Latest from Horse & Hound in Horse-research

Antibiotic resistance is putting horses’ vision –and human health – at risk

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 16:31:33 +0000

Horses’ and other animals’ vision is at risk from the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, researchers have warned – and prevention of eye issues is key.

A veterinary review published in Veterinary Ophthalmology found that sight-threatening antibiotic-resistant eye infections are “becoming a significant threat to vision in dogs, cats, and horses”.

The research, conducted by Lionel Sebbag and Oren Pe’er of the Koret School of Veterinary Medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, aimed to consider antibiotic resistance in veterinary ophthalmology, with a particular focus on bacterial corneal infections that can threaten vision within hours.

The team is calling for earlier diagnostic testing, more targeted antibiotic use, stronger infection-control measures and strategies to help preserve antibiotics for future patients.

“Antimicrobial resistance is no longer a theoretical concern in veterinary ophthalmology,” the authors note. “It is a clinically significant and evolving reality.”

Drs Sebbag and Pe’er told H&H horse owners may often think of antibiotic resistance as a problem in human medicine.

“But it’s increasingly becoming an equine one as well,” they said. “Every responsible antibiotic decision today helps preserve these sight-saving treatments for the horses that will need them tomorrow. For a horse, vision loss can be life-changing, so protecting the effectiveness of antibiotics isn’t just about combating resistance, it’s about safeguarding vision, welfare, performance and quality of life.”

Bacterial keratitis, a serious infection of the cornea, is among the most urgent emergencies in veterinary eye care. Antibiotics are still the “cornerstone of treatment” for the condition but the researchers found “mounting evidence that many of the bacteria responsible for these infections are becoming increasingly resistant to commonly used drugs”.

The researchers considered studies conducted across the world to identify Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, Beta-hemolytic streptococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as the most commonly isolated bacterial pathogens in companion animals.

Antibiotic resistance: common strains

“Particularly concerning is the rising prevalence of multidrug-resistant strains, especially in referral and speciality care settings where the most severe cases are concentrated,” the authors said.

“One of the most consistent findings across studies was the impact of previous antibiotic use. Animals that had recently received topical antimicrobial treatment were more likely to harbour resistant bacteria and less likely to yield positive culture results, making accurate diagnosis and targeted treatment more challenging.

“The review also highlights a surprising gap between laboratory testing and real-world clinical outcomes. Standard antimicrobial susceptibility tests are largely based on how antibiotics behave when administered systemically, yet eye drops achieve very different drug concentrations at the ocular surface. As a result, laboratory susceptibility reports may not always accurately predict whether a treatment will succeed or fail in clinical practice.”

The researchers said lab results should always be considered alongside vets’ clinical observations, the severity of the condition and the patient’s history. They said it is crucial to take microbiological samples when possible to help inform treatment decisions.

“Beyond the immediate clinical implications, the review places antibiotic-resistant eye infections within a broader one-health framework,” the researchers said.

“Some bacterial species commonly found in animal eye infections have recognised zoonotic potential; they can be transmitted between animals and humans. The authors note that veterinary clinics, equipment and even households can serve as environments where resistant organisms circulate, highlighting the importance of rigorous hygiene and infection-control practices.”

The review recommends treatment that avoids antibiotics, such as antiseptic and ultraviolet-based treatment.

Preserving the crucial drugs

“The goal is not simply to resolve the current infection,” the authors said, “but to preserve therapeutic reliability for future patients.”

H&H vet Karen Coumbe said horses are particularly prone to eye disease as their large eyes are exposed to dust, dirt and irritation from flies, especially in summer.

“Antibiotics should not be the first line of treatment for any sore eye, despite it being perceived by some as a quick fix,” she said. “Vets should examine a horse before prescribing antibiotic medication, including eye ointment and drops. Paradoxically some antibiotic eye ointments can still be bought over the counter without veterinary involvement.

“While I would not recommend over-the-counter eye antibiotics, it remains common practice and can certainly cause more serious problems in some cases. Eye disease should be taken seriously and consider other options instead of immediately trying antibiotics.

“Prevention is equally important; simple measures such as fly masks and avoiding haynets that allow debris to fall into the eyes help reduce the risk of disease.”

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Do you know when to call the vet? Study raises concerns – as many horse owners still reach for outdated treatment

Becky Murray — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 15:31:53 +0000

Owners can lack confidence when deciding whether to call the vet for equine wounds – and some are still reaching for outdated treatments, research has highlighted.

In a study published in Animals, researchers from the University of Nottingham, with support from the British Horse Society, aimed to understand owner-reported causes, management and outcomes of equine wounds. The work gathered data to expand on existing wound evidence, which has predominantly been expert reviews or referral hospital studies.

Owners submitted information for 219 horses with injuries. The most common reason for wounds was wire/fencing injuries and the most common place was the lower half of the hindlegs. Owners gave first aid in just over two-thirds of cases and three-quarters of horses needed veterinary attention – but owners were not always confident in deciding whether the wound needed the vet.

The study highlights “several areas where information and resources could support behaviour change in owners and improve wound outcomes”, including on planning for emergencies and the need for guidance on when to call the vet and giving first aid.

Co-author Sarah Freeman told H&H the most common emergency vets get called to, after colic, is wounds.

“Vets see one perspective, but there’s an awful lot that owners see and vets don’t – so this gives us a different picture of what’s going on in the horse population,” she said, adding that there is further work taking place on wounds due out later this year.

“Some of the findings weren’t surprising, like the most common place for wounds – but it was interesting to understand the things that owners are commonly doing. We can look at whether they fit with best practice and what information we can provide; that’s maybe small things like washing hands before giving first aid, or helping people decide when to get to the vet or how to bandage.”

Professor Freeman added that the study showed some owners are applying products, such as Sudocrem or purple and silver sprays, which are “not ideal in quite a number of wounds”.

“There’s been years and years of people using these products, but over time products have evolved or changed and the ingredients are not always clear,” she said, adding that some can prevent wounds being able to breathe or slow healing.

In the study, 80% of horses who had veterinary intervention were given antibiotics. H&H vet Karen Coumbe said this proportion was “somewhat surprising” and that when it comes to wound care, “effective cleaning and dressing” may mean antibiotics are unnecessary, avoiding “overuse of such precious medication”.

Ms Coumbe added that “the position of a wound is crucial”, rather than the size.

“Even if it is relatively large it might not be as bad as one might imagine, whereas a small deep puncture near a joint may be catastrophic, if it penetrates into a vital structure,” she said.

“If in doubt, always consult your vet – it is not difficult to send photographs or video to help obtain advice, although phone pictures can be misleading and it helps to see the injury to ensure all is well.

“If a horse seems lamer than expected or depressed, unwell or uncomfortable, always contact your vet.”

British Horse Society horse care and welfare education manager Emmeline Hannelly told H&H the research provides “valuable insight” and helps raise awareness of the importance of effective wound care.

“Wounds are a common problem and one that owners should be prepared for,” she said, adding that injuries can lead to infection and serious complications if they are not assessed and managed appropriately.

“Prompt assessment and treatment are important, and knowing when to seek veterinary advice can make a significant difference to the outcome.”

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Running a livery yard is ‘emotional labour’ new study finds

Becky Murray — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 16:00:20 +0000

Livery yard owners and managers are facing increasing challenges and “emotional labour” – as new research shows the need for better support.

Researchers at the University of Liverpool explored the experiences of 52 yard managers and managers around yard set-up and management and how decisions are made regarding horse wellbeing.

The study, published in CABI’s Human-Animal Interactions journal, highlighted the “complexity of livery yard management with each yard functioning as a unique ecosystem based on a balance of independent factors including the management of horses, clients, land, business and facilities”.

“Livery yards were frequently run from a desire to work with horses, and this shaped the yard managers’ provision of services and care,” said the authors.

“While yards were organised around the physical tasks of looking after horses, participants suggested that the core of their workload was, in fact, related to the organisational and emotional work of managing clients and horses. This included negotiating around interspecies individual needs, managing disagreements and building relationships. Collectively, this required complex organisation and emotional labour.”

Lead researcher Tamzin Furtado told H&H she came away with a “huge amount of sympathy” for yard owners and managers – and said a takeaway is that there needs to be more support and professionalism for yard owners and “respect for it as an industry”.

“There are so many things that just fall to yard owners and managers, without any of us knowing about it,” she said, giving examples of assisting with euthanasia decisions or “extreme scenarios” such as being shouted at by liveries and having horses “dumped on them”.

“A lot of the work yard managers described went unrecognised, and working conditions which we just wouldn’t accept in other situations. They were trying to manage all these difficult situations, while managing their own work-life balance and the costs of running the yard and many described basically subsidising the yard themselves,” she said.

“It’s hard, we’re in a changing world where things are more expensive, we’ve got more horses, less land, winters are getting worse. We need to understand yard managers better and understand why certain decisions might be difficult for them.”

Ms Furtado added that Chery Johns of LiveryList is doing a “phenomenal job of plugging the gap” and providing a community for yard owners.

Ms Johns told H&H she is pleased to see the work highlight the fact yard management is “far more complex than it often looks”.

“Decisions made on yards can directly affect welfare outcomes, standards of care and the experience of horses and clients in an unregulated industry,” she said.

“It’s encouraging to see the role being recognised properly for what it is; a skilled, responsible and often demanding job that plays a vital role within the industry – and one that needs the right level of support to maintain standards and strengthen the sector.”

Sarah Dale, British Horse Society (BHS) head of approved centres, told H&H the society welcomes this “important study that highlights the challenges and complexities faced by livery yard owners and managers”.

“These businesses are central to equine welfare and the wider equestrian community, so improving understanding of the pressures they face is vital in helping create better outcomes for both people and horses,” she said, adding that the BHS supports livery yards becoming licensed in the future.

“We recognise that running a yard requires far more than excellent horsemanship. Owners and managers are balancing business pressures, client relationships, staffing challenges and ever-changing operational demands, often all at once.”

The BHS offers support for approved centres, including advice from regional business support managers on topics including business and pricing strategies; marketing and mental health; as well as access to professional helplines, networking events and vouchers towards training courses and professional development.

“Studies like this reinforce the importance of continuing to invest in meaningful support for yard owners and managers, who remain at the heart of a healthy and sustainable equestrian industry,” said Ms Dale.

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‘The horse has always known’: how rider personality influences horse-centred training

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 15 May 2026 16:33:35 +0000

Changing our perspective on our horses could change their lives, a researcher believes, as a study found that riders’ personality traits have a significant influence on horse-centred riding and the horse-human partnership.

The research, led by Manuela Kesselmann of the FOM University of Applied Sciences in Germany and published in the journal Mensch und Pferd International, explored the effect of traits such as self-esteem, empathy and adaptability on the bond between horses and humans, and training.

The study, of nearly 500 equestrians, found that the lower the rider’s self-esteem, the more the relationship with their horse was characterised by a sense of human dominance and the less horse-centred their riding.

Professor Kesselmann told H&H the results “add a crucial new perspective to the international debate on horse welfare”.

She explained that participants answered questions to determine how they viewed their horses. The study states: “Riders who perceive their horse as their best friend and source of strength more often demonstrated horse-friendly riding behaviour and a more positive horse- human relationship.”

The study found that riders who value the benefits horses bring to their lives are more likely to be empathetic towards them in training and riding.

“If we strengthen awareness of the impact of the horse on riders’ own lives and health, it’s likely people will change their view of the horse,” Professor Kesselmann said. “If they do that, this is a big lever for change.”

Differences in attitude

The research found significant differences in attitude between leisure and competition riders; the former tended to have more positive relationships with their horses.

“The study confirms common sense, which most scientific research does,” Professor Kesselmann said. “Competitors are competing every week or month and tend to have lower self-esteem and a poorer relationship with the horse.

“If you see some of these riders, they’re very fixated on having the rosette. And the first reaction if the horse is sick or lame is, ‘I can’t go to the show.’ These people get self-esteem from competition results, which weakens the self-esteem. If a competitive rider sees the horse as an object – that’s the mountain we have to climb.”

Riders who can adapt easily, and who actively try to improve their equestrian knowledge and skills, tended to practise more horse-centred training and have a better relationship with their horses.

Professor Kesselmann said building riders’ self-esteem from the start is key to change, but that people can challenge their own perspectives on their horses.

“A key factor for change is the perspective the rider has of his horse,” she said. “Is the horse an object, a functional object that has to fulfill success in competition? If riders go out [hacking], in my experience they experience the joy of being with the horse, but if they’re just training in the arena, for the next competition, the joy is less.

“But if you see the horse as a subject, with needs, wishes, emotions; this is the key difference. We have to train and support in every area of riding education and stables, and with parents.

“The basis of everything is your view of the horse. If it just has a function, to fulfill my needs, I’m not willing to reflect on my actions, on what the horse needs or wants. If you see the horse as a subject, we have the chance to change everything.”

Confirming observations

Harriet Goudard, a private advisor and practitioner who works with riders and senior leaders, told H&H she welcomes the research, which confirms her observations.

“The horse doesn’t respond to how we present ourselves, he responds to what we actually carry within,” she said. “Kesselmann’s finding that lower self-esteem correlates with more dominance-oriented behaviour toward horses maps precisely to what I see in the arena.

“When a rider’s nervous system is organised around proving competence, managing external judgment or compensating for patterns of not-enoughness, the horse feels it immediately. The tension in the contact, the subtle bracing in the solar plexus and hip flexors – the more overt override of the horse’s signals.”

Ms Goudard added that the fact some competition riders have lower self-esteem than leisure riders was a “striking” finding.

“Performance pressure, constant evaluation and an – often old – identity tied to results creates exactly the conditions where dominance becomes a coping strategy,” she said. “Not because the rider is unkind, but because their nervous system is programmed to need control in order to feel safe.

“The implication for training is significant, because technical instruction alone doesn’t reach this layer. What shifts the horse-human relationship at this depth is work that addresses the nervous system, somatics, epigenetics and the self-concept of the rider.

“The horse has always known this. The research is beginning to catch up.”

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‘We want people to make decisions based on the right information’: colic misconceptions influencing horse owners’ approach

Becky Murray — Tue, 12 May 2026 15:56:43 +0000

Misconceptions around colic and reluctance to change are influencing owner decision-making, research has shown.

In a study published in Equine Veterinary Journal, researchers from the University of Nottingham investigated the impact of evidence-based information on horse owners’ decision-making for colic.

More than 1,500 UK horse owners took part in a survey that asked questions around owner demographics, views on decision-making and referral to equine hospital, current knowledge and approach, and evidence-based information.

Results showed that owners were more likely to agree to referral if their horses were insured and less likely if the horse was older or if they felt pressure. Many participants were unaware of how quickly irreversible intestinal damage can occur, costs of surgery and insurance cover limits, post-operative survival rates for older horses or prognosis for return to work following colic surgery. It was also found that sharing evidence-based information on the above had “limited impact” on decision-making.

“Misconceptions around colic were common, with many horse owners reluctant to change their approach after evidence-based information. Intent to pursue referral was less likely with increasing horse age and perceived pressure to refer,” the researchers concluded.

Lead author Katie Burrell told H&H the paper is from a series of studies completed as part of her PhD, which explore how vets and owners make decisions for critical colic cases. H&H reported on a study published by Dr Burrell in 2024 that looked at the long-term impact of colic decisions on owners (news, 11 July).

“Overall, this work has highlighted how challenging these decisions can be, as owners have to consider many different factors under difficult emotional circumstances,” said Dr Burrell.

“My work has shown the importance of planning ahead, getting all the facts and discussing options with someone you trust, so that if you ever have to make difficult decisions for a horse with colic, you are ready and prepared to make the best decision for them and your particular circumstances.”

Misconceptions around equine colic

Co-author Sarah Freeman told H&H there continue to be plenty of misconceptions around colic. These include the belief that horses should be walked instead of being allowed to roll, that older horses will not survive colic surgery and that horses who have surgery will not come back to full work.

“We know there are a lot of colic myths and we wanted to see if you give people facts and information, is that going to change what they do? I found it really interesting that some of the beliefs are so ingrained and so widely disseminated, it’s really difficult to change them,” she said.

“Some of the myths are fairly innocuous, but some are really quite major – and that’s why we were really keen to publish this work. We want people to make decisions based on the right information. If someone euthanises a horse because they think it can’t return to competing when it could have done, that’s really sad if it’s something the owner would have opted for if they had known the correct information.”

Professor Freeman said there are many valid reasons for not referring a horse for surgery, and added that emergency decisions are often the ones people feel “less happy about” – emphasising the need for owners to have emergency plans.

“People will make all sorts of different decisions based on their circumstances and there’s lots of reasons why somebody might decide not to refer their horse and that’s absolutely fine – but if that decision is based on a fact that is wrong, that’s really something we need to tackle,” she said.

H&H vet Karen Coumbe said: “Anything that raises owners’ awareness in advance of that distressing moment when they are faced with a severe case of colic and are required to make a rapid decision on whether surgery is the best option is useful. Horse welfare is the most important thing, however the decision-making can be difficult for all concerned.”

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Cheesy chips could be banned at show centres after research finds performance-enhancing effect [April Fool]

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:01:04 +0000

Cheesy chips could be banned from competition venues, H&H can reveal, as research has found they can have a performance-enhancing effect on riders and horses.

The equestrian centre cafe staple has been found to improve concentration and memory in riders, owing to the effect of the combination of ingredients on the hypothalamus area of the brain. But there are also indications they can increase stride length and flexion in horses.

Lead researcher Cee Solte, from the Applied Potato Research Initiative Laboratory, told H&H the findings are “unprecedented”.

“Riders everywhere had been telling us they feel boosted after a tray of cheesy chips, and less confident had they not eaten any, but to find this explicit proof is very exciting,” she said.

The professor and her co-author Vinnie Garre applied tiny sensors to riders’ skulls to record the strengths of various signals communicated by their brains before, during and after dressage tests and showjumping rounds. Each rider did this at three shows – on the same horse and competing at the same level – having eaten cheesy chips, plain chips or a “superfood” quinoa-based salad bowl.

“In this sort of study, you hope to find a statistically significant difference but these results were off the scale,” Dr Garre told H&H. “When they’d had the cheesy chips, the riders were unstoppable.”

The researchers said one interesting finding was that although the plan chips had a neutral or very slightly positive effect, the quinoa actually seemed to decrease performance.

Professor Solte added that the second stage of the project, which is yet to be published, came about by chance as some riders were seen sharing their cheesy chips with their horses.

“We noticed that these horses were scoring even more highly, and clocking up faster jump-off times, so we looked into that too,” she said. “We can’t share the full data yet but by using biomechanical markers, we’re confident the horses experienced a similar benefit, just physically rather than mentally.”

