Behavioral Assessment of Equine Relaxation Following Manual Therapy: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Equine Sports Medicine
• Animal Behavior
• Veterinary Physiotherapy

Background:

• Racehorses experience stress from training and competition.
• Behavioral indicators can assess stress and relaxation in horses.
• Manual therapy is a potential non-invasive intervention for equine well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate relaxation, stress reduction, and behavioral changes in horses post-manual therapy.
• To provide veterinary clinicians with behavioral feedback for therapy assessment.
• To explore the efficacy of manual therapy in a pilot study setting.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving 32 racehorses (Thoroughbred and Arabian) in Adana.
• Five minutes of manual therapy applied to 7 different muscle groups per horse.
• 10-minute post-intervention behavioral observations from a distance.

Main Results:

• Frequent relaxation signs observed: head dropping (78.1%), ears falling to the side (62.5%), yawning (34.4%).
• Behaviors like blinking, muscle twitching, and lip relaxation were noted in all horses.
• No statistically significant effect of gender or breed on observed behaviors (p > 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Preliminary findings suggest manual therapy may reduce stress and induce relaxation in riding horses.
• Behavioral responses serve as valuable indicators for assessing physiotherapeutic effects.
• Experienced application is crucial; further controlled studies with physiological biomarkers are recommended.