Application of the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram to Elite Dressage Horses Competing in World Cup Grand Prix Competitions

Abstract

There is considerable debate about the social license to compete with horses and controversy about training methods for dressage horses. The objectives were to: 1. apply the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE) to dressage horses competing at elite Grand Prix level; 2. compare RHpE and judges’ scores; and 3. document deviations in gaits from Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) guidelines. Video recordings of 147 competitors from nine World Cup competitions were assessed. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient tested the correlation between RHpE and judges’ scores. The median RHpE score was 3 (IQR 1, 4; range 0, 7). There was a moderate negative correlation (Spearman rho −0.40, p < 0.001) between the RHpE scores and the judges’ scores. Mouth open with separation of the teeth for ≥10 s (68%), head behind vertical ≥10° ≥ 10 s (67%), an intense stare for ≥5 s (30%) and repeated tail swishing (29%) were the most frequent RHpE behaviours. Deviations from FEI guidelines were most frequent in passage, piaffe, canter flying-changes, canter pirouettes and “halt-immobility-rein back five steps-collected trot”. In conclusion, most horses appeared to work comfortably for the majority of the test. Further investigation of the influence of a double bridle compared with a snaffle bridle on head position and mouth opening is merited.

Application of the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram to Horses Competing at the Hickstead-Rotterdam Grand Prix Challenge and the British Dressage Grand Prix National Championship 2020 and Comparison with World Cup Grand Prix Competitions

“…Horses competing at the H-R Challenge and the BD Championship had a higher frequency of occurrence of gait abnormalities compared with those competing in WC competitions [ 10 ]. This is summarised in Table 3 .…”

“…There was a higher frequency of occurrence of gait abnormalities in passage and/or piaffe, flying changes and canter pirouettes in the current study compared with the horses competing in the WC competitions [ 10 ]. This is summarised in Table 4 .…”

“…The median RHpE scores were significantly higher in the horses competing at the BD Championship compared with the H-R Challenge ( p = 0.0267), and WC competitions ( p = 0.0000). The H-R Challenge median RHpE score was also higher compared with WC competitions ( p = 0.0011) [ 10 ] ( Table 5 , Figure 2 ).…”

“…Repeatability of observations was assessed for those horses that participated in both events. Data were compared with the results of the assessment, using a similar methodology, of the horses competing at FEI WC competitions [ 10 ].…”

“…In order to compete in Grand Prix dressage competitions, horses must be at least eight years of age. The median RHpE score for 147 elite dressage competitors at the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) Grand Prix World Cup (WC) qualifying competitions ( n = 7) and finals ( n = 2) was 3/24 (range 0–7) [ 10 ]. There was a moderate negative correlation between the judges’ scores and the RHpE scores.…”