Welfare assessment of stabled horses in five equestrian disciplines.

This research paper focuses on assessing the welfare of stabled horses in Serbia across five different equestrian disciplines – Western riding, riding school, leisure, jumping, and endurance. The research identifies key welfare issues including inadequate stable size, insufficient or dirty bedding, physical alterations, lameness, stereotypical behaviors, and negative responses to humans.

Research Methodology and Sample

• The study used the Animal Welfare Indicator (AWIN) welfare assessment protocol for horses to gauge the welfare of the involved animals.
• A total of 50 horses from the five different categories of equestrian discipline were included in the study.

Findings

• Majority of the horses had inadequate box dimensions (52%), dirty bedding material (52%), and physical alterations such as skin conditions (68%).
• A significant portion of horses also exhibited stereotypical behaviors (28%), and negative response to human presence (24%). A smaller portion showed signs of lameness (16%).
• Riding school horses had significantly higher scores for alopecia, skin lesions, hardened spots at the mouth corners, horse grimace scale, and human-animal relationship tests compared to other categories of horses.
• Leisure horses were found to exercise significantly less often compared with other categories of horses.
• One of the significant welfare risks identified across all groups was insufficient social interaction – 14 horses (28%) were unable to have any visual or physical contact with other horses.

Implications

• The research paper provides valuable insights into the impact of the individual stable housing system on the welfare of different categories of horses.
• The findings highlight the need for improvements in housing conditions and care for stabled horses in Serbia, and possibly in the broader Balkan region.
• The results may serve as a basis for policy recommendations and improvements in horse welfare laws and regulations.