Evolving protocols for research in equitation science

Pierard, Marc; Hall, Carol; Borstel, Uta König von; Averis, Alison; Hawson, Lesley A.; McLean, Andrew N.; Nevison, Charlotte M.; Visser, Kathalijne; McGreevy, Paul D.

doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2015.01.006

Cited by 28 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 113 publications

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“…In future it may be possible to identify more complex thermal facial patterns in the horse indicative of specific emotions. However, factors that affect surface temperature such as coat hair, colour, and moisture, as well the lateral positioning of the eyes in horses (making full facial patterns more difficult to capture) need addressing before this approach can be used reliably to detect underlying circulatory changes (Konig von Borstel et al, 2017;Pierard et al, 2015).…”

Section: Physiological Components Of Equine Emotionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessing equine emotional state

Hall

Randle

Pearson

et al. 2018

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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The scientific study of animal emotion has recently become an important focus for animal behaviour and welfare researchers. For horses used by humans for work, recreation or sport, the question of the significance of their life experiences in terms of their emotional response, is an important one if we are to provide for their welfare needs. Horses have received relatively less scientific attention than many livestock species when it comes to investigating emotional state or affective experience, although their behavioural responses during sporting or recreational performance are often described anecdotally using terminology indicating an underlying presumption of equine emotions. Indeed, the international governing body for equestrian sport, the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), include the concept of 'the Happy Equine Athlete' into their rules, as a key objective during training and competition. This review presents available evidence to date of the physiological, behavioural and cognitive components of equine emotion and evaluates the extent to which the question concerning 'how horses feel' can be answered. The characterization of equine emotion in terms of level of arousal and valence, based on physiological, behavioural and cognitive indicators, offers a way forward to determine the impact of different situations and experiences on horses during their working lives. There is a need to develop robust validated methods for accessing equine emotions, to underpin a universally agreed method for/approach to providing an accurate assessment of equine welfare that can be utilized in a variety of contexts. This will 2 provide a means of monitoring and improving the horse's experience, ensuring that the horse enjoys a good life, rather than one that is just worth living.

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Section: Physiological Components Of Equine Emotionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is likely however that HPA activity will provide at least a contribution to identifying emotional state, but as part of a series of measures rather than in isolation. For further discussion of physiological measures of stress in horses see Konig von Borstel et al (2017) and Pierard et al (2015).…”

Section: Physiological Components Of Equine Emotionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing equine emotional state

Hall

Randle

Pearson

et al. 2018

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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“…The mensuration of cues from riders’ hands and legs has commenced as part of equitation science [ 33 ]. There may also be benefits in measuring levels of cognitive and somatic anxiety in riders, as anxiety can impact horse-rider communication by affecting fine motor control and decision-making [ 34 , 35 ].…”

Section: Current Knowledge and Critical Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Critical Review of Horse-Related Risk: A Research Agenda for Safer Mounts, Riders and Equestrian Cultures

Thompson¹,

McGreevy²,

McManus³

2015

Animals

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While the importance of improving horse-related safety seems self-evident, no comprehensive study into understanding or reducing horse-related risk has been undertaken. In this paper, we discuss four dimensions of horse-related risk: the risk itself, the horse, the rider and the culture in which equestrian activities takes place. We identify how the ways in which risk is constructed in each dimension affects the applicability of four basic risk management options of avoidance, transference, mitigation and acceptance. We find the acceptance and avoidance of horse-related risk is generally high, most likely due to a common construction of horses as irrevocably unpredictable, fearful and dangerous. The transference of risk management is also high, especially in the use of protective technologies such as helmets. Of concern, the strategy least utilised is risk mitigation. We highlight the potential benefit in developing mitigation strategies directed at: (a) improving the predictability of horses (to and by humans), and (b) improving riders’ competence in the physical skills that make them more resilient to injury and falls. We conclude with the presentation of a multidisciplinary agenda for research that could reduce accident, injury and death to horse-riders around the world.

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“…Head behaviours (such as head-shaking/-tossing and ear positioning) as well as oral behaviours (gaping and lip-licking), have been used to estimate an animal’s affective state (17). To date, the physiological assessment of stress in horses has been based primarily on changes in endocrine function (18), as well as parameters that reflect changes in autonomic functioning including heart rate and eye temperature (ET) (18–20). Salivary cortisol concentration is established as a non-invasive indicator of stress because it reflects activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPA) (21, 22).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of tongue-tie application on stress responses in resting horses

Marsh

McGreevy

Hazel

et al. 2019

Preprint

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2Tongue-ties (TT) are commonly applied to both Standardbred and Thoroughbred racehorses to increase control, 3 by preventing them from getting their tongue over the bit, and as a conservative treatment for equine respiratory 4 conditions, principally dorsal displacement of the soft palate. This study investigated responses to TT application 5 in horses, at rest, using both behavioural (head-tossing, ear position, gaping and lip licking) and physiological 6 (salivary cortisol concentrations, eye surface temperature and heart rate) indices. Twelve Standardbred horses (six 7 of which were naïve to TT) were used in a randomised crossover design. The study comprised 3 phases; Phase 1 8 (Baseline), Phase 2 (Treatment), and Phase 3 (Recovery). At phase 2, tongue tie application (TTA) was performed 9 using a rubber band that was looped around the tongue and secured to the mandible for 20 minutes. The control 10 treatment (C) incorporated 30 secs of tongue manipulation, at the start of the 20 min, however no TT was applied. 11Behaviours (head-tossing, ear position, mouth gaping and lip-licking) and heart rate (HR) were recorded for the 12 duration of the study and analysed in ten minute intervals. Salivary samples were taken at the end of each phase 13 for subsequent cortisol assays and infrared thermography images were taken of each eye at 5-minute intervals.14 Statistical analyses were performed in SPSS using linear mixed effects models and repeated measures general 15 linear models, to determine differences between treatments and within treatments, over time. Compared to control, 16there was more head-tossing/shaking (p<0.001), gaping (p<0.001) and backwards ear position (p<0.001) and less 17 forward ear position (p<0.001) during TTA, in Phase 2. Horses with previous experience of TT showed more 18 head-tossing (p=0.040) and gaping (p=0.030) than naïve horses. Lip-licking was more frequent after TTA 19 treatment than control, during Phase 3 (p<0.001). Salivary cortisol concentrations increased after TTA 20 (1846.1pg/mL ± 478.3pg/mL vs 1253.6pg/mL ± 491.6pg/mL, p=0.047). Mean HR, and mean right and left eye 21 temperature did not differ significantly between treatments in any phase (all p> 0.05). The findings of this study 22 suggest the application of a tongue-tie causes changes to both behavioural and physiological parameters suggestive 23 of a stress-related response. Further research is needed that will enable racing and sport horse regulatory bodies 24 to make informed decisions about the appropriate use of tongue-ties in horses. 25 26

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Evolving protocols for research in equitation science

Cited by 28 publications

References 113 publications

Assessing equine emotional state

Assessing equine emotional state

A Critical Review of Horse-Related Risk: A Research Agenda for Safer Mounts, Riders and Equestrian Cultures

The effect of tongue-tie application on stress responses in resting horses

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