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Assessing Equine Behavioural Responses in Equine-Assisted Services: A Field Study Analysis
E Kathalijne Visser1, Anna L Jens1, Lydia E Nieuwe Weme1
1Department of Applied Research, Aeres University of Applied Sciences Dronten, De Drieslag 4, 8251 JZ Dronten, The Netherlands.
Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|March 13, 2025
Summary
This study assessed horse welfare in Equine-Assisted Services (EAS), finding that most horses exhibited neutral or positive affective states. Proper horse selection and management are crucial for ensuring positive experiences for these therapy animals.
Area of Science:
- Animal Welfare Science
- Equine Behavior Studies
- Disability Services Research
Background:
- Equine-Assisted Services (EAS) provide benefits for individuals with disabilities.
- Ethical considerations necessitate evaluating the welfare of horses utilized in EAS.
- Understanding horse affective states is vital for responsible EAS implementation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the affective states of horses participating in EAS.
- To establish behavioral thresholds for positive and negative horse affective states.
- To identify factors influencing horse welfare within EAS contexts.
Main Methods:
- Observation of 98 horses across 830 EAS sessions over two months.
- Utilized equine behavior experts to define behavioral thresholds for welfare assessment.
- Applied Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and multiple linear regression to analyze behavioral data.
Main Results:
- Negative affective state behaviors were mostly within neutral or excellent thresholds.
- Positive affective state behaviors ranged from unacceptable to excellent.
- The 'comfortable' affective state was most frequently observed across sessions.
- PCA identified distinct affective states for coaching (6) and therapeutic riding (4) sessions.
Conclusions:
- Horses in EAS generally display acceptable to positive affective states.
- Horse health, appropriate selection, and sound management are key determinants of positive affective states.
- Further research into behavioral indicators can refine welfare standards in EAS.
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