to describe horse temperament, a greater proportion of respondents assigned geldings positive ratings on terms such as calm, trainable, reliable, and predictable.
  • Furthermore, participants overwhelmingly chose geldings for trail-riding, while mares were least preferred for both dressage and show-jumping.

Implications of the Study

  • The research indicates that female riders might be entering the horse-human relationship with gendered ideas about horse temperament.
  • These findings highlight that riders see horse-riding as an activity primarily for women and girls. This notion can have significant implications for equine training and welfare.

Cite This Article

APA
Fenner K, Caspar G, Hyde M, Henshall C, Dhand N, Probyn-Rapsey F, Dashper K, McLean A, McGreevy P. (2019). It’s all about the sex, or is it? Humans, horses and temperament. PLoS One, 14(5), e0216699. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216699

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 5
Pages: e0216699

Researcher Affiliations

Fenner, Kate
  • Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Caspar, Georgina
  • Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Hyde, Michelle
  • Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Henshall, Cathrynne
  • Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia.
Dhand, Navneet
  • Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Probyn-Rapsey, Fiona
  • School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Dashper, Katherine
  • School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, United Kingdom.
McLean, Andrew
  • Equitation Science International, Tuerong, Victoria, Australia.
McGreevy, Paul
  • Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

MeSH Terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Animals
  • Female
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Sex Factors
  • Sports / psychology
  • Temperament
  • Young Adult

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

References

This article includes 64 references

Citations

This article has been cited 16 times.
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