The researchers’ working hypothesis is that the combination of potato, medium Cheddar and tomato ketchup fuses together to create a chemical reaction in the human hypothalamus. It is thought the similarity in human and equine physiology explains the effect on horses.

The International Equestrian Federation has confirmed to H&H it has seen and is processing the results, and warned that a ban on the sale of cheesy chips at show centres looks likely.

“Our rules have to ensure a level playing field,” a spokesperson said. The British Horse Federation told H&H any ban would be duplicated at national level.

Potato campaign group Fries of Our Lives told H&H it will appeal against any ban; chief executive Tommy Kay said: “Without show centre sales, the chip – and indeed cheese – industries could fall apart.”

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‘Horses are in good hands’: new research shows post-surgery equine deaths are declining

Becky Murray — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 13:33:12 +0000

The number of equine deaths associated with general anaesthesia has declined in the last 20 years, data has shown.

Researchers – who formed the Confidential Enquiry into Perioperative Equine Fatalities Community Interest Company (CEPEF CIC) – have published their latest phase of the enquiry, CEPEF4, into general anaesthetic-related horse deaths since the 1990s. The work, published in 2025, involved analysis of data from 47,000 procedures across 93 veterinary practices and hospitals, in 23 countries and four continents.

The aim was to build on the work of the original studies published in 2002 and consider the seven-day outcome for horses following general anaesthesia. Key findings include the fact that the death rate in otherwise healthy horses – those who underwent anaesthesia for an elective procedure rather than for emergency abdominal surgery such as colic or caesarean section – has decreased from 0.9% to 0.6% since CEPEF2 in 2002. Whereas 33% of deaths in these cases previously related to cardiac arrest, this figure has dropped to around 12% in the last 20 years. This decline has been attributed to a change in some of the drugs used, new techniques and improved monitoring in equine general anaesthesia. The new data found that, in those non-colic cases, the main causes of death were fractures occurring during the recovery period (35%) followed by post-anaesthetic colic during the seven-day period (20%).

As expected, mortality in compromised patients was higher but decreased from 7.8% to 4.2% in the last two decades. The main reasons for this are the improvements in perioperative management of colic by both referring vets and the specialised treatment provided in referral hospitals.

Lead researcher Miguel Gozalo-Marcilla of the University of Edinburgh told H&H that even with this reduction in death rate, risks of anaesthetising a horse are still much greater than a dog. For example, horses are more prone to complications owing to their size and the fact of being prey animals, especially in the immediate recovery period after general anaesthesia. When they recover from a general anaesthetic, horses are more at risk of panicking and try to stand, which can lead to fractures. Good management of anaesthesia during the operation, maintaining a healthy blood circulation and respiration will reduce the likelihood of disaster such as post-anaesthetic myopathy which may lead to catastrophic recovery.

“The reduction in deaths is mainly because the drugs and techniques we are now using are safer, vets are better trained in monitoring and stabilising the more compromised patients pre-operatively in an adequate manner, apart from providing better pain management,” said Dr Gozalo-Marcilla.

“We also know more about certain risk factors – a compromised patient with colic, a pregnant mare, a very fat or skinny horse or if the anaesthetic is longer than two hours, all increase the risk of the horse not surviving the seven-day period. We were also able to identify some protective factors too, like giving a little sedation before the recovery phase to reduce the risk of the horse panicking.”

“The results are promising but there are still some unanswered questions; particularly around post-operation recovery, the critical phase. We can let a horse recover on its own, or ropes can be used to support them, but there’s still no evidence as to which is better – and whether we should be ventilating patients. We want to know how we can reduce this 0.6% death rate further.”

Dr Gozalo-Marcilla said the message to owners is that general anaesthesia in horses is very high risk – more so if a horse is unwell going into it – but that “things have improved massively in 20 years”.

“Things have changed for good, we know there have been improvements and when owners send their horses to a referral setting, they are in good hands,” he said.

Horse Trust director of research and policy Jan Rogers told H&H: “The Horse Trust was pleased to be able to fund this study, which drew data from nearly 48,000 cases across the world.

“The results are reassuring, that there are fewer horses lost under general anaesthetic than was shown in a similar study 20 years ago and that good information is available about the causes of the losses that did occur. This means we can continually improve by monitoring and supporting patients better and by careful use of pre-medication and sedation during recovery – all of which can help to lower risk factors and inform clinical decisions and patient safety.”

The CEPEF CIC are: Dr Miguel Gozalo-Marcilla (University of Edinburgh), Dr Polly Taylor (Taylor Monroe, UK), Dr Mark Johnston (Vetstream Ltd, UK), Prof Regula Bettschartt-Wolfensberger (University of Zürich, Switzerland), Prof José Ignacio Redondo García (Universidad Cardenal Herrera – CEU, Spain).

The authors would like to thank as sources of funding the Association Veterinary Anaesthetists (AVA), Kate Borer-Weir Memorial Fund and the AVA Trust, and the Horse Trust.

“Also, the open-mindedness, hard work, honesty and diligence of the personnel, ambassadors and every single user of each collaborating centre who submitted the cases for the standing sedation study,” said the authors.

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AI trained to detect fractures in horses opens door to preventing catastrophic injuries

Lucy Elder — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:15:25 +0000

An artificial intelligence (AI) system that can detect and pinpoint fractures in horses has been nominated for a top award.

Research from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has been shortlisted for the STEM for Britain 2026 award, in recognition of its work in applying AI to improve fracture detection in animals.

The research team compiled a databank of images, including 100 equine fracture cases, 70 feline cases and approximately 4,000 human fracture images from a public database.

The researchers built an AI system that can identify the type of scan (such as an X-ray, CT, or MRI), recognises the image angle and detects and locates fractures. They found the system was effective in finding fractures in horses, using knowledge gained from thousands of human fracture images. This is known as transfer learning.

It meant that the model could be trained on human scan images then adapted for veterinary use. The system reached an accuracy of 71 to 84%, without needing “an unrealistically large number of equine images” to learn from.

The study, funded by the Horserace Betting Levy Board, was led by Ruby Chang, associate professor of statistics at the RVC, and carried out by Hanya Ahmed.

“Dr Ahmed has brilliantly translated expertise in medical image analysis to the veterinary field, developing a novel AI system to detect fractures in racehorses,” said Dr Chang.

“This exceptional work has now also been published in Bioengineering. This dual recognition is a testament to Dr Ahmed’s skill and dedication and a wonderful celebration of our team’s collaborative effort to advance diagnostic technology.”

The team has also expanded its collaboration with the Hong Kong Jockey Club to explore whether AI can identify early bone changes in racehorses before a fracture happens. It is hoped that, if successful, this could support efforts to prevent catastrophic injuries.

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Horses who sleep better learn better, new research finds

Lucy Elder — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:31:04 +0000

Horses who get their beauty sleep learn better than their sleep-deprived counterparts, a new study has found.

Researchers at the University of Helsinki discovered that horses who had more than 30 minutes of REM (rapid eye-movement) sleep at night performed better in a new learning test than those who did not. REM sleep can only be achieved when a horse is lying down.

The study did not involve keeping horses awake and no external signs of sleep disturbances were seen during the study. Rather, it monitored REM sleep in a group of 16 riding school horses in their normal environment over the period of six weeks. In this time, researchers conducted five sets of behavioural measurements, each lasting 48 hours.

During the day, the horses took part in a learning test, in which their perseverance and performance were monitored. As a starting point, the horses were taught to touch an upturned bucket for a treat. Once the horse learnt that, the test became more complex – another upturned bucket was put in his field, but only one would result in a treat if he touched it.

After seven correct touches, the rules changed and he needed to touch the other for his reward of a piece of carrot. All bar one of the horses picked up what to do, but those with less REM sleep gave up more easily.

“Shorter REM sleep did not increase the number of mistakes, but had a particular effect on how long the horses worked on the task,” said study author and vet Mira Hämäläinen. “This suggests that REM sleep in horses is associated with motivation and perseverance.”

She added: “While the horses were quick to learn simple tasks, the effects of short REM sleep periods started to show in longer and more demanding tasks.”

Doctoral researcher Iina Brotherus, who studies equine sleep and co-authored the study, said the findings offer a new tool for assessing the learning capacity and welfare of horses.

“They also emphasise the importance of sleep as part of their overall wellbeing,” she said.

Co-author Laura Hänninen told H&H the study started through Ms Hämäläinen’s work to develop a learning test and research into bedding conditions, but during the monitoring of the horses, they found these “fascinating results”.

“We noticed these normal-looking, healthy riding school horses – none of whom had any sleeping problems that we could see from the videos – were resting in different amounts and behaving differently in the test,” she said.

“Horses have this unique evolutionary adaptation skill where they can postpone their REM sleep for weeks, in some cases in months, but that comes at a cost. But even this slightly reduced amount of REM sleep came with the cost that they didn’t function in the test as well as their friends who were sleeping better. That was a surprise.”

She said this link is something that has been seen in other species, including humans.

Adjunct Professor Hänninen added that the findings raise “many questions to be studied”. For example, looking into other types of horses, such as those with known clinical sleep problems.

She also raised the point that the horses in this study were riding school horses, adding: “We don’t know if professional horses have maybe quite different cognitive skills – they have to adapt to being in a vehicle, different stables, at competitions. It would be quite interesting to see how they would function in the test.”

The study was conducted in collaboration with the Finnish Equine Information Centre, Tuire Kaimio and Henna-Kaisa Wigren, a researcher from the SleepWell group active in Meilahti.

H&H vet Karen Coumbe said: “This is interesting, not least as well as the most obvious point that it is in line with the findings from various other species showing that reduced REM sleep is associated with suboptimal mood, performance deficits and impaired learning. It is also relevant that the horses pick up on the cues from their handlers – visual and otherwise, which I sometimes think is easy to forget.

“We should be so aware of how horses need their sleep – same as us.”

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Dressage horses’ stress behaviours increase with competition levels – but scores unaffected

Becky Murray — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:41:19 +0000

New research has shown promise around noseband tightness in dressage – but that stress behaviour increases with competition level and judges are not penalising it.

In a study, published in Animals, Czech researchers aimed to assess whether noseband tightness at national competitions would influence how horses “express stress”. But when nearly all of the more than 200 evaluated combinations were found to have correctly fitted nosebands, measured with the FEI tool, the researchers looked at equine stress behaviours across the levels from elementary to grand prix. Noseband type, bridle choice and scores were also considered.

The research found that stress-related behaviours increased with test difficulty; at lower levels, horses showed a wider range of behaviours including mouth opening, tail swishing, behind-the-vertical posture or reluctance. At higher levels, horses showed fewer types of behaviours but more frequently, and mouth-related responses became dominant. Other findings included that horses showed more conflict behaviours in double bridles than snaffles, and from medium level upwards, judges’ scores did not reflect the amount of stress-behaviour shown.

Lead author Simona Fialová of the Brno University of Technology told H&H there were “several important” surprises.

“The disconnect between stress and judging above medium level was striking. Even when horses showed high levels of conflict behaviour – over 70% of the test at grand prix – scores remained unaffected,” she said.

“Perhaps most interesting was the strong effect of noseband style at lower levels; horses ridden with a Swedish crank noseband (with leverage buckles) showed significantly fewer mouth-related issues compared with a plain English cavesson and flash. This deserves deeper investigation, because the reason may relate to pressure distribution.”

Ms Fialová said the findings are consistent with earlier studies showing that technical difficulty and more complex movements “tend to increase stress behaviours” – and that this research “contributed something new”.

“We provide a large set of data across six national levels, demonstrating how the expression of stress narrows as horses progress upward. We also show a remarkably high level of compliance with FEI noseband rules, which has not been documented clearly before,” she said.

“We also want to highlight the practical challenges judges face. At levels like grand prix, where they must count steps, tempi changes and pirouette rotations, their attention is understandably drawn to technical execution rather than welfare-related behaviour. This suggests the potential value of a dedicated harmony or welfare-focused mark.”

Read the full study

Danish vet and leading animal welfare researcher Mette Uldahl told H&H this was a “thought-provoking” study.

“While noseband tightness is central to the research question, the findings reinforce something that has been shown repeatedly: discipline and level significantly influence the horse’s lived experience under saddle,” she said.

“Across studies, horses competing at higher dressage levels consistently display increased reactivity, more conflict behaviours and more frequent open-mouth behaviour compared to those at lower levels.”

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Horses can smell humans’ fear and joy, study finds, and change their behaviour accordingly

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 12:49:25 +0000

Horses can smell humans’ fear, a study has found, and its scent and that of other emotions can influence horses’ behaviour.

Research published in scientific journal Plos One found that horses showed “significantly heightened” fear responses and reduced interaction with people when they were exposed to fear-related human odours.

“These results highlight the significance of chemosignals in interspecific interactions and provide insights into questions about the impact of domestication on emotional communication,” the researchers said. “Moreover, these findings have practical implications regarding the significance of handlers’ emotional states and its transmission through odours during human-horse interactions.”

The research team, led by Plotine Jardat, equine welfare and behaviour researcher at the Institut Français du Cheval et de l’Equitation, said that smell is the most common sense by which animals communicate, but human understanding of this is limited.

They cited previous work highlighting the role of sweat produced in human armpits in conveying information about emotional state to other people, and research indicating that dogs respond to human odours linked to fear and stress.

“Mice and cows also appear to discriminate human odours associated with different emotional states,” the researchers state. “But to date the role of olfaction in interspecific interactions remains insufficiently understood.

“The aim of the present study was to further explore the role of emotional olfactory signals in interspecific interactions, and more precisely in human-animal interactions.”

Recognising human expressions

Previous research has found that horses can recognise individual human faces from pictures, and remember them for at least six months, and that they can perceive our emotions, reacting differently to angry and happy expressions.

The researchers recruited 30 human volunteers, who watched horror and “joyful” films on separate days, each time with cotton pads in their armpits. The pads, and others that had not been exposed to any sweat, were held in front of the horses’ nostrils in different situations. The team observed their behaviour and measured their heart rate and levels of stress hormone cortisol in the saliva.

“More than just a reaction to odours, there appears to be an analogy between the emotional state of the donor (human) and that of the receiver (horse),” the researchers said. “Indeed, the observed responses indicate a shift towards a more negative and higher arousal emotional state in horses, consistent with the emotional valence and arousal of the human emitters.

“Our observations suggest that emotional contagion of fear through odours, previously observed among humans, could also occur interspecifically, although these results still need validation from independent studies.”

In conclusion, the researchers said they have shown that human emotional body odours can influence horses’ behaviour and physiology – that horses can smell humans’ fear.

“This highlights the significance of chemosignals in interspecific interactions and provides new insights into questions about the impact of domestication on emotional communication,” they said. “Practical implications include acknowledging the importance of handlers’ emotional state and its potential transmission through chemosignals during human-horse interactions.”

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Extended grief after the loss of an animal can affect people as much as a human bereavement, research shows

Becky Murray — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 14:02:54 +0000

Experiencing extended and extreme grief following the death of a pet can affect some people as much as a human bereavement, a study has shown.

The paper, published in scientific journal Plos One, has looked at whether prolonged grief disorder (PGD) can occur following the death of a pet. The psychiatric condition, of which symptoms include intense emotional pain, feelings of guilt or sorrow and difficulty of accepting the loss, may only be diagnosed if someone is still experiencing these feelings 12 months after a human bereavement – but researchers of Maynooth University, Ireland, said not including pets in the criteria could be “significantly misguided”.

Data was collected from 975 UK adults, who answered questions on their bereavement experiences – including which had caused them the most distress. Of those who had lost both a human and a pet, 21% said the death of the pet was the most distressing.

Of all of the respondents, 84 people met diagnostic requirements for PGD; 7.5% following the death of a pet; similar to the rates of those who met the criteria following the loss of a close friend (7.8%), a grandparent, cousin or aunt/uncle (8.3%) or sibling (8.9%).

The researchers said the results show people can experience “clinically relevant levels of grief after the death of a pet” and that PGD symptoms “manifest in the same way regardless of the species of the deceased”.

Researcher Philip Hyland highlighted that the vast majority of people who suffer a bereavement adjust and cope, but told H&H that of the small percentage of people who develop PGD, one factor can be the closeness of the relationship to the deceased; the condition is seen more following the death of children or spouses.

“When that relationship is lost it affects the person enormously, because of the closeness but also the void that’s left day to day. If you think about that in terms of pets, those attachments are incredibly close and people feel responsible for them, and so when that’s gone that’s very hard to adjust to,” said Professor Hyland, adding that he believes evidence is growing for pets to be included in PGD guidelines.

“Human relationships are complicated, people can invariably argue or betray each other – but relationships with animals are just so pure, they’re the most perfect distillation of love and positive relationship that I think you can find.

“If somebody is suffering there are treatments available, and the idea that they either wouldn’t seek them or they wouldn’t be provided, just because they lost an animal and not a human is awful. Why shouldn’t we offer people help?”

There were limitations to the research in that animal owners “face unique challenges” such as euthanasia decisions – and Professor Hyland believes this would be an area to study.

“We know from humans that the cause of death can affect the likelihood of developing PGD,” he said.

“With pets and euthanasia, owners take advice from vets and other people, but ultimately they have to make a decision to end their pet’s life. They can experience guilt and shame or question if they made the right decision, and I wonder to what extent that unique position might influence their likelihood of developing PGD.”

Professor Hyland said there could be scope to include animals’ being included by employers who allow staff leave after family bereavements.

“Whether someone has lost a person or an animal, if they’re suffering or in tremendous distress why wouldn’t we try to support them?” he said.

Read the paper in full

Equine and small-animal welfare charity Blue Cross offers support for owners through its free pet loss support service.

“People often struggle to talk about their emotions when it involves the loss of a beloved animal – even with family and friends,” Blue Cross pet loss support manager Annalisa de Cateret told H&H.

“For many, their pets and horses are truly part of the family, and for some their only family. Losing them can be a devastating, confusing and lonely experience so it’s good that this topic is being looked into and spoken about more.”

Contact the service on 0800 096 6606, by email plsemail@bluecross.org.uk or webchat at www.bluecross.org.uk/pls.

Do you think companies should allow their employees time off following the loss of an animal? Let us know at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your thoughts to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

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Tiny wearable sensors could reduce risk of fatal horse injuries

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 12:28:39 +0000

Tiny wearable sensors could help reduce catastrophic injury in racehorses, a study has found.

Research led by Washington State University (WSU) in the US found the sensors can help identify horses at higher risk, potentially reducing injuries by 20%.

