Species : Horses

Factors associated with the development and prevalence of abnormal behaviors in horses: systematic review with meta-analysis

Jéssica Carvalho Seabra, João Ricardo Dittrich, Marcos Martinez do Vale

Published in 2021

Scientific review revealing wide variations in the occurrence of abnormal behaviours in horses across studies, and identifying poor nutritional management as the main risk factor in the development of such abnormal behaviours.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Risk management, Stress, Psychiatric disorder

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Contemplating the Five Domains model of animal welfare assessment: UK horse owner perceptions of equine well-being

K.A. Fletcher, L.J. Cameron, M. Freeman

Published in 2021

Scientific paper demonstrating that a simple educational infographic based on the five domains model had a significant impact on riders' assessment of equine welfare, despite the fact that they still found it difficult to assess their horses' emotions objectively.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships

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Development and Validation of a Test for the Classification of Horses as Broken or Unbroken

Laura Menchetti, Emanuela Dalla Costa, Michela Minero, Barbara Padalino

Published in 2021

Scientific paper presenting and validating a behavioural test based on the animal's reaction to approaching, haltering and leading, to describe a horse as broken in or not. This test could be used to determine the status of horses prior to transport, given that transport regulations are stricter for unbroken horses.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Human-animal relationships, Transport

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Do You Think I Am Living Well? A Four-Season Hair Cortisol Analysis on Leisure Horses in Different Housing and Management Conditions

Silvia Michela Mazzola, Carla Colombani, Giulia Pizzamiglio, Simona Cannas, Clara Palestrini, Emanuela Dalla Costa, Alessia Libera Gazzonis, Arianna Bionda, Paola Crepaldi

Published in 2021

Scientific paper investigating the chronic stress levels of recreational horses in relation to their living conditions in order to determine the best management strategy for the welfare of the horses.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Housing, Living environment, Stress

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Does nutrient composition of feedstuffs affect the proportion of oral stereotypies and redirected behaviors among horse working groups?

Farah Hanis, Eric Lim Teik Chung, Mamat Hamidi Kamalludin, ZulkifliI drus

Published in 2021

Scientific paper demonstrating that ration composition and energy intake influence the incidence of oral stereotypies (especially empty chewing) and redirected behaviours (especially bedding consumption) in working horses (leisure, equestrian, patrol and endurance). Endurance horses are the most sensitive to ration composition.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Anxiety, Welfare indicators, Housing, Living environment, Stress, Psychiatric disorder

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Detecting Welfare in a Non-Verbal Species: Social/Cultural Biases and Difficulties in Horse Welfare Assessment

Martine Hausberger, Clémence Lesimple, Séverine Henry

Published in 2021

A scientific review investigating the reasons why most domestic horses have unsatisfactory welfare levels despite being very close to humans. It identifies human subjectivity, human misinterpretation of signals sent by horses, and human desensitisation to welfare situations as the main contributing factors. It proposes the promotion of validated indicators to allow horse welfare to be assessed objectively. 

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships

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The Human Aspect of Horse Care: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted the Wellbeing of Equestrian Industry Stakeholders

Ashley Ward, Kate Stephen, Caroline Argo, Christine Watson, Patricia Harris, Madalina Neacsu, Wendy Russell, Dai Grove-White, Philippa Morrison

Published in 2021

Scientific article presenting the results of a survey of equine stakeholders on their feelings about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. It shows that the pandemic has affected veterinarians and horse owners due to restrictions on contact and human-horse interactions. However, the pandemic has also led to initiatives to maintain social links between owners as a remedy for isolation.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Adaptation of animals to the environment, Societal issues, Human-animal relationships

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Horse Behavior towards Familiar and Unfamiliar Humans: Implications for Equine-Assisted Services

Lauren Brubaker, Katy Schroeder, Dawn Sherwood, Daniel Stroud, Monique A. R. Udell

Published in 2021

Scientific paper describing research to discover appropriate criteria to predict the potential suitability of a horse for animal-assisted services. It shows that sociability indicators and most temperament indicators of experienced AAS horses do not differ from those of novice AAS horses. However, during brushing, novice horses showed more affiliative behaviour towards their handler than experienced ones.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords: Modelling, Human-animal relationships,Welfare indicators

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Horses' physiological and behavioural responses during undergraduate veterinary practical teaching classes

Lauréline Guinnefollau, Charlotte F. Bolwell, Erica K. Gee, Elizabeth J. Norman, Chris W. Rogers

Published in 2021

Scientific paper investigating the stress responses of horses used in veterinary teaching practice. The indicators measured included heart rate and behavioural indicators suggestive of stress. Limited physiological and behavioural stress responses were observed, suggesting that the horses in question might become accustomed to being handled and being in a teaching environment.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Living environment, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Welfare indicators

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Influence of workload and weather conditions on rolling behaviour of horses and mules

Marina P.F. Luz, Caroline M. Maia, Heraldo César Gonçalvez, José Nicolau P. Puoli Filho

Published in 2021

Scientific paper highlighting that horses roll more frequently after strenuous exercise or bathing, regardless of weather conditions, whereas mules roll more often after strenuous exercise on hot, humid days or after bathing on cold, dry days. It concludes that rolling is an important and frequent behaviour in domesticated equids that should be allowed to be expressed freely on the farm.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Welfare indicators

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