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The "misbehaving" performance horse: is it ever behavioral?

Erin K Contino¹

¹Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.

Journal of Equine Veterinary Science

|March 23, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Veterinary care for performance horses focuses on welfare and comfort. Many "behavioral issues" in horses stem from underlying physical problems, not true behavioral causes.

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Area of Science:

Equine Sports Medicine
Veterinary Behavior

Background:

Veterinarians have a long-standing duty to advocate for horse welfare.
Ensuring comfort and positive performance is crucial for performance horses.
Suboptimal performance in horses often manifests as behavioral problems.

Purpose of the Study:

To review physical causes of behavioral issues in performance horses.
To emphasize that most "behavioral issues" are not inherently behavioral.
To inform veterinary professionals and horse owners.

Main Methods:

Literature review of scientific articles and veterinary case studies.
Analysis of the relationship between physical conditions and behavioral presentation.
Synthesis of information on common physical ailments affecting performance.

Main Results:

Identified numerous physical conditions that can present as behavioral problems in horses.
Highlighted the importance of a thorough physical examination to diagnose the root cause.
Demonstrated that addressing the underlying physical issue resolves the "behavioral" concern.

Conclusions:

Most "behavioral issues" in performance horses have an underlying physical etiology.
Veterinary diagnosis is essential to differentiate physical from true behavioral problems.
Prioritizing physical health is key to addressing performance-related behavioral concerns in equine athletes.