The sensors record stride movements invisible to the human eye and the data are analysed by an algorithm and compared to patterns from sound horses and those who have suffered fatal injuries. This generates a risk score of between one and six for each horse.

The researchers tested the sensors in nearly 30,000 races involving more than 11,800 thoroughbreds at 10 tracks across the US between 2021 and 2024. The study, published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, found horses with a risk score of six were 44 times more likely to suffer a fatal injury than those with a score of one. Horses with a score of six made up 0.4% of starts but 4% of fatalities.

“This technology can help us to intervene before a fatal musculoskeletal injury occurs,” said lead researcher Warwick Bayly, a professor in WSU’s college of veterinary medicine.

“We now have the potential to prevent injuries that would end a horse’s career, or even its life, and make racing safer. Our data show focusing on horses flagged with the highest risk scores could reduce fatal injury rates by nearly 20%.”

A WSU spokesperson said figures show most horses who suffer fatal injuries in racing had existing bone conditions.

“Every fatal injury is devastating, not just for the horse and connections but for the sport itself,” Dr Bayly said. “Instead of relying on what we can see – which is very little at full gallop – we now have hard data that tells us when something isn’t right.”

The study also found that horses’ age was not a significant risk factor, but males were more likely to suffer a fatal injury than females.

“It’s common to see human athletes wearing biometric sensors to monitor performance and prevent injuries,” Bayly said. “We can now use the same technology to improve the safety of horse racing. If we can identify horses at risk and intervene ahead of time, we not only save lives but also strengthen the integrity and sustainability of the sport.”

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New tendon research could help prevent and treat injuries

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 12:38:46 +0000

The discovery that ageing causes significant blood vessel loss in equine tendons could help identify horses at risk of injury and the best way to treat them.

The Royal Veterinary College research considered imaging of the superficial digital flexor tendon, and found that older horses – those aged between 18 and 22 – showed a 70% reduction in vascular volume (the amount of blood present in the tendon blood vessels). They also found a reduction of 30% in vessel diameter, and 74% in the number of vessels, compared to horses aged between two and five.

“This means older tendons receive far less blood flow, making them more vulnerable to damage and slower to heal,” an RVC spokesperson said.

“At the same time, the team observed an increase in the formation of smaller blood vessels within aged tendons, suggesting that the tissue attempts to compensate for the loss of larger vessels. However, this new vascular network appeared disorganised, indicating a loss of vascular balance, so the normal structure and coordination of blood vessels is disrupted. These changes suggest that the new disorganised vessels may not function effectively, reinforcing the need to monitor tendon health closely as horses age.”

The team was led by post-doctoral researcher Nodoka Iwasaki and lecturer Chavaunne Thorpe.

“This study used advanced 3D imaging to reveal, for the first time, how the blood supply to the horse’s tendon changes with age,” Dr Iwasaki said. “We found that older tendons lose many of their larger blood vessels, which are crucial for repair and recovery. This helps explain why older horses are more prone to tendon injuries and why these injuries heal more slowly. We are now exploring ways to prevent this age-related decline, with the aim of improving outcomes for older horses diagnosed with tendon injury”.

Dr Thorpe added that the team is developing methods of slowing the age-related declines, which “if successful, may improve prognosis in older horses diagnosed with tendon injury”.

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‘But my horse is well cared for’: equestrians conflicted over equine welfare versus long-standing habits

Lucy Elder — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 16:27:52 +0000

A new study looks into how humans can hold conflicting thoughts about horse welfare at the same time – and how they reconcile and rationalise their actions to quieten those uncomfortable feelings.

“But my horse is well cared for” is the title quote from the study, published in Animal Welfare, an international journal of animal welfare science. It found these mental processes appear to be “a barrier to change”, and researchers hope the findings can be useful in informing human behaviour change strategies to improve horse welfare.

Researchers at the University of Lincoln took on “a qualitative exploration of cognitive dissonance and enculturation in equestrian attitudes toward performance horses and their welfare”. The dictionary definition of cognitive dissonance is “a state in which there is a difference between your experiences or behaviour and your beliefs about what is true”, and enculturation is absorbing values and behavioural patterns – in this context, the equestrian world.

They interviewed 22 equestrians in the US, Canada and the UK – the aim was not to generalise the findings, but to understand perspectives – and they found five main themes.

The first was that respondents perceived welfare issues and expressed concern for the wellbeing of horses, but also justified practices they acknowledged as harmful by employing several strategies, including reframing and trivialisation. For example, discussing the benefits of turnout and then justifying not providing it.

The second was different conceptions of what constitutes a good life for horses. Nearly all study participants identified having a job and enjoying it as an important part of a good life for a horse, but also spoke about a good life in terms of the horse being able to just be themselves as a horse.

The other themes were objectification of the horse, instrumentalisation of horse care and enculturation.

Erica Cheung, who has an interest in animal welfare and co-authored the paper with Daniel Mills and Beth Ann Ventura, told H&H: “I really wanted to look into how we help people to see things differently, and that starts with understanding what people see in the first place”.

She added that she is “not trying to tell people” what is good and bad welfare, but to encourage people to examine their own thought processes and consider what makes an animal happy and their life worth living from the animal’s perspective, rather than a human point of view.

She added that the equine industry talks about putting the horse first, “but we have to really understand what that means”.

“I think that there needs to not only be a lot of emphasis on welfare research in terms of understanding the horses, but also understanding the people,” she said. “We’re the guardians of these animals, we have to really understand ourselves in terms of why we do certain things and what’s going to help change our minds about what’s best for the horses.”

World Horse Welfare’s director of UK, vet Malcolm Morley, told H&H: “It’s encouraging that many riders in this study describe a ‘good life’ for horses in ways that echo the five domains – a healthy environment, good health and nutrition, positive emotional wellbeing, and freedom to move, socialise, and make choices that are meaningful to them.

“The harder truth is that knowing this and putting it into practice are not the same thing, and there is a significant gap. Long-standing habits, traditions and the pressures of competition can pull people away from what they believe is right for their horses. While that gap is real, we believe it’s fixable.

“We particularly agree with the study’s point that to care for an animal well you must first care about them, but almost every owner would say they care. The difference shows up in everyday choices.

“At World Horse Welfare we want to help the whole sector make that shift from ‘what’s normal’ to ‘what’s best for the horse’ – particularly focused on things like more turnout, social contact, and evidence-based horse-centred training methods.

“Horses are thinking, feeling animals and our responsibility is to see their world through their eyes and put their needs at the centre of our decisions – even when it’s inconvenient or goes against tradition. Small changes, made widely, add up to a better life for horses.”

Read the full study

Ms Cheung is seeking views for further research in this area. For more information and to take part in a study, visit: https://unilincolnlifescienc.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cvS5pxbmsQUPkvY

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Research confirms enrichment can have a positive impact on stabled horses

Becky Murray — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 13:35:01 +0000

Hay feeders, mirrors and activity balls can improve horses’ time in the stable, research has shown.

In a study published in Animals, US researchers assessed the physiological and behavioural responses of nine stabled horses to hay feeders, mirrors and activity balls, provided in addition to their usual bucket feed and hay fed from the ground.

The results showed that enrichment increased heart rate, foraging and locomotion and that overall, horses performed more “species-typical time budgets”.

“The hay feeder, activity ball and mirror appeared equally engaging, so we concluded that both edible and non-edible items can be effective enrichment,” lead author Miranda Brauns of the University California Davis told H&H.

“Additionally, enrichment decreased frustration behaviours, so we suggest that horses responded to enrichment with a positive emotional state, although additional research involving judgment bias testing is needed to more definitively conclude horses’ emotional states.”

Ms Brauns said the aim was to improve understanding so we can “better utilise enrichment as a welfare tool, particularly for horses who may spend sizeable time in a stable setting”.

“Enrichment effects on horses have been studied before, but there is very limited research that analyses both physiological and behavioural components. There is also limited research that compares multiple items within the same study. Therefore, our research incorporated these variables so we may obtain a more comprehensive understanding of enrichment,” said Ms Brauns.

“This study gives evidence that providing enrichment has a positive effect on physiology and behaviour, so it is strongly recommended to improve the overall welfare of stabled horses. We also found a time-of-day effect, so we recommend providing enrichment during times when horses do not have daily meal provisions.

“Individual horses may respond to enrichment in different ways, so horse owners are encouraged to try different enrichments to see what works best for their horse.”

In the study, the horses’ had at least one and a half hours of training and 30 minutes of turnout per day. H&H asked Ms Brauns if she felt the results might be different with increased turnout.

“I would hypothesise that results would be different if turnout time was greater. This is supported by enrichment studies that tested in larger paddocks and had differing results to ours,” she said.

“For example, Benhajali et al. 2009 saw a decrease in locomotion with enrichment whereas we saw an increase. Even if testing remained in stalls, a greater time in turnout may change how horses behave while in their stalls, due to the fact that turnout can be considered a form of enrichment itself. Therefore, this would be another interesting question future research could undertake.”

Read the full study

World Horse Welfare director of UK welfare Malcolm Morley said the charity always recommends that people turn out their horses as much as possible.

“It’s really important to provide horses with the three Fs – friends, forage and freedom. Nothing replaces regular turnout with companions,” he told H&H. “However, if a horse has to be stabled, they should ideally have continuous access to forage, supplemented by a variety of forms of enrichment that may help them cope, so it’s great to have some evidence to support this in the form of this study.

“As ever, we’d urge owners to treat all horses as individuals and try out several different types of enrichment and ways to provide forage to see what their own horse prefers – our farms have seen some quite distinct preferences when trialling this with our horses. More research on longer-term impacts and with larger groups of horses would be welcomed.”

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New ‘invaluable’ research to help owners understand grief in horses

Becky Murray — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 16:44:41 +0000

Allowing a horse to see the body of a companion following its death can help with the grieving process, research into grief in horses has confirmed.

Researchers from the University of Lincoln and the San Marco Veterinary Clinic, Italy, aimed to identify behavioural changes in horses who have experienced the loss of a companion. An online survey collected information on 325 surviving horses, including relationship details between the survivor and deceased, whether the survivor was present at the time of death, if they saw the deceased horse’s body and their behaviour at different time periods following the passing.

The researchers found that most horses showed a change in behaviour following the death of a companion; 58.53% showed an increase in arousal, 68.63% a change in vocalisation and 67.68% an increase in movement. In the first 24 hours, horses who witnessed the death generally increased their vigilance behaviour and reduced time spent eating and sleeping – which “may reflect an initial stress response”.

Horses who had the opportunity to spend time with the body, but who did not witness the death were more likely to have no behaviour change – a response that has also been reported in dogs.

“It is possible that having access to the body allows the surviving horse to gather information on the condition of the companion, such as its lack of responsiveness and/or state of the body, as does witnessing the death of the companion,” said the researchers.

“This might allow a better understanding of the situation – i.e. the ‘death’ of the other in the sense of some form of permanent loss of another.”

Lead researcher Claire Ricci-Bonot told H&H that “perhaps it was not surprising, but it seems that for the surviving horse seeing the body is important”.

“There is growing interest in terms of end-of-life decisions for horses, but there has not been much research about the remaining companion, so we wanted to better understand this,” said Dr Ricci-Bonot, adding that there is a need for further research on how grief links to separation anxiety.

The study found that horses who did not witness the death and/or had no time with the body were more likely to have changes in behaviour, such as increased arousal and vocalisation, during the next six months – similar to responses reported when the same horses had been separated, which “could indicate some form of distress associated with separation”.

“Separation anxiety is a topic that has not been studied much. The grief response is emotionally related to the sense of loss derived from separation from a companion, regardless of its permanence,” said Dr Ricci-Bonot.

Take part in the University of Lincoln’s study on separation anxiety in horses by completing this survey.

World Horse Welfare UK director Malcolm Morley told H&H: “We know that horses, as sentient beings, can experience positive and negative emotions, so this study into grief is invaluable for owners.

“Knowing that allowing a horse to see the body of their lost companion may help them to cope better, in the longer term, enables owners to make an informed decision about how to help their surviving horses through what can be a very difficult time.

“However, it’s important to recognise that it will not always be possible for horses to see the body – if, for instance, a horse passes away during an operation at a veterinary hospital – and that owners shouldn’t feel guilt in such situations, which are out of their control.”

Mr Morley added that ensuring horses have another companion, so they are not left on their own following the death of a friend, “can help greatly with the grieving process”.

“Anyone who loses a horse unexpectedly and has one left alone can contact us and we will do our utmost to find a suitable companion rapidly,” he said.

“We know that equine end of life and decisions around this is a hugely difficult time for owners and it’s absolutely OK to struggle with this. Our advice line is available in office hours on 01953 497238 for anyone in need of an empathetic, expert ear to discuss this decision with.”

Read the study abstract.

What has been your experience of how horses have reacted after losing a companion? Let us know at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine. Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

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Equine conflict behaviours shown more in snaffle bridles than doubles, research finds

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 13:31:55 +0000

Double bridles’ effect on equine behaviour and noseband tightness were among the topics discussed at a session on biomechanics at the 2025 British Equine Veterinary Association 2025 congress.

Researchers presented abstracts of studies yet to be published in full, on hot topics in the industry.

Russell MacKechnie-Guire covered a study on the effect of double bridles. H&H reported on some of the findings of this work, which found that doubles exert similar or less nasal pressure and rein tension than snaffles in elite horses; this abstract considered behaviour.

“Welfare concerns have been raised over the use of the double bridle, and the double bride in itself is often associated, or suggested to be the cause of, conflict behaviour, such as mouth separation, tongue retraction, tongue bulging or discoloration, lateral displacement,” he said. “But there is no quantitative data to explicitly say it’s the bridle that’s causing it.

“Oral lesions have been associated with bars of the mandibles with a straight bit and in a snaffle in the [folds] of the lips. The double bridle is as topical as noseband tightness, and there are groups and stakeholders calling for a ban of the double bridle on welfare grounds.”

But the study found no differences in most measured conflict behaviours between bridle types, in the high-level horses studied. When differences were observed, conflict behaviours were more frequent in the snaffle than the double.

Conflict behaviours

“Using a ridden horse ethogram, we found two conflict behaviours increased in the snaffle bridle,” Dr MacKechnie-Guire said. “Is this due to the rein aid being less clear when the horses were ridden in the snaffle bridle? Elite riders may have a more refined application of the rein aid, aiding improved communication with the double bridle, and maybe it’s more subtle for the rider to communicate with the horse due to the action of the two bits.

“Rein tension is similar for the double and snaffle bridle, the combined rein tension, but for the double, the force is distributed over two bits. Is it possible that the focal force from the snaffle bridle may have led to those conflict behaviours? We don’t know. Food for thought.”

Dr MacKechnie-Guire stressed that this was high-level horses and riders, and that more work is needed.

“Bridle-horse interaction is complex, and it’s likely other factors cause the presence of the conflict behaviors, not just bridle type.” he said. “And we really need more work to take this forward, and of course, in less skilled riders.”

Dr MacKechnie-Guire’s other abstract presented did consider lower-level combinations, and noseband tightness. The researchers had already found that pressure on top horses’ faces in trot was not significantly increased when nosebands were tightened from two fingers’ space to 1.5. This study had the same findings with novice horses and riders.

“We’ve had a significant step forward with the FEI introducing the noseband measuring tool in May; data used for that was partly from our studies in elite horses, but now we’ve got non-elite horses, so this data supports its use there too,” Dr MacKechnie-Guire said. “And the values at one finger tightness, as it’s always good to keep things in perspective, were less than 15 kPa, a value thought to cause pain and discomfort on the head.”

Controversial topic

One guest, vet and behaviour expert Gemma Pearson, said: “Thank you for continuing your lovely work on this controversial topic. I think it’s probably worth saying; I’m certainly aware of one yard where the girls weren’t allowed to tighten nosebands because they couldn’t get them physically tight enough. So the fact we’re arguing between 1.5 and two fingers feels like we’ve come a long way, and I think we all need to remember that.”

Julia Lanfear, a vet student in her final year, presented work on whether pulling loads can build equine topline more than ridden work. She assessed the back shape of 42 load-pulling and 26 ridden-only military horses, and found that the former work “resulted in increased convexity of the equine back compared to ridden exercise only”.

“It’s possible that load pulling could lead to hypertrophy of epaxial muscle [topline] in horses, because the musculature functions to stabilise the equine back by counteracting the forces produced by the hindlimb and forelimb muscles,” she said. “Load pulling could increase this requirement for stabilisation by increasing the propulsive force that the limbs need to generate to move the load. Load pulling could result in increased activation of the epaxial muscles and their hypertrophy.”

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Cost of colic referral ‘frequently exceeds’ insurance cover, research shows

Becky Murray — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 12:33:27 +0000

The maximum insurance cover for colic referral treatment “has not kept pace” with inflation, a new study has found, although some costs have gone down.

Researchers from the University of Nottingham and Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic looked at costs from 248 colic cases at 18 UK vet hospitals last year and data from five insurance companies, including maximum cover for vets’ fees, cost of monthly premiums, ease of obtaining a quote and readability of insurance documents.

The information was compared to data from a 2018 study, and it was found that the average cost of colic surgery had decreased, when adjusted for inflation – from £8,134 to £7,905 – but the average cost of veterinary treatment and euthanasia without surgery had increased from £1,897 to £2,379. Monthly premiums ranged from £42.76 to £97.23 in 2024/5 compared to £34.01 to £59.39 in 2018. The maximum insurance cover was between £5,000 and £7,500 in 2018; this stayed the same for three of the five companies and a fourth had not increased the figure in line with inflation.

“The maximum insurance cover had not kept pace with inflation for four of five insurance companies, and costs of referral treatment frequently exceeded this,” said the researchers, adding that monthly premiums had risen above inflation for all five companies, and was more than double the 2018 inflation-adjusted levels for two.

“All insurance documentation was outside the recommended range for ease of readability scores,” the researchers added.

Read the paper in full

Tim Mair of Bell Equine said: “Despite recent reports about vets fees rising substantially above inflation, this was not the case for the colic referral data in our study when accounting for inflation.”

Sarah Freeman of the University of Nottingham added that the research team is keen to work with vet practices and insurance companies to ensure that cost and insurance information is “clear and easily understood, so that horse owners can make the best choices.”

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Foals turned out more and weaned later go on to greater success, research finds

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 16:29:30 +0000

Thoroughbred foals who have more turnout and are weaned later are more successful in later life, research has found.

