Search

The objective of this study was to explore whether horses' emotional well-being could be determined using qualitative behavior assessment (QBA) and if equine assisted activities (EAA) had a significant impact on their welfare. QBA is a methodology that has gained recent scientific validation and is considered an accurate welfare-monitoring tool. It is the analysis of subtle changes within body language to capture the expressive quality of the whole animal. Implementation of this technique involved recruitment of observers (19 students) to watch video recordings of horses. There was no requirement of prior horse experience. The first part of this project utilized free choice profiling (FCP) in which observers generated their own qualitative descriptors of behavior after watching 6 video clips of 5 min each. The second part required them to quantitatively rate a horse's expression of each term from a 30 min video recording. Video clips for the first part were a subset of the recordings used in the second part and involved the same horses. Ratings were completed on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Videos were collected during weekly sessions over an 8-wk period and consisted of either 30 min of a horse assigned to an adaptive horsemanship lesson with a veteran (EAA, n = 6,20.3 ± 1.9 yrs, mean ± SE) or standing control with no interaction (CON, n = 6, 13.8 ± 1.7 yrs). The data generated were analyzed using a generalized procrustes analysis (GPA) and produced a significant (P = 0.001, T-critical = 18.3, T-value = 109.7) consensus profile configuration explaining 41.2% of the variation between horses. Component 1 was positively correlated with terms such as "stressed" and "anxious" and negatively correlated with terms including "calm," "patient," and "comfortable." A repeated measures ANOVA with fixed effects of treatment and week and random effect of horse was used to analyze horse scores on the first and second components. Statistically different means were separated using Tukey's method. Significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. Scores on component 1 differed significantly (P = 0.0003) between EAA and CON horses with EAA horses being rated as calmer, more patient, and more comfortable. QBA was an effective means in determining horse well-being. EAA resulted in less stress than the standing control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much like humans, horses possess the ability to generate a wide range of facial behaviors. These expressions are a form of communication used to convey substantial amounts of information to other members of the herd, including stress. A variety of studies have developed ethograms to quantify the degree of facial behaviors expressed as a means of assessing the welfare of the horse. This is particularly important in working horses, such as those involved in equine assisted activities (EAA). The objective of this study was to use the Horse Grimace Scale (HGS) to assess the stress response of horses involved in EAA by numerically scoring facial muscular tension. The HGS is a scale that focuses on 6 specific facial action units to evaluate the degree of pain and distress experienced by a horse. Each unit was given a score of 0 (not present), 1 (moderately present), or 2 (obviously present). The highest possible score was 12, indicating the greatest degree of pain. Horses trained in EAA (EAA, n = 6) were paired with a veteran with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for a 30-min weekly lesson or assigned as astanding non-EAA trained control (CON, n = 6) for the duration of 8 wks. Images of the profile of the horses were taken at 3 time points during the lesson: 10 min, 20 min, and 30 min after the start of the session. After the sessions, images were organized and redacted if necessary and scored by 4 independent raters who had received training on the use of the HGS. Score data were analyzed using a negative binomial mixed model, repeated measures ANOVA with fixed effects of treatment (EAA vs CON), session, and time point, and their interactions and a random effect of horse. Intraclass correlation coefficient for inter-rater agreement was 0.446 (P = 2.17e-59). Statistically different means were separated using Tukey's method. Significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. Scores were higher (P = 0.0178) in wk 4 (5.2 ± 0.4, mean ± SE) than wk 1 (3.7 ± 0.4) among CON horses. No other significant differences were found. Participation in EAA did not appear to have an adverse effect on horses as defined by pain and distress scores on the HGS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The various benefits of equine assisted activities (EAA) programs on humans have been studied and documented, whereas the effects of these programs on their equine counterparts have not been as thoroughly investigated. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of EAA sessions with veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on stress-related behaviors exhibited by horses. During the 8-week study, horses were assigned to 30-min horsemanship sessions with veterans with PTSD (EAA, n = 5) or a 30-min standing control with little to no human interaction in a small section of the same arena (CON, n = 5). Sessions occurred weekly, with EAA and CON horses participating regularly in similar work. EAA horses were videotaped from 3 different angles to capture the entirety of the arena used for the sessions, whereas CON horses were videotaped at one angle capturing the entirety of the stall they were enclosed in. Video was captured for the duration of the 30-min sessions. Video was then edited using Adobe Premiere Pro and the veterans' faces redacted for privacy. Frequency and duration of stress-related behaviors was logged by trained observers using an ethogram in the BehavioralObservation Research Interactive Software (BORIS). Data were analyzed using a Poisson distribution repeated measures mixed model ANOVA with fixed effects of week and treatment and their interaction, and random effect of horse. Statistically different means were separated using Tukey's method. Significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. The total number of stress-related behaviors exhibited by horses was significantly different between EAA (19.8 ± 2.3 behaviors) and CON (35.3 ± 2.6 behaviors) (P = 0.0273). The number of unique stress-related behaviors exhibited by horses was also significantly different between EAA (5.9 ± 0.4 unique behaviors) and CON (7.7 ± 0.3 unique behaviors) (P = 0.0488). There was no difference between EAA and CON horses for the duration of stress-related behaviors. Horses appeared to exhibit more stress-related behaviors under isolation with little human interaction than when working with veterans with PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Documentation of positive physical, social, psychological, and physiological outcomes in humans following interactions with horses has led to an increase of interest in and availability of programs offering equine assisted services (EAS). The effects of EAS programming and clients on horse well-being is unclear and needs further study given the increasing scrutiny the public sector gives to issues of animal welfare in the agricultural and equine industries. The objective of this study was to investigate the stress response of horses in equine assisted activities (EAA) via measurement of plasma cortisol. Horses were assigned to a 30 min adaptive horsemanship lesson with a veteran with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (EAA, n = 6, 20.3 ± 1.9 yrs, mean ± SE) or a concurrent 30 min standing control with no interaction in a small area of the same arena (CON, n = 6, 13.8 ± 1.7 yrs) such that horses served as conspecifics for one another with visual, olfactory, and auditory contact for the 8-week study. Lessons occurred weekly at the same time for a given pair of horses and veteran (between 1100 and 1500). EAA horses regularly participated in this type of work. CON horses were regularly ridden and handled by recreational riders. Indwelling jugular catheters were placed using sterile technique and local lidocaine anesthetic at least 30 min beforethe start of the lesson. Blood samples were collected into lithium heparin coated tubes at the start of the lesson (0), 3 min in (3), 5 min in (5), 25 min in (25), and 30 min in (30). Samples were immediately placed on ice until centrifuged at 2,500 rpm for 5 min. Plasma was aliquoted and stored at −80°C until assayed for cortisol using a solid phase chemiluminescent immunoassay system (Immulite) validated for use in horses. Data were analyzed using a mixed model ANOVA with fixed effects of treatment (EAA, CON), time point, week, and their interactions and a random effect of horse. Time point and week were considered repeated measures. Statistically different means were separated using Tukey's method. Significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. Cortisol concentrations during EAA ranged from 1.85 ± 0.26 µg/dL at time point 0 in wk 1 to 2.88 ± 0.30 µg/dL at time point 30 in wk 8 with no significant differences. Cortisol in CON horses was elevated at time points 25 (3.14 ± 0.19 µg/dL) and 30 (3.13 ± 0.19 µg/dL) as compared with time points 0 (2.56 ± 0.12 µg/dL), 3 (2.53 ± 0.13 µg/dL), and 5 (2.58 ± 0.14 µg/dL) (P ≤ 0.05). Horses appeared to be more stressed by confinement and limited contact with humans than by interactions with veterans with PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]