Perceptions of Fear and Anxiety in Horses as Reported in Interviews with Equine Behaviourists

Abstract

One of the key welfare concerns for horses in the United Kingdom is lack of recognition of fear in horses. This study aimed to gain an understanding of how well horse care givers recognise fear and/or anxiety in horses by interviewing equine behaviourists (who interact with large numbers of horse care givers and talk to them about this topic routinely). The experiences of Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC)-registered equine behaviourists working with horse caregivers were examined, including the ability of clients to recognise fear and/or anxiety in horses, how clients respond when discussing fear as the reason for their horse’s behaviour, and what explanations the participants use to explain fear and anxiety. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants and analysed using thematic analysis before being written up to reflect the discussion points. When asked how well horse caregivers recognise fear and/or anxiety in horses, three key response themes emerged: caregivers are extremely poor at recognizing fear and anxiety in horses; some clients do recognise behavioural signs indicating fear and/or anxiety but only the overt signs (e.g., rearing, running away) rather than the more subtle signs (e.g., tension in face, subtle avoidance behaviours such as a hesitant gait); and fear and/or anxiety behaviour is often misinterpreted or mislabelled. These key themes recurred throughout several other interview questions. This study has provided initial insights into the lack of recognition of fear and anxiety of horses by their caregivers in the United Kingdom as well as tried and tested approaches to conversations to change this. Such synthesis of experience and techniques across the equine behaviour sector, together with the information gained regarding perception of equine caregivers, could be a valuable approach to improve the effectiveness of behaviour consultations and welfare initiatives.

How equestrians conceptualise horse welfare: Does it facilitate or hinder change?

“…High rates of wastage (the premature destruction or retirement of horses) are found in the racing industry where it is estimated 33% of racehorses are ‘wasted’ (killed) each year (Thomson et al 2014 ). Other welfare challenges include owners misinterpreting pain/stress/fear behaviour in horses (Rogers & Bell 2022 ), as well as misunderstanding horses’ nutritional needs (Furtado et al 2020 ), housing needs (Hockenhull & Furtado 2021 ) and delaying euthanasia (Horseman 2017 ; Bell & Rogers 2021 ).…”

Reported Agonistic Behaviours in Domestic Horses Cluster According to Context

“…The narrative description of undesirable behaviours within E-BARQ was brief but it is possible, that in doing so, we left some behaviours open to interpretation. Many owners are poor at recognising subtle signs of pain, confusion, or fear [4,[35][36][37][38][39][40], so the numbers reported here probably represent a lower limit to the proportion of horses displaying agonistic behaviours. The current data probably reflect the observations of amateurs more than professionals, and thus reflect the proportion of both communities in the equestrian population.…”

Understanding barriers to reducing antimicrobials on Australian dairy farms: A qualitative analysis

“…The use of qualitative analysis on a small sample allows a greater depth of understanding of the motivations of participants. 32 A greater understanding of farmer practices and motivations has enabled the identification of several factors which may be barriers to reducing antimicrobial use for mastitis.…”

“…Although all Australian dairy farmers may not share the ideas presented here, they are no less valuable in the discussion of antimicrobial use and mastitis. The use of qualitative analysis on a small sample allows a greater depth of understanding of the motivations of participants 32 . A greater understanding of farmer practices and motivations has enabled the identification of several factors which may be barriers to reducing antimicrobial use for mastitis.…”