A Royal Veterinary College (RVC) study, published in the Equine Veterinary Journal, followed 129 racing-bred foals born in 2019 and 2020 from birth into training, and racing until the end of their four-year-old years. It found that those “given extensive turnout in larger pastures during their first six months of life, and those weaned later, are more likely to go on to race, compete more often, and earn more prize money”.

An RVC spokesperson said this is the first in-depth evaluation of the effect of such early experiences on thoroughbred performance.

“These novel findings can be directly applied at stud farms to help retain thoroughbreds within the industry and achieve their maximum athletic potential; outcomes that align with priorities of the Horse Welfare Board’s strategy to support the welfare of horses bred for racing,” he said.

Foals who spent more time out and were weaned later were more likely to race by the end of their fourth year, and the older they were at weaning, the more race starts they made. Those turned out in larger fields won more in prize money.

“These findings demonstrate that the first six months of life is a critical period of development in thoroughbreds, during which it is essential that turnout and weaning practices provide sufficient opportunity for positive tissue adaptation and optimal development,” the spokesperson said. “Breeders are therefore encouraged to maximise turnout whenever possible, and consider weaning after this critical period.”

Research team leader Rebecca Mouncey added: “This study is the first of its type to evaluate the effect of early-life experiences on later-life performance in thoroughbred racehorses, providing important novel findings that can be directly applied at the stud farm level to reduce wastage and improve performance in this population.”

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Lack of skill and influence of others key reasons riders use side- and draw reins

Becky Murray — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 12:03:48 +0000

Most riders who use auxiliary reins do so owing to others’ influence and their own lack of skill, research has found – and those who use them tend to have less knowledge of equine biomechanics than those who do not.

In a study published in ScienceDirect and presented at the International Society for Equitation Science conference (23–26 July), researchers investigated equestrians’ use of auxiliary reins, such as side- and draw reins. A survey, which had 570 responses, gathered data on demographics, behavioural factors relating to the use of auxiliary reins and riders’ biomechanical knowledge.

Among the results, 344 participants said they had used or would use auxiliary reins. When asked about knowledge level, 39% of total respondents felt they had moderate to good knowledge of equine biomechanics, but 280 participants, 81.4%, were unable to identify a balanced trot, from diagram sequences.

Lead author Mikaela Tapuska of the University of Edinburgh told H&H the aim of the study was to determine why equestrians used auxiliary reins, what keeps them reliant on the equipment, their perceptions about how the aids might influence horses’ movement and whether these perceptions were supported by evidence.

“We found that equestrians most often started to use auxiliary reins due to the social influence of others and their own lack of skill, either real or perceived,” she said.

Ms Tapuska added that most often, riders continue to use the auxiliary reins less because of others’ influence and more because it suits them, their horses and their ability and situation.

“Once human behaviours were established, perceived horse characteristics and lack of rider ability were the most prominent barriers to reduced auxiliary rein usage,” the study states. “Equestrians who presently used or would use [them] tended to have lower biomechanical knowledge scores than those who no longer used [them].”

Ms Tapuska said: “The perceived benefits of using auxiliary reins had become part of the solution to their riding-related challenges. But most equestrians did not demonstrate strong evidence-based knowledge of the possible effects of auxiliary reins on the horse’s movement.

“It was interesting how important auxiliary reins were suggested to be in making up for lack of skill – even when equestrians had likely gained more experience. We’ve often relied on educational interventions to improve horse welfare, which increase people’s knowledge. However in many of these cases the respondents indicated that they knew auxiliary reins weren’t an optimal approach, but used them anyway.”

Ms Tapuska said this work would be useful for coaches and trainers, who were found to hold “a huge influence” over students and clients.

“If we could get the governing bodies on board as well, that would really help influence change at every level of the sport, because changing behaviour in this sector relies very much on the social context,” she said.

“I hope this research inspires a conversation, or at least some reflection, regarding how we can do better in training upcoming equestrians.”

Read the full paper

Prof Dr Inga Wolframm of the Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, who supervised the work alongside Dr Victoria Lindsey-McGee from the University of Edinburgh, told H&H: “If we want to encourage meaningful change in the equestrian world we need to understand what drives people to do what they do.

“Interestingly, the vast majority of riders don’t start using auxiliary reins because they want to force the horse into a frame. More often, they believe they are not physically capable of achieving a training goal themselves, or they believe their horse isn’t.”

“Even though these two beliefs are closely linked, the distinction is important. The first is an internal barrier – a lack of perceived competence – the second is externalised onto the horse.”

Dr Wolframm added that although education is important, social context plays a “critical role” in equestrianism.

“The equestrian sector can sometimes feel fragmented, with different groups pointing fingers at each other. But ultimately, we all identify as horse people. If we want to move forward, we need to collectively embrace the principle of welfare; not just in words, but in deeds. And we need to create environments that support that principle,” she said.

“We need governing bodies to implement and enforce clear welfare standards. But informally, we need credible ambassadors at every level of the sport to model good practice. From elite riders to local trainers, from competition arenas to riding schools, the message has to be consistent and lived.”

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‘The elite level can’t do this alone’: why horse sport needs independent oversight to thrive

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 14:43:25 +0000

Equestrian sport needs not only a truly horse-centric approach but an independent body to ensure this is the case, a study has found.

Leading animal welfare science researcher Mette Uldahl and welfare science professor David Mellor’s commentary paper, published in Animals, was written to “help secure a future for equestrianism by evaluating contemporary standards, identifying areas where the culture and structure of horse sport require modernisation and suggesting solutions”.

The researchers analysed scientific papers and presentations, regulatory texts, discussions at the FEI Sports Forum and more validated sources to provide evidence for the debate.

“Having worked in the horse sport industry for many years, it’s like the debate is fragmented, sometimes even unhinged,” Dr Uldahl told H&H. “For years, I’ve felt we need to see the overall picture, that this is a pattern, part of a culture and a structural problem, but also that many of the different issues we discuss are actually connected.”

Dr Uldahl said that many issues, such as noseband tightness and mouth lesions, for example, are all related to the effect of competition on human nature. She noted that even trends that are common, such as wearing ear bonnets, can be a concern, as many are tight enough to stop the horses’ ears moving fully, but also indicative of a culture of camouflage, and limiting horses’ ability to answer us.

The study noted that some research may not consider as full a picture as it could, and that results are often interpreted in an inaccurate, out-of-context or misleading way. The authors say this “underscores the need for comprehensive literature reviews conducted by independent and qualified professionals… to prevent misrepresentation or selective use of findings and when findings are inadequate, to resolve specific horse welfare concerns so that erroneous interpretations are not used by horse sports organisations to shape policy or influence public opinion”.

The research calls for governing bodies to “adopt clear, science-based welfare standards, involve independent experts and put the horse’s experience at the centre of all decisions”, and Dr Uldahl said independence is the key.

“Do I think change is possible? I think the elite part of sport cannot do it on its own,” she said. “Part of the process for the whole sport is to understand that they need independent advisory groups. Sometimes the sport talks about independent groups, but if this advisory group is appointed by the sport, it’s by definition, not independent.

“My best advice for the whole sport is to create some sort of levy board, to fund an independent structure of professionals knowledgeable not in traditional horse-sport practices. They could be there as well, but balanced with professionals in horse welfare and behaviour, to get real independent input, which it needs as a lever to transform.”

Dr Uldahl said she is a huge supporter of equestrian sport; hence her calls for it to change so it is acceptable to the public, as well as genuinely putting the horses first. And she added, as found in the study, that the rules and governance have to change so the comfortable, happy equine athletes are the winners.

The study also found a challenge is that knowledge is passed down through generations, learnt when welfare science was not advanced, and changing minds is then difficult.

“I think everyone at this point realises we can’t go back, because things were wrong in the past as well,” she said. “But we have to look at how it is and say, ‘Where can we do better with the knowledge we have now?’ That means taking some practices and traditions and realising others do not do good to horses. So we should abstain from them.”

World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers told H&H the charity welcomes “the ongoing dialogue around how equestrian sport should respond to both new scientific findings and the changing attitudes of the public and equestrians”.

“It is imperative that sound scientific research informs welfare policy and practice, as is ensuring that all research findings are interpreted and communicated in a responsible way,” he said. “This is where having independent input into sport’s decision-making should play a key role.”

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Researchers develop new way to estimate how much energy horses use in cross-country

Becky Murray — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 12:03:08 +0000

Researchers have developed a new way to estimate how much energy horses use during international cross-country, which could benefit riders, trainers, vets and course-designers.

In a study published in Animals, the German Olympic equestrian committee (DOKR) and researchers from the free university of Berlin looked at the demands on horses during the cross-country phase at two- to five-star events.

The researchers developed a model, based on 691 runs by more than 250 horses at international events, by combining horse heart rate and blood lactate data with course information such as speed, terrain and difficulty level. Key findings included that terrain, speed and speed variability influence the energy demands – and that short-format competitions generally require more anaerobic effort than long-format.

“However, in general, anaerobic contribution to energy consumption during cross-country is only about 10% at most, indicating that 90% or more of energy requirements are supplied by aerobic pathways. Increasing the aerobic capacity of the horses should therefore be a primary goal of effective training programmes,” co-author Katharina Kirsch told H&H.

“For horses that compete at higher levels, anaerobic exercise should also be taken into account – especially for short format – however. The energy requirements attributed to speed fluctuations increased with increasing average speed, and were higher in short format. Therefore, the higher the average speed, the greater the impact of speed variations.”

Aerobic exercise is fuelled by oxygen that breaks down glucose in the horses’ muscles to provide sustained energy. Anaerobic exercise begins when the levels of oxygen are no longer able to supply the muscles with sufficient energy. Anaerobic exercise uses the energy stored in the horses’ muscles in the form of glycogen, and cannot be sustained for long periods.

Ms Kirsch said a very “irregular course” that requires the horse to change speed frequently, for example due to a lot of turns, can therefore significantly increase the effort required – but if a horse and rider “are very well attuned to each other and the course is completed very smoothly without extreme changes in speed, this may considerably decrease the effort that is required from the horse”. She added that individual horse fitness plays a major role, indicating the importance of individual training programmes.

“We already suspected that differences between horses would be high, but how big these actually are was somewhat surprising,” she said.

“Although horses in the same competition have to complete the same course under similar conditions, and we already accounted for speed and speed changes, it might still be that they perceive the physical demand very differently.”

Ms Kirsch and co-author Anna Liedtke added that the sport has changed significantly over time since the removal of roads and tracks and steeplechase, and an increase in technical difficulty.

“The deceleration required when approaching technically difficult obstacles consequently necessitates that the horses are galloping at higher speeds between fences. This frequent acceleration and deceleration has the potential to considerably increase energetic demands,” the researchers said.

“We showed in previous work that short formats usually elicit higher heart rates and blood lactate concentrations, potentially due to the fact that they involve a higher number of jumps per distance. In this study we were able to confirm our hypothesis and could show that speed changes have a significant impact on how much energy is required.”

Ms Kirsch said this work could help riders, trainers and vets in developing tailored training programmes and with early identification of over-training or injury risk – and course-designers may use the findings to “assess the physiological challenge posed by terrain and layout, beyond just jump complexity or distance”.

“Acknowledging the considerable impact course design may have on energetic demands may promote horse welfare by ensuring that courses are not unintentionally too demanding,” she said.

Ms Kirsch and Ms Liedtke said this study builds on a large dataset collected by DOKR’s performance monitoring programme, which supports the German national team and whose work involves ensuring horses are fit to compete and capable of meeting championship demands, “thereby improving the welfare of sports horses”.

“In future we would like to evaluate how our proposed model could be further refined to assess individual fitness levels and predict injury risks,” they said.

“We would also like to focus more on the mental load that is imposed on horses competing at high-level competitions.”

New double bridle research backs up the need to give riders choice across the levels

Becky Murray — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 16:32:07 +0000

Horses can show conflict behaviours in both double bridles and snaffles during dressage tests – as new research backs up the need to give riders choice.

In a study published in Animals, researchers from Aberystwyth University and the University of Portsmouth, looked at the effects of bridle type – double versus snaffle – on equine behaviour at competitions. The researchers assessed 135 tests, filmed at two British Dressage (BD) competitions, from elementary to intermediate I level. Of the 135 tests, 70 were ridden in doubles and 65 in snaffles.

Read the full study

An ethogram was used to assess the horses’ behaviour throughout the tests; on average horses spent 27.4% of the test showing conflict state behaviours – and there was mouth opening in all tests. Tail swishing was seen in 86.7% of horses, on average every eight seconds, 69.6% tossed their heads and 50.4% were seen lip smacking.

The study highlighted different behaviours between bridle type: head tilting and tossing, tripping and low levels of tail swishing were similar across competition levels for the double bridle – but increased with competition level in snaffles. Mouth opening and tongue and jaw exposure were higher at lower competition levels for double bridles, but increased at higher competition levels for the snaffle and double. The researchers said the results showed ”multi-faceted interaction between bridle type, inferred rider skill level and riding style”.

The researchers added that the “high prevalence of conflict behaviours at dressage competitions reported here and in other studies raises potential welfare concerns”.

“It particularly raises the question of why, when this has previously been well documented by the scientific community and relayed to the governing body of the sport, these high levels of stress-related behaviours are still being observed across all levels of dressage competition,” they said.

Lead author Rifka Faithfull told H&H this work provides information on what is happening in the test environment – and at home.

“It gives us an idea of what’s happening in the training of the horse, because the test is a snapshot of that moment in time, but also a reflection of the horse’s experience outside the test,” she said.

Ms Faithfull added that the way the conflict behaviours were recorded in the study, by recording behaviour “transient events” and “continuous states” – or both, meant higher volumes of behaviours were recorded than some methods used by other researchers.

“But we feel it’s more representative of the actual amount of behaviours occurring. It’s not just whether or not a behaviour is happening, it’s a measure of how much it is occurring,” she said.

“The key takeaway is the complex interaction between the different components – there’s no clear-cut ‘one bridle type is more or less related to negative welfare than the other’.”

This backs up a study by Russell MacKechnie-Guire and Rachel Murray that found double bridles are not an issue in themselves – but education on their use was key to continuing to improve equine welfare (news, 1 May)

Co-author Sebastian McBride added: “There are good and bad ways to ride with a double bridle. A lot of that seems to come down to rider ability, in riding and knowledge about the tack they are using and its impact on the horse.

“Giving people the option to ride with the bridle they are most educated with will hopefully lead to people using the right tack for them. That might be horse dependent; some get on better with a snaffle and some with a double, and again that maybe reflects a lot of their training experience.”

Double bridles are optional in national competitions and BD chief executive Jason Brautigam told H&H: “We welcome all scientific research that aims to advance our collective understanding on these vitally important topics, but as this study notes these are complex issues, and the results can be open to interpretation. There are many factors that contribute to how a horse reacts in a competition environment, so it’s important that we do not equate all of these different observed actions as ‘conflict behaviours’ when their responses may vary in each case.

“We are working closely with experts from across the equestrian community to build a better consensus on all horse welfare matters, from equine ethnography to tack and equipment, and we remain fully committed to upholding the highest standards of horse care and well-being in our sport.”

The FEI told H&H it has not had the opportunity to review the paper, but it will be discussed with the veterinary committee in September and “brought to the attention of the groups involved in the FEI equine welfare action plan”.

“The FEI welcomes all new research that can contribute to the continuous improvement of horse welfare standards, which remains a top priority for our organisation,” he said.

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Better education – not exams – for horse owners could be key to better welfare

Becky Murray — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 18:03:00 +0000

Lack of owner knowledge continues to be a major link to equine welfare concerns – as researchers find licensing alone may not be the solution.

In a study published in Animals, researchers from the University of Edinburgh looked at equine welfare concerns in the UK by reviewing existing literature. The most common causes of poor welfare were “dominated by management and training practices” and the highest cited barrier to good welfare was “lack of knowledge, followed by a lack of understanding by horse owners”.

The successes and limitations of education and horse owner licensing as possible solutions to welfare concerns were analysed, following the introduction of mandatory licensing for horse owners in France, announced in 2022 (news, 13 January).

Lead author Aurelia Hall-Bromley told H&H she wanted to look at whether licences could make a difference, and whether there is evidence in the literature to suggest “licensing would have a material benefit in the day-to-day lives of our horses”.

“We know there’s not much evidence to suggest that just licensing on its own would enhance owner knowledge or ability and skill. It would need to be supported by an educational framework, because just applying for a licence doesn’t teach anybody anything,” she said, adding that licensing could be useful in cases of welfare offences – but for everyday owners education remains key.

“If someone has committed an offence you could suspend or withhold that licence. But even with the limited literature on licensing, we can say with confidence one of the limitations is enforcement. We know our resources are already stretched thin when it comes to animal welfare, so putting an even bigger burden on that would be an enormous undertaking.

“From our review, licensing doesn’t have as much promise as education; there’s a lot of welfare studies that are in favour of more regulation, but the literature indicates this is most effective when supported by education. We also can’t overlook the fact that there is a lot less available literature with regards to licensing.”

Mrs Hall-Bromley said a lot of research has been on understanding horse welfare and recognising owner knowledge gaps and behaviour change concerns, but there is still work to be done.

“We now really need to look at ‘How do we educate more effectively? How do we make sure key messages are reaching people?’ so we can say ‘This is what is going to make a difference’,” she said.

Read the full study

The RSPCA’s equine specialist Mark Kennedy told H&H this research aligns with the charity’s Horse Sense report, which explored “the complex nature of equine welfare in England and Wales and the diverse issues different equine groups must consider” (news, 20 March).

“While there’s no single solution, both studies underscore the encouraging potential of education to improve horse welfare,” he said, adding that it was “important to acknowledge that there are many good horse owners out there”.

“We should be striving for a society where horses are treated as sentient beings and live good lives, but this requires collaborative effort from all stakeholders – welfare organisations, equestrian groups, colleges, media, and most importantly owners,” he continued.

“Crucially, both reports indicate that significant work can be done to drastically improve the lives of all horses, marking a positive step towards better equine welfare.”

In France, the introduction of a certificate of knowledge for horse owners was launched to “combat animal abuse and strengthen the link between animals and humans”, a change the French equestrian federation said had been “long-awaited by the equine sector”.

Last month the topic of qualifications to own horses was discussed by stakeholders following World Horse Welfare’s annual survey of the public’s attitudes to involvement of horses in sport (news, 12 June).

During a panel discussion, British Equestrian eventing performance director Dickie Waygood said he believes owners should have a certificate or licence to own a horse but the challenge is regulating and funding it, suggesting riders could have to pay for the exam and registration.

”The only way you’ll be able to regulate this is if you have to pass an exam to own a horse and there’s a register. I can’t see any other way of doing it effectively,” said Dickie.

