# Horse Activity Participants’ Perceptions About Practices Undertaken at Activity Venues, and Horse Welfare and Wellbeing

## TL;DR

This study explores how horse activity participants manage horse welfare at venues, focusing on practices that help horses adapt and stay healthy during competitions.

## Contribution

The study identifies four key themes of effective horse welfare practices aligned with the Five Freedoms and Five Domains models.

## Key findings

- Participants prioritize practices that help horses adapt to unfamiliar surroundings and routines.
- Maintaining digestive health and using horse behavior for decision-making are emphasized for welfare.
- Updating practices to align with the Five Domains model is achievable and beneficial for horse welfare.

## Abstract

The horse sector is highly mobile, involving the regional and international movement of horses for a range of competition activities. Horses are relocated to activity venues and exposed to unfamiliar surroundings and changes to their daily routines, which could have negative welfare impacts. Using an online survey, this study asked experienced horse sector participants about the horse management practices they perceived worked well to promote positive horse welfare at activity venues. Qualitative analysis identified four themes: ‘managing venues’, ‘monitoring fitness to participate’, ‘maintaining a healthy equine digestive system’, and ‘using horse behaviors to inform decision-making’. The results showed that activity participants selected practices that assisted horses to adapt to the venue surroundings, remain calm, and stay healthy. The co-authors propose that participants consider practices both in terms of management inputs, aligning with the Five Freedoms model, and welfare outcomes, resonating with the Five Domains model. For horse activity organizations proposing to implement the Five Domains model, the findings indicate that reviewing current practices and implementing updates to align with the Five Domains model should be achievable. Updating practices in this way will contribute to the safeguarding of horses and to maintaining the sector’s social license to operate.

Participation in horse-related activities frequently involves relocating horses from the home stable to an activity venue, which might require local, regional, or international travel. In these circumstances, horses are exposed to unfamiliar surroundings and experience changes to their daily routines, which could have negative welfare impacts. An online survey was conducted in 2021 to ask experienced horse sector participants about the horse management practices that they perceived worked well and provided for positive horse welfare when undertaken at venues. Qualitative analysis identified four themes: ‘managing venues’, ‘monitoring fitness to participate’, ‘maintaining a healthy equine digestive system’, and ‘using horse behaviors to inform decision-making’. The findings indicate that activity-related individuals selected practices that assisted horses to adapt to venue surroundings, remain calm, and stay healthy. The co-authors propose that experienced participants recognize that practices include both provisions (inputs) and outcomes (the horse’s subjective experiences), resonating with the Five Freedoms and Five Domains models. For horse activity organizations proposing to implement the Five Domains model, the findings indicate that reviewing practices and implementing updates is timely and achievable. The authors propose that continuously updating practices will contribute to safeguarding horses and maintaining the sector’s social license to operate.