Document type: Scientific article published in INRAE Animal Productions
Authors : BRIANT, C., RIOU, M., & RUET, A.
Preview:Horse welfare is a major concern for owners and users. To optimize welfare, it is essential to be able to assess the physical and mental state of the animals objectively, using validated protocols, so that current practices can be improved. This article describes the three main available assessment protocols. The first (SEBWAT) is designed for animals in low- and middle-income countries, where the overall level of welfare is somewhat low. It includes only indicators observed from the animals, with few indicators of mental states, and can only be carried out by trained assessors. The other two (AWIN Horse and Cheval Bien-être) are better-suited to horses in high-income countries and are aimed at all owners. They include indicators observed from both the animals and their environments. The most recent, the Cheval Bien-être protocol, is in French and has incorporated new indicators of negative mental states. Both protocols could benefit from adjustments to some of the indicators andthe inclusion of indicators of positive mental states.
The French protocol to assess a horse's welfare can be found on Equipédia :
Cheval Bien-Être, un nouveau protocole et une application pour évaluer le bien-être des chevaux
User guide (in French)
Evaluation grid (in French)
Free app (in French)