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Thoroughbreds are just as good as other breeds in five-star eventing, research has shown

Becky Murray — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 12:33:52 +0000

Thoroughbreds competing in five-star eventing are not at a disadvantage compared to other breeds – but there has been a drop in the number competing at top level from the UK.

Researchers from Colorado State University and the University of Rhode Island have published a paper in Animals, analysing FEI data from 2014–2024 to understand the impact of breed on performance at CCI5* eventing.

All top-level events during the time were included; the researchers evaluated the 71 breeds represented against penalties, in the different phases and overall.

It was found that thoroughbreds accrued more dressage penalties than non-thoroughbreds; Hanoverians had the lowest on average between 2014 and 2017, Holsteiners between 2018 and 2024.

Across country, thoroughbreds were “significantly more likely” to jump clear inside the time compared to non-thoroughbreds – almost 14% of all thoroughbred entries from the data had no cross-country penalties – but non-thoroughbreds were twice as likely to showjump clear than thoroughbreds.

No impact of breed was noted in likelihood to complete, and breed had no effect on overall penalties, “indicating a level playing field within competition”.

“Therefore, breed bias against thoroughbreds should be negated when selecting for CCI5* eventing prospects,” the researchers concluded.

Lead author Carleigh Fedorka, who events and trains thoroughbreds, told H&H the team wanted to apply data to the “negative perceptions we hear about”.

“Many people who compete thoroughbreds have dealt with negative feedback where people might say, ‘Your horse is nice, but will never stack up compared to warmbloods,’” Dr Fedorka said.

“It was fascinating to see that a lot of public perception is correct; thoroughbreds do not score as well in dressage and as someone who’s always ridden thoroughbreds, I understand that to be true.

“I think we could further disseminate it to look at whether that’s truly because thoroughbreds are not as good at dressage, or because there is a judging bias, or because Olympians tend to have a lot of funding and are probably not on thoroughbreds.

“But in the cross-country phase, thoroughbreds are more likely to go clear than any other breed and when you look at the impact of those cross-country results on overall penalties, we don’t see any other difference among breeds. That just shows how influential cross-country results are to the overall success of your horse at this level.”

Dr Fedorka added that a notable finding was a “significant reduction” in the number of thoroughbreds competing at five-star in the last five years – particularly by British, German and Irish riders.

Although the researchers do not have data as to why this is, Dr Fedorka surmises that as the US, Australia and New Zealand riders face high costs, particularly travel, to reach five-stars, more riders are likely to look at buying and training former racehorses, who are usually cheaper.

“When we published the paper, we instantly had more questions, and one we want to answer is the influence of rider, and rider experience,” said Dr Fedorka, adding that further analysis could also look at the thoroughbred blood percentage of warmbloods, breed objectives and rider funding.

“Overall, I think the main takeaway is that if we’re going to be breed-biased, let’s have some data to back it up. I’m a huge believer in nurture versus nature, and I think that how horses are raised, produced and who is producing them is as, if not more, influential than their pedigree.”

Read the full study

Oscar Fitzgerald, the new British junior national eventing champion and son to Grand National-winning jockey Mick Fitzgerald, told H&H he enjoys competing on thoroughbreds. Among his string is former racehorse Our Old Fella, a former ride of Piggy March and owned by Jayne McGivern, and he has the ride on Fiona Laing’s six-year-old Pointillism, by thoroughbred sire Pointilliste.

“For me, it’s their willingness and their enjoyment of it; they love galloping and the cross-country. Their brains are so forward-thinking,” he said.

“I think some people like a flashier horse on the flat, and there can be a stereotype that thoroughbreds aren’t always the best showjumpers. But if you get a really nice one, they can be good in both those phases, like Our Old Fella. He’s been an unbelievable horse for the start of my career and stepped me up from ponies.”

Thoroughbreds are being celebrated at Cornbury Horse Trials (10-14 September), where the winner of the new Cornbury Racehorses Eventing Challenge, “designed to raise the profile of thoroughbreds and their versatility beyond raising”, will win £45,000. The class, sponsored by Cornbury president David Howden and Jayne McGivern of Dash Grange Stud, will run at British Eventing open novice level and use a CCI2*-S dressage test.

Oscar plans to compete Our Old Fella in the Cornbury class.

“I think it’s an unbelievable opportunity, the backing is brilliant from Jayne McGivern to really give an incentive to have thoroughbreds and keep them in the sport,” said Oscar.

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New research on equine facial expressions a ‘game-changer for anyone working with horses’

Becky Murray — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 17:06:14 +0000

A new study has shed light on what equines are trying to communicate with their facial expressions, and is a reminder to “consider the whole horse, not just isolated behaviours, when assessing welfare”.

Researchers at the University of Portsmouth analysed 805 equine facial displays shown with 22 behaviours, observed during horse-to-horse interactions. An ethogram was created to map how horses use their faces to communicate emotions such as playfulness, aggression, curiosity and attention.

The study found that horses use a variety of facial cues depending on the situation – for example, and “contrary to common assumptions, horses often exhibit neutral facial expressions during friendly interactions” instead of pricked ears – and “playful interactions involved a dynamic range of facial movements, including depressed lower lips, wide-open mouths and flattened ears”. Backward-facing ears, dilated nostrils and lowered heads “served as clear signals of aggressive intent”, and when horses are alert or investigating stimuli their ears are “typically forward and adducted”. Additional indications include increased blinking and adjusted head positions.

The researchers also identified a previously undocumented facial movement involving the platysma muscle in the neck.

“This action, which causes the side of the face to tighten and makes the underlying structures become more prominent as a consequence, has only been observed in humans and gibbons, in species with existing facial action coding systems. Its discovery may enhance cross-species comparisons and aid in assessing emotional states and pain in horses,” said the researchers.

Lead researcher Kate Lewis told H&H she was surprised by “how complex and rich the horses’ facial repertoire was”.

“Being able to identify these nuances in the horses’ emotional state or subjective experience can only make us better horse people, whether that be owners, trainers, grooms or vets,” said Dr Lewis, who added that other work is considering horse-human interactions.

“There is such a growing movement to move away from just wanting to avoid pain and suffering towards wanting a positive life for all animals. And I think this really leans into that; we can identify when our horse is having fun or when they’re generally happy. That’s really important, because we want to optimise the amount of time they spend having those experiences.”

Leanne Proops, University of Portsmouth association professor in animal behaviour and welfare and co-author, said the study “opens up new possibilities for understanding equine emotions and improving welfare”.

“This is the first time we’ve been able to systematically document how horses combine facial movements into meaningful expressions,” she said.

“This work is a game-changer for anyone working with horses. It gives us a new lens through which to view and interpret their behaviour, ultimately leading to better care and stronger human-animal relationships.”

World Horse Welfare research and education officer Alana Chapman told H&H the results of this study will help “to interpret horses’ emotional states more accurately, which can only be a good thing”.

“We welcome any research that helps us better understand equine behaviour and can support us in providing a good life for horses. Investment in these types of studies is vital to fully understand how horses think and feel,” she said.

“World Horse Welfare believes in a whole-horse approach when it comes to measuring welfare and the research findings align with this: demonstrating that facial expressions can vary in meaning depending on the situation highlights the importance of considering the whole horse, not just isolated behaviours, when assessing welfare.”

“We look forward to seeing how the findings of this study are translated into practical guidance for those involved in the care of horses, and hope this work will be widely used to support more empathetic, responsive and evidence-based approaches to horse care, training and management.”

Read the full study.

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First step paves the way for technology to be used in real-world horse sport safety studies

Lucy Elder — Tue, 27 May 2025 16:33:55 +0000

New research has found that advanced technology can be used to assess rider biomechanics, raising hopes that the system may be able to help in future projects involving safety, rehabilitation and biofeedback.

The study was led by Heather Cameron-Whytock, course lead in bioveterinary sciences at the University of Central Lancashire, and biomechanics specialist Charlotte Apps from Nottingham Trent University.

They set out to find if artificial intelligence (AI) markerless technology, which is already used in other sports, would work for riders. The system had been trained on humans on the ground, so the starting point was whether it would even recognise a person essentially “bobbing through space”, which it did.

Marker-based systems, whereby reflective markers are attached to specific points on horses and riders, are the current gold standard. Researchers wanted to see if the markerless system could provide comparable data, noting that if it could, it could open the door to facilitating real-world studies of rider kinematics. For example, during competitions where it is not feasible to attach dozens of markers to hundreds of competitors.

The research involved 10 female riders and six horses. The participants rode through a channel, with cameras on either side, and markerless data from the Theia Markerless motion capture system was compared to marker-based results.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

They found it was particularly good in some areas, and struggled slightly in others. For example, the results for the transverse plane (rotation) were less accurate, but Dr Cameron-Whytock said this could be down to the camera channel set-up, and that testing different arrangements of cameras is something they would like to try going forwards.

They found it was very good at picking up forwards and backwards motion. It found pinpointing elbows and ankles tricky – as elbows are parallel to the body when riding, and ankles hidden by stirrups. But overall, it showed “really good potential”.

“We’re the first to say, ‘It does work, it is possible,’ and I’m sure other people will now pick up other projects,” Dr Cameron-Whytock told H&H. “I think it’s got serious potential and we’re going to try to do some more work on it.”

She added that in her opinion, such AI technologies are complementary to the human eye and aspect, rather than a replacement.

“I think we’re always going to need an element of human judgement,” she said.

Much of Dr Cameron-Whytock’s research is in eventing safety and horse falls and she said this software could make it possible to capture biomechanic data in real time.

“For example, you could set up the camera system around a fence and have riders jumping it all day,” she said. “If something occurred – even if the horse just hit a fence, or hit a frangible – we could biomechanically analyse that, which has never been [possible] before, because we would have had to stick the markers all over the riders, which obviously you can’t do in competition.”

She added: “It’s important to acknowledge that at the moment, this software isn’t better in its rigour and its validity than marker-based [systems]. But it’s much easier and faster to use. So if we can do further work to really strengthen its validity, I think in certain contexts, it will be much more usable than the current gold standard.”

She also noted that there could be potential for it to give real-time feedback to riders and may also be helpful in rehabilitation from injury – perhaps set up around a mechanical horse – as objective assessment of positioning could be useful.

Dr Apps added that it shows the potential to “take research outside the lab” into real-world settings, ethical considerations allowing, and reduces time and necessity of placing sometimes up to 50 markers on a person.

“I think in future, we’ll probably see more [markerless technology] for all those benefits, but there will still be a place for putting marks on the body sometimes,” she told H&H, adding that as more of these technologies come through, it’s “always important that you try and test how accurate it is against another system”.

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Study on horse fatalities in eventing shows cross-country jumping falls not the only risk factor

Becky Murray — Sat, 24 May 2025 19:21:19 +0000

A large number of horse deaths in eventing do not occur from falls at fences, research has shown.

A new study, published in Equine Veterinary Journal, aimed to gather data to understand the reasons for equine fatalities in eventing. In the absence of full data sets being publicly available, information was gathered from various media reports between 1998 and 2023.

The reports were verified against national federations’ records of recorded faults – as a bare minimum if a report said a fatality was owing to a horse fall, for this to be included in the study the federation record must have recorded an elimination for a horse fall. In some cases horse records had been deleted since the death or some federations’ databases were not accessible, so 60 reports were not included as they could not be verified.

Of the 110 equine fatalities included, 62.7% were not associated with a report of a horse fall across country. Musculoskeletal injuries were linked to 36.4% reports, and 27.3% did not include how the horse died. Sudden death was attributed to 36.4% of fatalities – 90% of these were during the cross-country phase.

The team found the study “demonstrates that equine fatalities in eventing occur in contexts other than horse falls, including as a result of musculoskeletal injuries and sudden death”.

Lead researcher Heather Cameron-Whytock of the University of Central Lancashire, who has worked on a number of eventing safety studies, told H&H the biggest surprise was the high percentage of fatalities not associated with a report of a horse fall.

“I include ourselves when I say this, when there’s any mention of safety and eventing, everyone is focused on horse falls,” she said. “So the fact a lot of the fatalities were not associated with [cross-country] fences shows we may be missing something, and that there are other important factors we should have been looking into, but we haven’t been up to now because we weren’t aware.”

‘Not a total picture’

Dr Cameron-Whytock added that as the data came from media reports it “very likely is not a total picture” – but provides “really useful” information to lead future work. The FEI’s eventing statistics report (2013–2023) published in January included some fatality information including level, number of starters, total falls and the number of fatalities related to a cross-country fence.

“I know just from my own contacts in eventing that there have been fatalities at lower levels that don’t always get reported in the media so this isn’t a complete picture, but what it does is provide information about different types of fatalities that happen, which could help us direct future research,” she said.

“It could be that data exists, but it’s not in the public domain and at the moment there’s been no research on it, which is potentially another area to highlight, that if governing bodies have the data, it would be useful to commission research on that. Obviously, that will be more reliable than using media sources. If every national federation put all their equine fatality data together, and the FEI, that would probably give you a nice, robust data set.”

A British Eventing (BE) spokesperson told H&H that although this is a worldwide report and not just UK-focused, the organisation “welcomes this important research and shares the authors’ commitment to evidence-based improvements in safety and welfare”.

“We are committed to analysing and improving horse safety in eventing, and progress is being made all the time in reducing horse falls through frangible technology and course design,” she said.

“At all BE-affiliated national events, we record detailed incident data, including all horse injuries and fatalities, which informs our safety strategy and policy development. Our newly formed equine welfare committee, comprising veterinary, scientific and rider experts, is tasked with reviewing such findings and guiding future improvements across all aspects of horse welfare. We will also be sharing data from our 2024 safety report in coming months.”

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Weight loss, enrichment and more – science backs up benefits of track systems for horses

Becky Murray — Sun, 18 May 2025 18:03:56 +0000

A new study has provided evidence and backed up previous thinking on the benefits of track systems for equine weight management.

HorseWorld and Hartpury University have published a peer-reviewed paper in scientific journal Animals looking at the impact of different grazing strategies on managing equine obesity.

The work was carried out at HorseWorld in Bristol, where 19 horses, “all susceptible to excessive weight gain”, were observed either on a track or on a traditional paddock, both designed to restrict grass intake. Welfare indicators including hoof health, bodyweight, body condition score and behavioural measures were monitored.

The key findings were that between July and September the horses kept on the track lost an average of 3.4% of their initial bodyweight, compared to those on the paddock, who gained an average of 1.5% of their bodyweight. The body condition score (BCS) did not show significant changes between the groups, suggesting that BCS “may not be sensitive enough to detect subtle equine bodyweight changes”.

The researchers concluded that the study found “clear evidence that horses susceptible to gaining weight in the summer can be managed effectively utilising track grazing systems; reducing bodyweight during a summer season while maintaining hoof health and general welfare”.

HorseWorld head of equine welfare Sarah Hollister told H&H HorseWorld has been using track systems since 2013.

“Anecdotally we know that track systems are good for helping horses with weight management and we’ve seen positive results in our horses, but we wanted to get some evidence to tie in with our strategy of using evidence-based methods,” she said, adding that no negative behaviours were observed from the horses on the track system during the study.

“It’s not just about weight loss, tracks can be used to provide environmental enrichment, too. Instead of a small square paddock, when you make a longer track you can spread their food and resources out so they’ve got to go and look for it and move around.”

Ms Hollister hopes that by having evidence to back up what has previously been thought about tracks, more people will be open to trying them.

“Equine obesity is probably the biggest problem in the equine world in the UK, and the secondary issues that being obese for a long time can create can have a lifelong negative impact and can even be life-threatening,” she said.

“The results show that there are benefits from a track and some horses thrive on it. While it isn’t going to suit everybody’s set-up, if it can improve your horse’s wellbeing, it’s worth giving it a go.”

Hartpury University senior lecturer Lorna Cameron, who worked on the project, told H&H the work was about “answering the questions that need to be answered”.

“To be able to answer questions the industry wants answered is a really important thing in equine welfare research at the moment,” she said.

“There are lots of people interested in utilising a track system, but the evidence has been thin on the ground, probably because of how much it would cost to set up a track system as a controlled experiment, so we felt lucky that HorseWorld asked us to collaborate on this.”

Ms Cameron added that what works for one horse may not work for another, and said it is important to take advice from professionals such as the vet and farrier.

“It’s very much about the individual horse, no one thing works for every horse, but our findings suggest that track grazing systems can effectively help manage bodyweight in horses prone to obesity, while maintaining their health and welfare,” she said.

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People – not double bridles – are the issue, says study, as education for riders is key

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 15:25:31 +0000

Double bridles are not an issue in themselves – but education on their use and constant learning in all areas of equestrianism are key to continuing to improve equine welfare.

These are the messages from researchers who found that double bridles exert similar or less nasal pressure and rein tension than snaffles in elite horses.

H&H reported on the initial findings of the study, presented by researcher and biomechanics expert Russell MacKechnie-Guire at the British Equine Veterinary Association Congress last year.

The full open-access paper has now been published, in Animals, and Dr MacKechnie-Guire and Rachel Murray, a leading clinician and researcher, told H&H they hope the research, thought to be the first to compare doubles and snaffles in this way, will pave the way for future investigation.

“There’s been considerable discussion relating to double bridles, but there’s been limited research in this area,” Dr MacKechnie-Guire told H&H. “There are lots of opinions about the double bridle, but evidence is needed to support decision-making. As a first step, this study, advances our understanding, although more work is needed, such as on measuring oral pressures.”

The study involved high-level dressage horses, used to being ridden in snaffles and doubles, with their usual riders. A vet assessed them and bridle fit was checked.

“We found little differences in noseband pressures,” Dr MacKechnie-Guire said. “The differences were small, and the double didn’t increase noseband pressures, as often suggested. Interestingly, total rein tension was similar, or slightly less for the double in trot.

“Because the double has two bits, the same force is distributed over two; spreading the same load over a greater area, versus a snaffle putting it all on one area, may reduce localised pressures.”

Dr MacKechnie-Guire said the tension on the curb bit was considerably lower than on the bradoon, indicating that these riders were using the double correctly. The team found higher pressure on the headpiece in the double, but this correlated to the weight of the extra bit rather than its action.

“It’s a controversial area, but we need to consider whole bridle fit, and think about headpiece design and shape to distribute the pressure over a greater area,” he said.

Dr MacKechnie-Guire added that the results are interesting as they contradict some opinions of doubles – but there are some riders who use them incorrectly.

“The double should not be used to mask training issues, it’s a refining aid in the hands of extremely skilled riders,” he said. “If you’re unsure you’re using it correctly, or are considering using a double, seek advice from an experienced coach.”

