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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2025; 15(4); 607; doi: 10.3390/ani15040607

Through a Horse’s Eyes: Investigating Cognitive Bias and Responses to Humans in Equine-Assisted Interventions.

Abstract: Animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) have become increasingly popular, with horses being one of the most commonly used species. While the effects of equine-assisted interventions (EAIs) have been widely studied in humans, research focusing on animals involved in such work is limited. Understanding how animals perceive their world is ethically important because their perception reflects the valence of their underlying mood. We investigated the cognitive judgement bias (pessimistic vs. optimistic) and perception of humans (negative vs. positive) in horses from three different facilities, divided into two groups: horses involved only in riding school lessons (RS, N = 14) and horses participating in both riding school and EAI lessons (EAI-RS, N = 16). We hypothesised that horses engaged in both types of work would be more negatively impacted than RS horses because the two activities may be demanding. No significant effects of work on pessimistic bias and negative perception of humans were found. However, a modulating effect was found in the interaction between work type and facility management. These findings highlight the impact of both the type of work and facility management on the cognition and underlying affective states of EAI-RS horses.
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Publication Date: 2025-02-19 PubMed ID: 40003087PubMed Central: PMC11851653DOI: 10.3390/ani15040607Google 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 paper examines the underlying feelings and responses of horses that are involved in equine-assisted interventions (EAIs) and typical riding school instruction (RS), with the aim of determining whether these activities influence their overall mood and perception of humans.

Introduction

  • The study is based on the growing field of Animal-assisted interventions (AAIs), where animals, particularly horses in this case, are used for therapeutic and rehabilitation processes.
  • While there is considerable research on how EAIs affect people participating in them, there is limited information on the animals’ perspective.
  • The focus is on understanding the cognitive judgement bias (optimistic or pessimistic) and the view of humans (positive or negative) in horses.
  • The subjects of the study are horses from three different facilities, categorised into two groups: horses involved only in RS lessons (RS group) and horses participating in both RS and EAI lessons (EAI-RS group).

Hypothesis

  • The researchers hypothesise that the horses involved in both EAI and riding school would be more negatively impacted than horses only involved in riding school as the work from both roles could potentially be demanding.

Methodology

  • The study involved testing for pessimistic bias and negative perception of humans among the horses, considering both their work type and facility management.

Results

  • No significant effects of the type of work (RS only vs EAI-RS) on pessimistic bias and negative perception of humans were found among the horses.
  • However, there was a moderating effect observed in the interaction between work type and facility management. This suggests the importance of the role of management techniques at the facilities where the horses are kept.

Conclusion

  • The findings suggest while the type of work (RS or EAI) itself does not significantly impact the cognitive bias or perception of humans in horses, the management of the facility does have an influence.
  • This implies that while the direct impact of therapeutic or riding lessons on horses may not be as detrimental as presumed, how horses are managed at their facilities could affect their cognition and underpin their emotional states.

Cite This Article

APA
Rochais C, Akoka E, Amiot Girard S, Grandgeorge M, Henry S. (2025). Through a Horse’s Eyes: Investigating Cognitive Bias and Responses to Humans in Equine-Assisted Interventions. Animals (Basel), 15(4), 607. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15040607

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 4
PII: 607

Researcher Affiliations

Rochais, Céline
  • EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)-UMR 6552, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University Rennes, Normandie University, F-35000 Rennes, France.
  • School of Animal, Plant & Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa.
Akoka, Emilie
  • EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)-UMR 6552, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University Rennes, Normandie University, F-35000 Rennes, France.
Amiot Girard, Suzanne
  • EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)-UMR 6552, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University Rennes, Normandie University, F-35000 Rennes, France.
Grandgeorge, Marine
  • EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)-UMR 6552, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University Rennes, Normandie University, F-35000 Rennes, France.
Henry, Séverine
  • EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)-UMR 6552, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University Rennes, Normandie University, F-35000 Rennes, France.

Grant Funding

  • 00137510 / Fondation Adrienne et Pierre Sommer
  • 22006875 / Ru00e9gion Bretagne
  • Universitu00e9 de Rennes
  • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
  • Institut Franu00e7ais du Cheval et de l'Equitation

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study, in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data, in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

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