Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2026
Fecal Glucocorticoid Analysis: Non-invasive Adrenal Monitoring in Equids
Published on: April 25, 2016
Management factors associated with abnormal behaviours in rural Chilean working horses
Giovanni Moraga Ramírez1,2, Cristian Ugaz3, Luis A de la Cruz-Cruz4
1Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Viña del Mar, Chile.
Background:
Working horses remain essential for rural livelihoods in Chile and across Latin America. However, housing and management conditions in these systems are poorly characterised, underscoring the need for standardised welfare assessments to generate evidence and guide targeted improvements.
Objective:
To estimate the prevalence of abnormal behaviours in rural working horses and to examine associations with management and housing related factors.
Study Design:
Cross-sectional observational study.
Method:
Seventy-seven working horses from a rural area of the Papudo commune (Valparaíso Region, Chile) were assessed using the Animal Welfare Indicators protocol. Associations between abnormal behaviours and management or housing variables were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models.
Results:
Most horses had good body condition (68.83%, n = 53) and a low prevalence of health problems (5.19%, n = 4); however, hoof-related disorders were common (41.56%, n = 32). Housing conditions were frequently inadequate (77.92%, n = 60), with 53.25% (n = 41) of horses housed on insufficient bedding and 59.74% (n = 51) kept on dirty bedding. Only 20.78% (n = 16) of horses performed daily exercise. Overall, 29.87% (n = 23) exhibited abnormal behaviours, most commonly wood chewing (12.99%), crib-biting (10.39%), and windsucking (6.49%). Absent or inadequate bedding was associated with markedly increased odds of abnormal behaviours (OR = 5.31, 95% CI [1.14, 24.85], p = 0.034), whereas longer daily exercise duration was protective (OR = 0.626, 95% CI [0.44, 0.88], p = 0.007).
Main Limitations:
Single rural area of Chile and sample size. Several management variables (e.g., daily time out of the stall) relied on the owner report.
Conclusion:
A substantial proportion of rural working horses displayed abnormal behaviours. Suboptimal bedding provision and limited time out of the stall were the main modifiable factors associated with these behaviours, highlighting practical opportunities for welfare improvement.