Classical principles

Dr Murray told H&H an interesting point is that the study backed up classical dressage principles, such as riding with less pressure on the curb.

“In a snaffle, riders have a less refined way of explaining to the horse what they want, because they have to apply, in effect, more pressure to one place, rather than less pressure, or pressure distributed in two different places, so the horse can understand it better,” she said.

“If you ride at an elite level this is not surprising, and in my experience of riding at grand prix level, if I’ve got a really well-trained horse, and I’m in balance, I can apply a lighter aid or a more refined aid; I can explain it much more easily if I’ve got two places I can explain it from.”

Dr Murray added that the goal is always trying to communicate clearly to the horse – and that any equipment can be harmful in the wrong hands.

“We need to educate people so they use whatever they’re using to interact with their horse in a good way,” she said. “The problem is people and how they use things generally, not the equipment.

“In research, sometimes what you find is not what you’re expecting, and it just brings up more questions. But what was really quite interesting about this study is that it all made sense.”

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Horses may learn by ‘eavesdropping’ on humans’ interaction with each other, study finds

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 14:23:38 +0000

Horses may learn socially by “eavesdropping” on human behaviour, a study has found.

A team of researchers from universities in Germany and Scotland concluded that horses may change their feeding strategies having witnessed human-to-human demonstrations, even if the demonstrators are not present.

The pilot study, led by zoologist and behaviour researcher Konstanze Krueger, involved 17 horses, aged four to 28, at five private yards. The horses were allowed to watch a human participant take pieces of carrot from two buckets; when taking it from one, another human would convey approval as they would to a horse, using body language and a firm “no” or similar. When they took it from the other bucket, the other human would convey disapproval, also via stance and tone of voice. The horses watched this six times, then were allowed back in to choose which bucket to feed from. They had previously become used to eating from both buckets in the test area.

“In this study, 12 of 17 horses significantly changed their preference for a feeding location after observing approval in a human-human interaction there,” the researchers said.

The horses involved were kept differently; 14 lived in “social housing”, in open stabling, three in individual housing, two in “paddock boxes” and one in a single box with turnout.

The team found that those kept in social housing adapted in a higher percentage of trials to human-human demonstrations than those in individual housing.

“This indicates, for the first time, that some animals change their feeding strategies after eavesdropping on human-human demonstrations and that this adaptation may be dependent on social experience,” the team said. Some of the demonstrators were more familiar to the horses than others, and some had more impact on the horses’ performance than others.

“Future research should further investigate the durability of this preference change in the absence of repeated demonstrations, and establish whether long-term social learning sets in. This would have important implications for unintentional long-term impacts of human interactions on interspecies communication.”

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New AI system gives horses a ‘digital voice’ to tell us if they’re in pain

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 12:52:45 +0000

Researchers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to help interpret horses’ body language, in the hope of improving veterinary care and welfare.

A team at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden has created a modelling system hoped to “equip veterinarians with a powerful visual tool for interpreting equine body language – the key to detecting physical and even behavioral problems”.

KTH professor Hedvig Kjellström and biomechanics researcher Elin Hernlund, of the Swedish University of Agricultural Science (SLU), used 3D motion capture to create the model, which “gives animals a digital voice”.

“Based on new research from KTH and SLU, the platform can reconstruct the exact 3D motion of horses from video, using an AI-based parametric model of the horse’s pose and shape,” a KTH spokesperson said. “The model is precise enough to enable a veterinarian, for example, to spot telling changes that could otherwise be overlooked or misinterpreted in an examination, such as in a horse’s posture or their body weight.”

The system, Dessie, uses “disentangled learning”, which separates important factors in a visual and helps the AI avoid confusion with lighting or background details.

“Dessie marks the first example of disentangled learning in non-human 3D motion models,” Professor Kjellström said.

Ms Hernlund, who is also an equine orthopaedic clinician, said Dessie would allow more accuracy in observing and interpreting horses’ movements, allowing “earlier and more precise intervention”.

“Horses are powerful but fragile and they tell us how they are feeling by their body language,” she said. “By watching their gait, we can see, for example, if they are offloading pain.

“We say we created a digital voice to help these animals break through the barrier of communication between animals and humans, to tell us what they are feeling.

“It’s the smartest and highest-resolution way to extract digital information from the horse’s body – even their face, which can tell us a great deal.”

The team is training Dessie further with images of more breeds and sizes, to improve understanding and the system’s capability.

“In a sense, it enables getting critical information ‘straight from the horse’s mouth’,” the KTH spokesperson said.

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Work on equine euthanasia to help owners facing the hardest decision

Becky Murray — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 18:33:31 +0000

More work has been carried out on equine euthanasia to help owners through difficult decision-making.

In a study published in scientific journal Animals and funded by the Horse Trust researchers explored veterinary and equine charities teams’ experiences around helping horse owners with end-of-life decision-making. The aim was to understand what approaches people in different roles take, the barriers around euthanasia discussions and decisions and the emotional impact on those providing advice.

The work is part of a larger project by the University of Nottingham looking at how owners and vet teams can be supported through euthanasia decisions, and a follow-up to researcher Amelia Cameron’s review of end-of-life decision-making models in dogs, cats and equids (news, 23 June 2022).

The participants of the latest study shared their experiences, and Dr Cameron told H&H different approaches to euthanasia decision-making were preferred based on each situation.

“Vets talked about valuing continuity of care and a collaborative approach with owners, but this was in cases of chronic decline when they had built up a relationship over time, and in those situations a shared decision could be made with the owner,” she said.

“In emergency situations, there is less opportunity for that and it is more likely the vet has to take the lead and might be dealing with a distressed owner.”

Dr Cameron added that financial limitations were brought up by participants.

“Colic surgery was a common example, where the cost of surgery might not be fully covered by insurance, and when the owner doesn’t have the money to cover it, it leads to euthanasia decisions instead of treatment and with that people can experience emotional burden,” she said.

The paper concluded that having discussions with owners about their preferred role in decision-making would be valuable when approaching difficult decisions.

“Sometimes owners prefer to be led by the vet and have options explained to them, and in other cases owners might want to be more independent in this decision-making and it’s recognising that the owner has important knowledge of their horses and knows them well,” said Dr Cameron.

“Obviously it’s not very nice to talk about these things, but it can be useful to know what the options are, how much these things cost, because a lot of people might not be aware or think about this if they have not been involved in euthanasia decisions before.”

As part of the next stage of the project, euthanasia guidance resources are currently being trialled in some vet practices, following which a paper will be published on this.

Read the full study here.

A spokesperson for the British Horse Society (BHS) told H&H that knowing when to put your horse down is an “extremely difficult and emotional decision”.

“We support any study that helps horse owners during this challenging time and that advocates for preparing resources that can assist with the decision-making,” he said.

“We’re pleased to already offer such resources via our emergency care plan, which enables horse owners to pre-plan for end-of-life care. We recognise that time can be of the essence and having a clear plan will help owners make informed decisions and provide an authorised person with their wishes.”

The spokesperson added that through the BHS Friends at the End euthanasia support scheme more than 75 volunteers have received specialist training from vets and bereavement counsellors to offer assistance to owners before, during or after euthanasia.

“While they aren’t there to take the place of a vet, they do offer an extra pair of hands and ears, which goes a long way during what is an incredibly challenging time,” he said.

Owners can email friendsattheend@bhs.org.uk for more information, or visit bhs.org.uk/fate.

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New hope for headshaking horses as research confirms ‘viable treatment option’

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 15:56:28 +0000

Electroacupuncture is a “viable treatment option” for horses suffering from headshaking, research has found – as nearly two-thirds of those treated showed improvement.

A study carried out by a team at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) found the technique had “good success” in treating equine trigeminal nerve-mediated headshaking.

TMHS causes uncontrollable, involuntary flicking and shaking of the head; it can be very painful and distressing for horses and mean sufferers are unrideable; in some of the most extreme cases, it can mean euthanasia.

“Although the exact cause has not yet been identified, it is presumed that the trigeminal nerve in affected horses reacts excessively to external stimulation,” an RVC spokesperson said. “Currently, there is no cure for the condition. However, electroacupuncture, which is the use of needles and an electric current to change the pain perception in the nerve, has been successful in treating TMHS in a small number of cases, but results from a more substantial number of cases have not yet been assessed.”

The RVC team, led by Bettina Dunkel, head of equine and professor of equine internal medicine, emergency and critical care, and with four external collaborators, retrospectively assessed electroacupuncture’s effectiveness in 42 horses treated with the technique between 2015 and 2024.

Data assessed included the horses’ history, duration and severity of TMHS, diagnostic tests, number of electroacupuncture treatments and the effect of treatment as perceived by the owner or main vet.

“The findings showed that the procedure was well tolerated by all horses and achieved a significant improvement in headshaking, with the median grade before treatment at three and after treatment at one,” the spokesperson said.

“Overall, 64% of cases showed an improvement in TMHS after their final treatment, with complete resolution of signs seen in 33% of horses. No improvement was seen in 31% of cases and two horses (4.8%) experienced worsening of clinical signs post-treatment.”

The team concluded that electroacupuncture was well tolerated with minimal complications and improvement in most horses. The advantages of the treatment include the fact it has a low complication rate and can be carried out in the yard.

Professor Dunkel said: “Electroacupuncture is a viable treatment option for horses suffering from this devastating disease. We are very pleased with the results of the study and hope that it will encourage veterinarians and horse owners to pursue this treatment option.”

Refining the technique

The team suggested that refinement of the technique over time, such as changing the duration of the treatment or electrical frequencies, could help increase the success rate and create longer remission periods.

Equine vet Sue Devereux, the author of the first study in this area in 2017 (vet clinic, 2 June 2022), told H&H the treatment is a major step forward as apart from the use of nose nets and masks, “which I wholeheartedly recommend”, the condition is so hard to manage.

“The results of this study with a larger number of horses are very encouraging as they are consistent with the earlier findings and confirm that electroacupuncture is a worthwhile treatment option for TMHS,” she said. “It is important that other possible causes of head shaking are always ruled out first.”

Ms Devereux said she was inspired to use the treatment on more horses by a dressage mare called Izzy who had been “tormented” by TMHS and had been unrideable in spring and summer for three years.

“She responded remarkably well, remaining free of signs for longer than we had dared hope and was able to compete all year round,” she said. “This encouraged me to treat other cases.”

She added that although factors such as pollen, sunlight, wind and rain can trigger headshaking, it is still not known what causes the effect on the nerve.

“If only we could establish the causes of this painful condition, then we would be closer to finding a cure,” she said.

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Lack of turnout and owner knowledge mean ‘most horses’ do not get what they need

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 16:39:18 +0000

Lack of turnout and a dearth of owners with appropriate experience are among the drivers of the current equine welfare crisis – as most horses’ needs are not being met.

The RSPCA has published Horse Sense, a comprehensive report commissioned by the charity and carried out by the University of Bristol, Human Behaviour Change for Life and University College Dublin.

The aim was to address the situation known as the “horse crisis” for years – and it found that although the original welfare issues have eased, “most equines in England and Wales are not having their welfare needs fully met”.

Welfare issues include lack of turnout, obesity, limited social interaction, “rough handling” and poor owner recognition of stress, pain and quality of life. The research indicated four key drivers (see below).

“We’re hoping to start the conversation with stakeholders about how we can work together to build a good life for horses,” RSPCA senior scientific manager for equines Mark Kennedy told H&H. “I think we all accept; the RSPCA certainly accepts, that horses are life-enhancing, and they bring an awful lot of people a lot of benefit and a lot of pleasure. It’s really important we all, in recognising that, work together and have an open and honest conversation about how we can ensure that we get a good life for horses. That’s the key thing.”

The term “horse crisis” was initially used by welfare charities in about 2012, owing to the number of equids needing charitable support since the financial crisis. But although the number of horses taken into RSPCA care has dropped to below 2013 figures, “many horses continue to suffer at the hands of their owners”, the report states.

The researchers gathered information from scientific and other literature, data from welfare charities, local authorities and equestrian organisations, as well as an online survey and investigation of horses for sale advertising.

It was found that the horse crisis, “originally rather loosely defined as over-breeding, over-population, neglect and abandonment, has eased, although it is not eliminated”.

“Rather, now, a diversity of equine welfare issues exists,” it states.

“Equine welfare is impacted by a complex, multi-faceted system… Unlike in 2012, it is not only horses used for particular disciplines, or particular breeds, or those owned by particular communities. Most equines in England and Wales, across all sectors of society, do not have the opportunity to experience a good quality of life.”

Lack of basic knowledge

The research found “a lack of basic knowledge and experience” in many people caring for horses; suggested reasons for this include the reduction in number of riding schools, and of opportunities for people to work on yards to gain experience, and issues in college training. It found this lack of knowledge can mean owners cannot read equine behaviour, so do not recognise stress, fear or pain.

It also found that many riders struggle to find yards offering turnout, or to access fields to rent, and a “strong theme of unintentional neglect” of horses, owing to inexperience, or lack of consideration of equine welfare in decision-making.

The report concludes that “the scale of change necessary to achieve a good life for equines should not be underestimated”.

“Tackling the equine welfare crisis such that all equines have the opportunity to experience a good quality of life requires strategic, radical change and is reliant upon legislative, policy, attitude and behaviour change with commitment from key partners and stakeholders to work in collaboration,” states the report, adding that action must be taken by local and national government, welfare charities, equestrian organisations, colleges – and all owners and keepers.

Dr Kennedy stressed that starting the conversation with all these stakeholders is key, and working towards practical solutions, such as protecting land for equine turnout, or looking into options where space is limited but horses can still access the three Fs – friends, freedom and forage – that are a necessity for good welfare. The RSPCA has also long advocated for animal welfare to be part of the national curriculum.

“We want to work together with welfare charities, and organisations; the British Horse Society, Pony Club, British Equestrian, to get us all talking about what parts of this report we can all work on to make a better life for horses,” he said. “Colleges are really important in terms of education, in horse care and knowledge, but also in practical skills of how to look after horses. And of course the ultimate stakeholders are the horses themselves.

“That’s why we want to start this conversation. We want people to read the report, think about it, and contact us. Then we can talk about how we can work together to put some of these recommendations into practice.”

Strengthening the bond

A spokesperson for the National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) told H&H NEWC welcomes the report and “commends its focus on strengthening the horse-human relationship to improve equine welfare”.

She noted that the findings and recommendations align with those in the NEWC review of 2024. This highlighted that horses thrive if they have the three Fs, and “inadequate provision of these essentials leads to chronic stress and compromised welfare, mirroring the RSPCA’s findings that a lack of turnout, social interaction and appropriate nutrition are widespread welfare concerns”.

The NEWC report also looked at horse-human interactions, “revealing that many routine practices can inadvertently result in negative experiences for horses”.

“Both reports converge on the urgent need for systemic change across the equine sector,” the spokesperson said. “NEWC stands ready to work alongside the RSPCA and other stakeholders to implement these recommendations, advocating for evidence-based practices that pave the way towards a future where all horses experience a life worth living. Together, we can turn these insights into action, ensuring equine welfare is prioritised, understood, and safeguarded at all levels of human interaction.”

The key drivers

A proliferation of horse keepers lacking in practical knowledge, skills and experience
A mismatch of the supply and demand of certain equine types
A lack of equine-keeping facilities with adequate provision for turnout, grazing and socialisation.
A lack of provision for the lifetime welfare of all equines, including planning and careful decision-making from birth to death

Read the report in full

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‘Horses can show conflict behaviours and still win’: concern over links between mouth opening and oral lesions in dressage

Becky Murray — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 15:29:07 +0000

A link between continual mouth opening and the presence of oral lesions has been identified in dressage horses.

A Danish study, published in October and presented at the International Society for Equitation Science 2024 conference, aimed to investigate if horses competing at upper national level with oral lesions differed in behaviour compared to horses without lesions.

The research was based on data collected at a routine, but unannounced, inspection of 11 randomly selected horses’ mouths immediately after an intermediate I class at a national competition. Five of the 11 had “abrasion of the skin and/or mucosa” at one or both corners, and were eliminated from the competition.

The inspections were carried out by the federation’s then veterinary consultant and the study’s co-author Mette Uldahl, who has since joined Animal Protection Denmark as chief consultant.

Co-researcher Janne Winther Christensen, who was unaware of the outcome of the oral inspection, analysed the behaviour of the horses from footage of the competition to record mouth opening, tail swishing, breaking of gait, head movements and hyper-reactive behaviour.

It was found that the frequency of mouth opening ranged from five to 59 times in the 11 horses, and horses with lesions had a “significantly higher frequency” of mouth opening compared to those without lesions. The frequency of other behaviours did not significantly differ between the groups.

Ms Winther Christensen told H&H the five horses with lesions were given high scores by the judges and some would have been placed had they not been eliminated.

“We know that the most frequently observed conflict behaviours in dressage horses are mouth opening and tail swishing, and it appears that horses can show a lot of these behaviours and still win,” said Ms Winther Christensen, adding that this is “concerning”.

Ms Winther Christensen added that it is difficult to know if the riders were aware of the lesions beforehand, but said they were not new – and lesions are “fairly simple to see in horses by looking at the mouth”.

“Usually lesions are pressure wounds that develop over time, they don’t happen suddenly. Even if riders have someone who tacks up their horse, it is still their responsibility to check that the horse is OK,” she said.

Ms Udahl said this research is part of a portfolio of work she has been carrying out on oral lesions since 2014, with the aim of developing future protocols.

“Of the thousands of horses I’ve examined over the years, there has never been one horse with an acute bleeding lesion – they have all been chronic pressure wounds, where the horse leans too heavily on the bit as a strategy to solve something else,” she said.

“Our research is focused on mapping the horse language and we need to be more observant, what do they tell us? If we can predict a link between oral lesions and mouth opening, then it’s better to eliminate riders before they start and for them to figure out what is the key to the problem.

“There’s no doubt that there is a lot of work to be done and at top-level competitions we need to acknowledge the behaviour of these horses. We don’t do this work to blame individuals, we do it to understand what is going on and to ensure that at governance level we can protect horses by being knowledgeable of human nature, and build the sport so that the incentive to ride horses with oral lesions is not there any longer.”

A Danish equestrian federation spokesperson told H&H the findings from the study, which was conducted in 2022, made it a “top priority” for the federation to conduct further inspections across all levels in dressage competitions, before horses enter the arena rather than after.

The spokesperson said this change in approach since the study has “significantly reduced” the occurrence of oral lesions identified; from 659 inspections in 2023, 11 horses were eliminated, and of 1,689 inspections in 2024, 37 horses were eliminated.

