Why Should Human-Animal Interactions Be Included in Research of Working Equids' Welfare?

Area of Science:

• Animal Welfare Science
• Human-Animal Interactions
• Equine Studies

Background:

• Owner livelihood is directly tied to working equine welfare.
• Limited research exists on human psychological factors influencing owner-equine interactions and welfare.
• Key psychological attributes like empathy, attitudes, pain perception, and locus of control impact equine welfare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the importance of human psychological attributes in owner-equine interactions.
• To highlight how these attributes affect working equine welfare.
• To advocate for the inclusion of psychological factors in welfare research.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on psychological attributes affecting human-equine interactions.
• Analysis of existing studies on empathy, pain perception, and locus of control in owners.
• Synthesis of findings to demonstrate the link between owner psychology and equine welfare.

Main Results:

• Empathy, attitudes towards animals, perception of animal pain, and locus of control are significant psychological factors.
• These attributes influence the quality of owner-equine interactions.
• Poor understanding or management of these factors can lead to compromised working equine welfare.

Conclusions:

• Integrating human psychological attributes into welfare research is crucial for working equids.
• Improving owner empathy, pain perception understanding, and locus of control can enhance equine welfare.
• Further research is needed to develop targeted interventions based on owner psychology.