Building Bridges between Theory and Practice: How Citizen Science Can Bring Equine Researchers and Practitioners Together

Abstract

Over the last decade, equitation scientists have increasingly relied on online survey tools to gather information on horse training, management, behaviour and other equine-related subjects. With a detailed knowledge of their animals, horse owners and riders are ideally placed to contribute to research but are sometimes reluctant to engage with and devote time to surveys. The current article reveals, through consultation with stakeholder groups, the potential of a range of motivational items to boost horse-owner participation. A short, three-question inquiry was developed to rank respondents’ (n = 747) preferred survey tools and other items designed to engage the equestrian community with the donation of data. Respondents were asked to assign themselves to one of four categories: academics/researchers, professionals, practitioners and enthusiasts. The inquiry offered respondents the choice of three hypothetical tools: a standardised tool to measure behaviour over time; a logbook tool to record training and behaviour on a regular basis; and a chart to compare an individual horse’s behaviour with that of the general horse population. While analysis revealed that stakeholders considered at least one of the tools to be useful, it also exposed significant differences among the perceived usefulness of the various tools themselves. Using free-text responses, participants described the challenges faced when gathering information on horse training, management and behaviour. Qualitative analysis of these data revealed the need to improve the current dissemination of scientific findings to bridge various knowledge gaps. The Equine Behavior Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ) is a longitudinal instrument that investigates horse training and management practices and permits an analysis of their relationship with behaviour. The current stakeholder consultation contributed to the final version of the E-BARQ questionnaire, identified incentivising items that can be offered to putative E-BARQ respondents, guided the eventual selection of a Share-&-Compare feedback chart, and reinforced the need for open-access dissemination of findings.

Age-Related Changes in the Behaviour of Domestic Horses as Reported by Owners

“…After completion of the questionnaire, respondents were provided with a Share-&-Compare graph of their horses' results [47]. The E-BARQ questionnaire was distributed via social media posts (including Facebook and Instagram), and through email lists of Pony Clubs Australia (https://ponyclubaustralia.com.au/), Horse and Peoples Magazine (https://horsesandpeople.com.au/), Equitation Science International (https://www.esi-education.com/) and Kandoo Equine (https://www.…”

The Topic of the Ideal Dairy Farm Can Inspire How to Assess Knowledge about Dairy Production Processes: A Case Study with Students and Their Contributions

“…In other studies [35] not only farmers but also veterinarians were asked about the welfare prospects of dairy cattle. An interesting approach to the identification of social groups participating in research in the area of animal production evaluation is presented in the work of [36]; the authors distinguished four stakeholder groups, i.e., academics, professionals, practitioners and enthusiasts. These stakeholder groups can be the basis for an additional description of the target group of respondents, their self-assessment in other studies, but also for initiating a dialogue between science and society in the field of animal welfare [37].…”

Identifying Sources of Potential Bias When Using Online Survey Data to Explore Horse Training, Management, and Behaviour: A Systematic Literature Review

“…It is interesting to note that of the 14 papers reviewed here, only three, [15,35,44], were published in an open access journal. This is concerning because horse welfare relies on the dissemination of clear and accurate research results, particularly to horse owners and caregivers who are responsible for the largest group of domestic horses, the pleasure riding community [57]. It is interesting to consider that a possible source of publication bias arises due to the higher costs of open access publication restricting this type of publication to large institutions or well-funded research groups.…”