“In percentage terms, the proportion of horses eliminated during horse inspections is now below 2.5%. That is still too much, but it is an improvement from the first initial inspections,” he said.

“The goal is to have no horse eliminated due to welfare concerns. From the 2024 inspections the horses eliminated were entered by amateurs and in competitions medium level and below.”

The spokesperson said the federation is “committed to advancing horse welfare at all levels” and as new knowledge is gained, the federation “continuously” updates its rules to align with this.

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New study finds genes that may increase risk of broken bones in horses

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 19:24:21 +0000

The identification of genes that may contribute to risk of fracture in thoroughbreds could help reduce this risk in horses.

Research carried out by a team at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has identified 112 genes that may be involved in risk of fracture, in the second study of a series of related research.

“These findings will inform further research into genetic risk factors, contributing to health and wellbeing efforts and supporting the development of novel interventions to reduce fracture risk in horses,” an RVC spokesperson said.

“Bone fractures are common in thoroughbred racehorses and are sadly a leading cause of euthanasia but fractures are a complex condition; both environmental and genetic risk factors affect a horse’s susceptibility.”

The team, led by senior research fellow Debbie Guest, used stem cells from horses at low and high risk of fractures as determined from previous research, to make bone-forming cells. They then measured every gene expressed by the cells.

“The study identified 112 genes that may be involved in fracture risk and demonstrated that many of these genes regulate the bone matrix,” the spokesperson said. “However, a large number of the genes have never been studied in bone before and more research is needed to understand the function of these genes in bone cells and how they contribute to fracture risk.”

A previous study found that collagen type III, needed for normal bone formation, is expressed in lower levels in horses with higher risk of fracture. Future work will help identify other genes and processes to understand better why some horses are more susceptible to fractures.

“We know fracture risk has a genetic component and have previously developed a polygenic risk score for fracture to allow us to identify horses at increased risk,” Dr Guest said.

“In this study, we have identified many new genes which have altered expression in bone cells from high-risk horses. We can now begin to develop a deeper understanding of how bone tissue is altered in high-risk horses and new interventions to reduce their risk.”

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Risk factors that could reduce fatalities in jump racing identified

Becky Murray — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 19:33:36 +0000

Running on softer ground could decrease equine fatalities in jump racing, researchers have concluded.

H&H reported that British racing was partnering with the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) on the development of racing risk models (RRMs), to better understand risk factors that lead to long-term injuries, falls and fatalities (news, 12 December 2024).

In a paper published in Equine Veterinary Journal, a team of RVC researchers used the RRMs to analyse data from all jump race starts made on British racecourses between January 2010 and April 2023, to describe the risk of, and determine, risk factors for fatality in British jump racing.

Of the 384,408 starts analysed, 1,932 ended in fatality.

The researchers said the reported fatality rates are similar to those previously estimated for British jump racing and among the findings, three factors were common to both steeplechase and hurdle fatality models – faller status, horse age and going. In both race types, fallers and older horses had higher odds of fatality and softer going decreased the odds of fatality.

The findings were shared with British racing’s Equine Safety Group (ESG), made up of industry experts “tasked with combining the RRM’s findings with their deep practical knowledge, to make evidence-based recommendations that will enhance the safety of the sport”.

The researchers said that although equine fatalities in jump racing are often associated with falling, “faller status has rarely been examined as a risk factor”.

An RVC spokesperson said that although falling heightening the risk of fatality is “perhaps not surprising”, quantifying this association has prompted racing’s ESG to initiate further work to better understand why horses fall.

“Additional research into fallers included the development of RRMs for falls in jump racing, which has demonstrated that the risk of falling was lower for starts made over padded-style hurdles. This has led to the recommendation that all birch hurdles be replaced with padded hurdles by October 2026,” he said.

“In addition, detailed analysis of video footage of all races in which a horse falls is being conducted to better understand how conditions within a race influence fall risk.”

The spokesperson added that the horse-related factors associated with risk has led to the introduction of enhanced pre-race veterinary inspections for horses who may potentially be at greater risk of injury or fatality – and that further work is ongoing around ground condition to better understand how weather factors and racecourse maintenance, including watering, play a role.

RVC professor of veterinary clinical epidemiology Kristien Verheyen said the college is pleased to be working in collaboration with British racing to “improve the understanding of negative outcomes in racehorses and enhance safety”.

“This research will greatly help the industry in making scientifically backed decisions that will benefit the welfare of the sport’s equine participants, which must be the number one priority of all involved in racing,” she said.

The project is jointly led by the British Horseracing Authority and the Horse Welfare Board, with funding from the Racing Foundation, as part of the industry’s focus on improving safety and reducing risk to racehorses.

British Horseracing Authority director of equine regulation, safety and welfare and Horse Welfare Board member James Given said the RVC epidemiological team has “academic expertise and independence that delivers scientifically rigorous evidence that enables recommendations and actions to be based on indisputable data”.

“Reduction of risk and injury is one of the core pillars of our welfare strategy and informed evidence-based decision-making is integral to this,” he said.

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Fund to improve sport horse welfare in memory of top showjumper who died at World Cup Final

Becky Murray — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 20:33:05 +0000

A research fund aimed at improving the health and welfare of sports horses has been named in memory of Chromatic BF, the 13-year-old US showjumper who died at the 2024 World Cup Final.

The Chromatic Fund is a collaborative initiative of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), US Equestrian (USEF), and Chromatic’s breeder KC Branscomb.

Chromatic BF collapsed and died in the stables shortly after the second leg of the competition on 18 April, in which he had finished third with rider Jill Humphrey.

USEF reported that the post-mortem was “inconclusive”, but that following engagement of experts, the “probable contributor was related to medications administered to the horse by a USEF appointed veterinarian” shortly before he collapsed – and that the vet made the decision to administer the FEI-permitted medications “that he believed would help sustain the horse’s performance in the days that followed”.

In August H&H reported new US initiatives to support horse welfare, aimed at “learning from this tragedy and mitigating the risk of recurrence”, including tighter rules around the administration of medications at international competitions.

In a further step, the Chromatic Fund has now been established. The “philanthropic donor-advised” fund will enable science-based, equine-specific research and information access “to benefit the health, wellbeing, and career longevity of horses in sport”.

Ms Branscomb made an initial gift to start the fund, matching a pledge made earlier by USEF, and will continue to support equine welfare efforts “as an advocate for additional fund resources and as one of the key advisors”.

“Our horses and the people who care for them deserve best-in-class information about the appropriate use, efficacy, and risks of various medications, supplements, and therapies,” said Ms Branscomb.

“This landmark cooperation between AAEP and USEF will enable horses to continue to compete in sport while living happier, healthier, and safer lives.”

USEF chief executive Bill Moroney added: “We are dedicated to enhancing our welfare initiatives for sport horses announced in August. Partnering with AAEP, the Foundation for the Horse, and Ms Branscomb is the perfect partnership to set this education and research program on the right path to success.”

In October the Foundation for the Horse awarded $664,467 (£520,633) for 18 research projects, including innovation and discovery research grants to equine researchers investigating “novel approaches to an array of conditions affecting equine health and welfare”.

A spokesperson for the Chromatic fund, which will be overseen by an advisory board of industry stakeholders, said that specific research and education grants associated with the fund will be project-reviewed and managed by AAEP-member equine vet participants volunteering through the Foundation for the Horse.

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2X1NXRN Jill Humphrey of the United States with Chromatic BF during the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup? - Final I at the FEI World Cup? Finals Riyadh on April 17, 2024, Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Photo by Maxime David - MXIMD Pictures) (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

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Likely cause of grass sickness found in major step to fighting devastating disease

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 07:02:59 +0000

The identification of the probable cause of equine grass sickness (EGS) is a “game changer” in understanding of the disease – and an important step towards reducing deaths.

Experts believe they have found the neurotoxin responsible for causing EGS, which has been elusive for over 100 years. Research involving The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies’ Equine Hospital, published in the British Equine Veterinary Association’s (BEVA) Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ), pinpoints a toxin with similar actions to snake venom toxins, produced by microorganisms in pasture.

The equine hospital’s Professor Bruce McGorum said: “Identifying a probable cause of equine grass sickness represents a significant breakthrough. We hope this discovery will lead to novel treatments and improved diagnostics for this devastating condition. We are very grateful for the generous support from horse owners, veterinary surgeons, scientists, charities and funding bodies.

“Further work is under way to determine the source of this neurotoxin; it is likely to be produced by a microbe such as a bacterium or fungus that grows on grass during cold and dry weather, which typically occurs before cases of the disease are identified.”

Grass sickness is a frequently fatal condition that causes degenerative changes to the central and autonomic (involuntary) nervous systems.

For this study, the researchers considered damage to muscle tissue in affected horses and found “major abnormalities” in their neuromuscular junctions; sites of communication between nerves and muscles crucial for muscle function.

These abnormalities are believed to represent damage caused by a type of neurotoxic enzyme, phospholipase A2. The toxin is in some snakes’ venom; it is possible drugs in development for treating people paralysed by snakebite could help horses with EGS.

The equine hospital’s Prof Scott Pirie said: “This work has clearly demonstrated the value of considering disease pathology, even subtle structural changes only visible at extremely high magnification, in the quest to identify the causes of disease, particularly those attributable to the action of toxins.

“The discovery of this distinct signature of toxin activity is a major game-changer in our understanding of this devastating disease.”

The study was carried out with Newcastle University, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, and the University of Padova. It was funded by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ charitable trust and the Moredun Foundation Equine Grass Sickness Fund.

Incredibly proud

“EVJ is incredibly proud to play a small part in getting this information to vets and horse owners,” said EVJ editor Professor Celia Marr. “As an equine clinician, I know this is a really important step towards addressing high losses associated with EGS.”

BEVA’s veterinary projects officer Lucy Grieve said dealing with grass sickness can be “horribly distressing” for vets.

“And it is hugely traumatic for the owner to know the likely outcome of this devastating disease,” she told H&H.

“Whilst we are some way off having means of prevention and treatment to save horses from this condition, this exciting work is an enormous leap in the right direction.

“To think that one day grass sickness could be a thing of the past is very exciting. As, of course, is the wider benefits of the work, the potential impact of which may be far-reaching across veterinary and human medicine.”

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Many horses’ need are not being met, study finds, prompting calls to do better

Eleanor Jones — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 19:51:18 +0000

Many domestic horses’ needs for space, forage and socialisation are not being med, a survey has shown – as it provides opportunity to improve equine wellbeing.

The National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) has announced the publication of a “groundbreaking” two-part study that “delivers a comprehensive review of factors influencing the wellbeing of domestic horses”.

The research, published in the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) journal Animal Welfare, “identifies essential needs and the profound impact of human interactions on horse welfare, offering practical recommendations for improving horses’ quality of life”.

Researchers Carol Hall and Rachel Kay conducted a review of scientific research, looking mainly at species-specific needs and horse-human interactions.

The first paper references the need to show that the horse world is actively working to improve equine quality of life or risk losing public acceptance of riding, and states that we must be able to demonstrate evidence-based assessment of wellbeing. Having reviewed available research, the team found that horses have to be able to fulfil their species-specific needs to have a good life.

“Current approaches to horse management frequently fail in this respect and consequently, their quality of life is suboptimal,” the paper concludes, adding that equine behaviour that indicates a negative state, “often resulting from inadequate social and physical environments, in addition to insufficient forage provision”, are evident.

“Although the lack of such behavioural expression may be considered by many in the equine sector as evidence that the horse has an acceptable quality of life , the findings of this review suggest otherwise.

“The first stage in moving towards a better life for horses is undoubtedly to provide them with the opportunity to satisfy their behavioural needs from birth onwards and improve their potential for experiencing pleasure.”

The team said the findings show what horses need for a good life, and how behaviour reflects quality of life.

Dr Hall said: “Unfortunately, most domestic horses aren’t living as good a life as they could or should be. Our review highlights several areas where current management and training practices fall short. Ensuring basic provisions like space, companionship and adequate forage is essential for their wellbeing, yet these needs are often unmet.

“It was also clear from the literature that behavioural signs, which could indicate how horses feel during human interactions, are often ignored or misinterpreted. Restrictive practices limit their ability to withdraw from unpleasant situations, leading to long-term negative effects.”

The second paper considered the horse-human relationship, noting that human interactions can positively and negatively affect horses’ wellbeing.

It concluded that quality of life is determined by the balance between positive and negative experiences, and that horses’ behaviour can indicate which is which, but these “are confounded by human control and training, and are open to misinterpretation”.

“Many interactions with humans have the potential to be unpleasant for the horse and the equine sector now needs to consider what changes should be made to management and training procedures to make them less aversive and more pleasurable,” the paper states.

“A good life for horses is only possible if their species-specific needs are met and their lifetime experiences of interactions with humans are predominantly positive. The quality of life of the domestic horse can only improve if stakeholders from across the equine sector acknowledge the need for change and implement the findings of this review.”

The researchers’ key recommendations to improve equine welfare are: to prioritise providing horses with space, companionship and free access to forage, to minimise negative human-horse interactions by improving handling techniques and training methods, and to recognise and address behavioural signs of pain early.

NEWC chair Carolyn Madgwick said: “On a positive note, this extensive review allows us to pinpoint numerous ways to improve the lives of domestic horses. The NEWC code of practice is currently being updated and will incorporate these findings to advance equine welfare nationwide.”

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Half of owners cannot identify equine lameness, research finds

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 11:51:25 +0000

Only about half of owners can recognise equine forelimb lameness, and a third hindlimb issues – and confidence in spotting issues does not necessarily match ability.

These were the findings of a study presented at the British Equine Veterinary Association Congress (11-14 September), by final-year vet student Jade England.

Ms England explained that lameness is one of the most often reported conditions in horses, and that previous research has suggested a high prevalence of undiagnosed lameness. This project, to investigate owners’ ability and confidence in identifying lameness, involved an online questionnaire completed by 509 people.

Each was shown videos of a sound horse, those with fore- and hindlimb lameness and one with bilateral shifting forelimb lameness.

Of these, 50.6% identified the sound horse, 50.3% the forelimb lameness, 32.3% the hindlimb issue and 8.9% the bilateral lameness.

“Investigating owner confidence, we found that most owners rated their confidence four out of five for identifying forelimb lameness, three out of five for hindlimb lameness, and two out of five for bilateral lameness,” Ms England said. “There is a group of people who are quite confident, but actually have the lower lameness identification scores, and a group who are lacking in confidence, but it doesn’t really correlate with their score.”

When asked about clinical signs of lameness, most selected head nods or hip hikes but far fewer cited pain expressions or behaviour changes.

“It’s probably no surprise that horse owners struggle to identify lameness, particularly hindlimb and bilateral lamenesses,” Ms England said. “Signs such as behavioural changes and pain expressions could really help with this, but we’re finding that owners are rarely using these.

“The results from this study can really help us understand the knowledge gaps and barriers owners may face when identifying lameness in their horses. We can use this to develop evidence-based resources focused on helping owners to improve recognition and understanding of lameness, leading to earlier identification, earlier diagnosis and faster access to treatment.”

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Double bridles create less pressure than snaffles in elite dressage horses, research finds

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 11:51:48 +0000

Double bridles exert less nasal and rein pressure than snaffles, a study involving top competition horses has found.

Studies comparing the noseband pressure and rein forces exerted by the two types of bridle were among those presented in a session on biomechanics at the British Equine Veterinary Association Congress (12–14 September).

Researcher and biomechanics expert Russell MacKechnie-Guire presented first a summary of a study on noseband pressure.

“You will be aware that the noseband and bridle-horse interaction has received quite widespread attention from both ethical and welfare perspectives,” Dr MacKechnie-Guire said. “Bridle-horse interaction is complex, and that’s really one of the things I want to get across, but unfortunately, they’re often overlooked in training and management of horses.

“There have been concerns raised over the use of double bridles but there’s very little quantitative comparison of the double bridle with the snaffle and we wanted to have a look at the facial pressures and movement symmetries.”

The team recruited 13 horses and riders competing at inter II or grand prix level, accustomed to being ridden in snaffles and doubles, and with their usual riders. All were assessed by a vet, including dentally, to ensure there was no discomfort, and bridle fit was checked.

Pressure was then measured, synchronised with video of the horses moving.

“In this group of horses, we found the mean nasal pressures were lower for the double bridle,” Dr MacKechnie-Guire said. “Maximum nasal pressure was lower for the double bridle versus the snaffle. So in this high-level group of horses, the double bridle did not increase nasal or mandible pressures compared to the snaffle.”

The team did find increased pressure over the horses’ heads in the double, which Dr MacKechnie-Guire said reinforced the complexity of bridle-horse interaction; much attention is given to nosebands but, he said, padding headpieces appropriately would allow distribution of the force.

Dr MacKechnie-Guire also presented a study on rein pressure, on fellow researcher David Marlin’s behalf, conducted at the same time.

This found that in trot, there was less rein force in the double than in the snaffle, and it was similar in walk and canter. The force on the curb bit was less than on the bradoon, in all gaits, and the force on the bradoon was less than on the snaffle.

“What we could potentially suggest is that with the presence of two bits, the total force is being distributed over a greater area,” Dr MacKechnie-Guire said. “It suggests potential for greater focal forces being applied to the oral structures by the snaffle bit.”

Dr MacKechnie-Guire stressed that he was not suggesting all horses should have two bits; he reiterated that these were high-level horses and riders, and future work is needed at lower levels. And on the biological effects of the findings.

Saddle effect

In a separate presentation in the same session, leading biomechanics vet and researcher Rachel Murray looked at changing saddle design and its effect on jumping horses.

The team in this study recruited 14 high-level showjumpers, who were assessed by vets and physios. Ridden by their usual riders, the horses each jumped in a standard monoflap saddle, and one with a lower cantle and different thigh block.

“The only thing that changed was the top, the interface of the rider with the saddle,” Dr Murray said.

Pressures were measured as the horses jumped a 1.20m fence, and it was found that on the approach and landing, there was significantly more pressure in the standard saddle; there was no difference on take-off or the jumping phase.

“So saddle design has the potential to support or restrict rider movement,” Dr Murray said. “Particularly on landing, the rider comes back, hits the back of the saddle and slides down it, whereas, where we don’t have that big cantle, there’s a much smoother interface between the rider and the saddle, and the rider’s pelvis is able to move back further without hitting the saddle.

“We don’t know all the mechanics, but we’ve definitely got a difference in what’s happening with the rider on the two saddles. And what is interesting is that it’s having a difference on the impact of the force between the saddle and the horse.”

