Assessing Equine Behavioural Responses in Equine-Assisted Services: A Field Study Analysis
E. Kathalijne Visser, Anna L. Jens, Lydia E. Nieuwe Weme, Ayella A. Spaapen, Kyra N. Maarleveld, Kitty H. Enzerink, Pieter N. Tromp, Sandra C. Haven-Pross

TL;DR
This study examines the emotional states of horses in equine-assisted services to ensure their welfare and identify factors that promote positive experiences.
Contribution
The study introduces behavioral thresholds for assessing horse affective states and identifies key variables influencing their well-being in EAS.
Findings
Horses in EAS mostly exhibited behaviors within acceptable or neutral thresholds for negative affective states.
The 'comfortable' affective state was most frequently observed across both coaching and therapeutic riding sessions.
Health, suitable horse selection, and proper management significantly influence positive affective states in EAS.
Abstract
Equine-Assisted Services (EAS) offer many benefits for people with intellectual or physical disabilities. As these services grow in popularity, ensuring the welfare of the horses involved is crucial. This study explored the horses’ mood state during equine-assisted coaching and therapeutic riding sessions, focusing on factors like session length, the horse’s personality, and care practices. The study included 98 horses which were followed over a two-month period where all EAS sessions were monitored, resulting in 830 EAS sessions. Horses in equine-assisted coaching typically participated in four sessions over two months, while those in therapeutic riding programmes attended 31 sessions on average. Equine behaviour and field experts set standards for evaluating horse behaviours. Behaviours suggesting discomfort were limited and mostly within acceptable levels, while the exhibited…
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Taxonomy
TopicsAnimal Behavior and Welfare Studies · Veterinary Equine Medical Research · Human-Animal Interaction Studies