Dr Murray again said that this involved high-level horses and riders; taking away support from a less balanced rider may have a negative effect, but it was concluded that “alteration in rider-saddle interaction affects the forces on the horse”.

“Is this a potential protection of the horse’s back?” she said.

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Are our eyes playing tricks on us? Different backgrounds can make horses seem fatter

Becky Murray — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 16:38:35 +0000

Horses in lush green fields may incorrectly be considered to have a higher body condition score than if they were in a bare paddock – and vice versa – owing to our eyes playing tricks on us.

In a study published in the Equine Veterinary Journal, researchers from the University of Liverpool and the British Horse Society (BHS) aimed to understand whether grass cover of the background environment in which a horse is viewed can influence perception in body condition scoring.

Photographs of 20 horses were taken in their usual fields, then superimposed on a background image of sparse grass and a background of lush grass. More than 150 participants – owners, vets, vet nurses and students and other equestrian professionals – assessed the images and scored the horses’ condition.

A picture of a horse superimposed on a background of sparse grass. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

“The analysis of data showed that the body condition scores given to horses was significantly higher on the lush pasture than the bare pasture, for both mean and median values,” the researchers concluded.

“Overall, the findings of this research project highlight that background environment has an impact on the visual perception of body condition scoring in horses.”

Lead author Holly Hibberd, a vet student at the University of Liverpool and a rider, told H&H it is important that owners consider their horses’ environment when considering their weight.

“We believe it is to do with visual perception, and it would be interesting to see if this is the case with other species too. The idea is that if they are on a lush pasture, they look like they have more food and it almost tricks your brain into thinking they must be on the bigger side. Whereas if they’re on a pasture with less food, you might think, ‘They must be starving,’ so think they look smaller,” she said.

“We need to be aware that when they’re on different types of pasture, there might be some form of bias. It’s really important that we manage our horses’ weight and we don’t want anything to skew how we look at them.”

Miss Hibberd said future research in this area might look at the differences in body scores when a horse is on a yard or under saddle, to see how scores compare between more environments.

She added that body condition scoring is “very useful” to owners.

“Not everyone has access to a weighbridge, so going off how your horse looks and knowing what a good body condition score looks like is really important. There are lots of websites, including the BHS, that provide guides on how to score body condition.”

A BHS spokesperson told H&H that the society recommends keeping a picture diary of horses’ weight, using the same neutral background for all photos.

“While it is also helpful to keep the environment in mind when looking at our horses, it is vital to do hands-on scoring regularly,” she said.

“We therefore strongly encourage horse owners and carers to continue to use their hands to feel for, and take note of, areas of fat across the horse’s body. It is the best way to capture an accurate score, which is extremely important in order to keep our horses at a healthy weight.”

Read the study abstract

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Vets face ‘concerning’ ethical challenges when treating competition horses

Becky Murray — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 16:24:11 +0000

A new study shines a light on “concerning” ethical challenges being faced by vets treating competition horses.

Researchers from the University of Bristol aimed to understand some of the ethical issues UK equine sports medicine vets are facing. A survey was taken by 97 vets, with questions on topics including conflicts of interest, pressure from owners, duties and obligations for vets set out by sport governing bodies and treatments and procedures used in sport medicine.

The most common challenge raised by the respondents was conflict of interest – notably “balancing the horse’s health and welfare with client wishes, particularly for the horse to compete”. An example given was owners requesting ongoing treatment and management of injuries to allow the horse to continue competing at a high level, where “it might be more appropriate to drop to a lower level/retire the horse”, and pressure put on vets to provide a “quick fix” for a horse for it to compete or be sold.

Other challenges highlighted were owner/trainer disregard of lameness, being asked to administer drugs and not put them on the clinical record as they appear on prohibited substance lists, and owners medicating horses without veterinary advice.

The limitations of the study were noted: vets who had concerns about ethical issues in sports medicine may have been more motivated to respond, and there was potential for response bias – but the researchers said this study provides “a foundation” for future work in this area.

The researchers said some of the findings “will be concerning for governing bodies” – and that the responses revealed areas that “could pose reputational risk to equestrian sport and/or the veterinary profession”.

Lead author Kate Allen told H&H vets face ethical challenges in all areas of practice, not just in sports medicine, but the team wanted to explore “the unique aspects” of being a sports medicine vet.

“It’s that added component of having the pressure for the horse to continue to train and compete, while thinking about horse welfare, rider safety, upholding clean sport – and trying to plan for the short- and long-term health of the horse,” said Dr Allen.

“The biggest challenge to come out is the competing interests of owners and trainers, and the pressure put on vets. There are times when the competing interests, whether that’s the client, or the sport’s regulations, or financial limitations, make it more challenging for you as a vet to meet that primary responsibility to the welfare of the horse.

“It’s also important to acknowledge that sports medicine has developed over recent decades, and there have been some great advances – but as care advances and we can do more and more, we need to think, ‘We can do this, but should we?’”

Dr Allen added that it would be positive for the profession and governing bodies to work closely together on these ethical challenges, and for clearer guidance from governing bodies to be developed on what procedures and treatments are both optimal and permitted, so that vets could use these to help guide discussions with clients.

British Equine Veterinary Association chief executive David Mountford told H&H the paper provides “thought-provoking evidence to substantiate the ethical challenges vets sometimes face in practice”.

“The authors have highlighted the potential limitations of the study, but it is very clear that there are a range of situations experienced by vets which could pose a reputational risk to equestrianism and/or the veterinary profession,” he said.

“Animal welfare is, and should always be, at the forefront of the industry’s collective minds, and this research highlights a need to develop systems that reduce the risk of ethical dilemmas occurring when treating horses.”

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Scientists find horses are cleverer than some previously thought

Lucy Elder — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 16:23:47 +0000

Scientists who wanted to understand more about the way horses learn have found that they are cleverer than previously believed.

Researchers from Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and the University of Central Lancashire developed a task where 20 horses touched a piece of card with their noses to get a treat. They gradually made the task more challenging and assessed how horses reacted.

At the next step, horses would not get a treat if they touched the card while a light was on, but would if they touched it while the light was off. The study found that horses indiscriminately touched the card, regardless of whether the light was on or off, while still being rewarded for all correct responses.

In the final stage, researchers introduced a “penalty” for touching the card when the light was on – giving horses a 10-second timeout, during which they were unable to play the game or receive a reward. Very quickly, there was a significant reduction in errors among all horses involved, as they started to play the game correctly to receive their treat.

The researchers argue that it is possible the horses had understood the game throughout, but had initially found a way to play that meant they did not have to pay much attention. They believe this shows a higher level of intelligence than previously thought possible, as horses were able to switch strategies when the penalty was introduced.

This “model-based” approach requires the horse to think into the future, focus on what they want to achieve and the steps they need to take.

“I’m sure many horse owners and riders may be reading this story and thinking, ‘Of course, we already know horses are clever!’ All three of us who did this research are horse people and we can think of lots of examples from our own experiences of horses demonstrating their emotional intelligence and ability for associative learning,” NTU-based researcher Louise Evans told H&H.

“What we have shown in our study is that horses may be even more cognitively complex than this, by behaving strategically, rather than purely based on association. This is the part that is less commonly seen, rarely evidenced and so interesting to us.”

She added that the fact horses “figured out that their original strategy of touching the target every time was not going to get them very far” once the penalty was introduced is the part they were “really impressed by” as “there has been no previous evidence to show horses had this ability”.

“We definitely don’t want people to take this research to mean that their horse is devious or out to take advantage of them and use that to excuse punishments. That type of behaviour needs a much more complex model of the world and a more complicated sense of self that there is no evidence for in horses,” she said.

“We hope the research can have positive impact though. First, although many horse riders and trainers may have suspected that horses are intelligent, there are still many people arguing that horses have limited cognitive capacities and this unfortunately can lead to poor welfare.

“Second, the horses learnt something quite complicated using only humane training methods, which shows that we can and should train horses in ways that promote good welfare.

“This type of rational thinking is only possible when horses (and humans) feel safe and relaxed, so positive welfare day to day and during training is key to getting the best from our horses. And finally, our study tells us we should all be more open-minded about the abilities of animals, even us scientists!”

Ms Evans added that predator animals, such as dogs, would be expected to have decent ability for model-based learning, as they need to be able to plan ahead to co-operate and ambush larger prey. But flight animals, like horses, don’t rely on this ability to survive in the wild, which is why the study’s results are surprising.

“Whether that makes them more or less intelligent than other species is too difficult to say based on this study alone. To our knowledge this is the first evidence of model-based learning in horses, so we need to do much more research to understand how and why horses might be able to do this,” she said.

Lead researcher Dr Carrie Ijichi added: “It’s fascinating because horses have a very underdeveloped prefrontal cortex, which is what we typically credit with producing that type of thinking in humans.

“This means they must be using another area of the brain to achieve a similar result, and this teaches us that we shouldn’t make assumptions about animal intelligence or sentience based on whether they are ‘built’ just like us.”

The study is published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science.

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Pioneering study sheds light on early pregnancy loss in horses – which is similar to humans

Becky Murray — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 16:16:10 +0000

Many early pregnancy losses in horses could be caused by chromosome defects, a new pioneering study has shown.

Researchers from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), as part of a team from Cornell University, analysed 256 samples from mares to understand how abnormalities in chromosomes affect early pregnancy loss. The study found that having three sets of a certain type of chromosome, as opposed to the two in a healthy foetus, was the most common chromosomal abnormality that contributed to pregnancy loss.

Other irregularities included the presence of one extra chromosome, and one fewer, which accounted for 12% of losses. The researchers said the findings mean it is possible to account for potential causes in 60–70% of early pregnancy loss, up from 20–30%.

Lead researcher Mandi de Mestre, a professor in equine medicine at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, told H&H this work builds on previous knowledge in this area – and although it is not known yet what causes chromosome abnormalities, the work shows they are “incredibly common”.

“Miscarriage is really emotional; obviously you have lost that potential for life that people are desperate to reproduce from their mare, but the other frustrating thing is not being able to explain why it occurred,” said Professor de Mestre, adding that the research looked at naturally covered mares, and further studies would be needed to look at pregnancies occurring from IVF.

“The main take-home is that we are now starting to know that it could be the first thing to think of when your mare loses a pregnancy, at least in those first two months. We clearly have a lot of work to do on how we can prevent it, how we can develop treatments, or make mating choices that reduce the chance of it happening.

“Given how common it is, I don’t think we’re likely to wipe it out, but you might change how you go about treatment for that mare in the knowledge that this is a really common thing to look out for.”

RVC research fellow Jessica Lawson added that in addition to the “significant findings”, the team “for the first time, has identified sub-chromosomal aberrations in an aborted foetus and a stillborn foal”.

“These aberrations likely constitute a rare but important cause of later-term pregnancy loss, and we look forward to continuing to investigate the clinical significance of these genomic changes,” said Dr Lawson.

The researchers also said that although chromosomal abnormalities are widely acknowledged as a common cause of human miscarriage, owing to the similarities between human and equine chromosome structures and other pregnancy characteristics, this study supports the use of horses as a “novel model organism to study miscarriage in women”.

“In women, you see these genetic conditions as a common cause of miscarriage, but we often don’t get these really early samples. Because we scan horses regularly and monitor them so closely, we were able to look at an even earlier period than they routinely look at in women,” said Prof de Mestre.

The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association contributed funds, data and case material to the research, and the association’s veterinary committee chair James Crowhurst told H&H the results “proved highly informative” and are “exciting in terms of broadening understanding in this area”.

“As conception rates in horses have greatly improved over the last 40 years, in no small part due to pioneering work by Professor William ‘Twink’ Allen and his team, plus others, attention was then drawn to exploring the causative factors of pregnancy loss,” said Dr Crowhurst.

“Simultaneous advances in genetic analysis have allowed Prof Mandi de Mestre and Dr Jessica Lawson to investigate genetic causes of early embryonic failure, leading to these pioneering studies.”

Read the research paper.
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Foals’ gut bacteria linked to adult health and performance

Lucy Elder — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 16:01:41 +0000

Gut bacteria in foals at 28 days old have “significant” links to both their health and athletic performance later in life.

The findings are the result of a ground-breaking new study by researchers at the University of Surrey’s veterinary medicine and bioscience departments, led by Professor Chris Proudman.

The researchers found that the future athletic performance of the foals involved was positively associated with higher bacterial diversity in their poo at one month old.

They also investigated the long-term impact of foals receiving antibiotics during the first month of life and found these had lower faecal bacterial diversity than their counterparts, won less prize money, and had significantly increased rate of developing respiratory disease. They also identified that low gut bacterial diversity in early life is associated with an increased risk of soft-tissue and orthopaedic issues developing later.

The study highlights the “profound and enduring impact” that gut health as a foal has on racehorse health and performance, and why antibiotics “need to be used responsibly”.

A total of 438 poo samples from 52 thoroughbred foals were analysed and respiratory, gastrointestinal, orthopaedic and soft-tissue health issues were tracked from birth to three years old. The foals came from five stud farms and went into training with 29 different trainers.

Professor Proudman told H&H the primary objective of the study was to look at associations between early life gut bacterial communities and health outcomes.

“We know from existing work that these early life gut communities are important in the process of immunological priming of animals and humans in those very first weeks of life. That in turn affects how susceptible animals and humans are to disease in the future,” he said.

“We were particularly interested in respiratory disease, because this is a major problem in young racehorses in particular. We did find that there were associations, particularly between low gut bacterial diversity and increased risk of respiratory disease later in life.”

He said the disease link was consistent with evidence from research in humans and other animals, but added that the associations with athletic performance were a surprise.

“It blows my mind really to think that what is happening at one month old is a predictor of how those horses are going to perform on the racecourse up to three years later,” he said.

The long-term health and wellbeing implications are significant in the context of life-long equine welfare, beyond a horse’s racing career.

“This is very much making sure that right from the outset as very young foals, we understand the determinants of health and that we are setting them up for a healthy life,” he said. “By making sure that gut microbiota is as healthy as possible in those early weeks and months, we can set them up for a good life.

“We talk about the ‘one health’ agenda, which is the health of humans, animals and the environment all being interlinked and inseparable. It’s further evidence to support this basic biological principle, that early life gut microbiota, microbial communities, influence health for the rest of the animal’s life.”

He said that there are cases that need antibiotics, but that this highlights why responsible use is vital – noting that antimicrobial resistance is a risk to animals and humans.

Professor Roberto La Ragione, co-investigator from the university’s school of bioscience, agreed, adding: “Antibiotics are vital in treating infections and protecting the long-term health of foals; they do, however, need to be used responsibly.

“Our study demonstrates that treatment with antibiotics can disrupt the healthy gut microbiome with long-term impacts on health and performance.”

Leading breeder Kirsten Rausing, chairman of the International Thoroughbred Breeders’ Federation, sponsored the study through her charitable foundation the Alborada Trust.

“This ground-breaking study has identified the importance of gut health in our very young foals. As breeders, if we can get this right, we will produce foals that will be healthier, and will grow into more successful racehorses,” said Dr Rausing.

The Alborada Trust is also funding research into how to minimise disruption of gut bacteria when antibiotics are needed to treat infections, plus from where foals get their early life gut bacteria. The Horserace Betting Levy Board is also funding connected research into identifying bacteria that seem to be associated with healthy outcomes and investigating their use as potential probiotics.

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Snooze or lose? Tracking riders’ sleep to improve performance and safety

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 22 May 2024 16:26:07 +0000

A global “sleep intervention package” and quiet zones in lorry parks could help riders get enough quality sleep to improve competition safety – as could taking your own pillow to events.

Two studies, carried out at Hartpury International Horse Trials last year and via a questionnaire sent to 230 FEI-registered event riders, resulted in similar recommendations to “improve the health and wellbeing of athletes and staff in equestrian sport”.

Hartpury senior lecturer Emma Davies, the co-lead on both pieces of research, told H&H they were two distinct pieces of work but “the findings clearly mirror each other”.

“Sleep is something that had never been studied in riders, despite our early mornings and extra-curricular activity,” she said. “One of our students, Sandy Wilson, is doing his PhD on sleep in our athletes and he spoke to some of our staff and students about it, which inspired a conversation about possible research. That expanded into these studies and we now hope to take it further and look at other sleep behaviours in the equestrian community.”

One study involved riders at last year’s horse trials wearing advanced sleep trackers for the duration of the event, and completing a questionnaire covering sleep duration, sleep difficulty, natural times for sleep and demographics.

It found that the average duration of sleep was just over six hours, not varying significantly over the nights of the event.

The other questionnaire, completed by 230 eventers, also asked whether riders had help with horses and yard duties and about caffeine consumption. The findings were similar, also finding that sleep duration was affected by whether there was a pet sleeping in the same place.

“Taking your dog to an event might affect your sleep quality,” Ms Davies said. “But especially from the questionnaire, barriers to sleep were things like noise, from generators for example, not having your usual bed or an uncomfortable mattress; all things that might depend on finances and sleeping arrangements in the lorry.”

Ms Davies highlighted one key recommendation from both studies, to implement “quiet zones” in lorry parks at all competitions.

“Sleep is considered one of the most important elements; the most effective strategy available for elite athletes to support their performance,” she said. “Lack of sleep can mean issues with cognitive function; it can slow your ability to make decisions and impair fine motor skills. Tiny changes in aids can communicate different information to the horse. If riders going across country are potentially impaired by poor sleep, that could put them at risk.”

Ms Davies said the team wants to extend the work to amateur riders, as well as officials and others on the ground at competition, but there are steps all riders can take when staying at competitions.

These include turning off screens an hour before bed, taking your own pillow with you in the lorry, as well as ear plugs, and considering apps that aim to improve sleep by emitting white noise, although it is wise to become used to these at home first.

“This has been a real toe in the water,” Ms Davies said. “We don’t think this is just an athlete problem, it’s a horse person problem; sleep is defined by our commitment to our horses and there are things we can do in education to improve that. There’s a safety element for anyone involved with horses.”

Eventer Freddie Carden told H&H he was delighted to help with the project, by wearing the tracker at last summer’s competition, and that he was interested to find out how much sleep he had on each night.

“You know how us eventers love a party!” he said. “But although I went to the drinks on Saturday night, I still had a good sleep. It was worth doing to see if you actually sleep well at events, as stress can have a lot of impact.”

Freddie said he slept in his lorry for months as he was moving between yards so he is used to it but he could see how a change in bed might affect others’ sleep.

“I’d never thought about the impact of sleep before; I don’t think anyone really had,” he said. “I’d be interested to see if professionals sleep better at events than amateurs as they’re more used to it but it was definitely a good thing to do.”

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