Rider effects on horses’ conflict behaviour, rein tension, physiological measures and rideability scores

Many breeding organisations include a subjective scoring of rideability by a professional rider into their evaluation of sports horses, but the consistency and reliability of the scoring system is debateable. The aim of this study was to investigate (i) whether professional riders agree in their scoring of rideability, and (ii) whether rideability scores are affected by rein tension, horse conflict behaviour, heart rate, and salivary cortisol, and (iii) whether riders induce different levels of conflict behaviour and physiological responses in the horses. Ten professional, female riders each rode 10 dressage horses (level M German scale; n = 100 combinations) through a standardised dressage test (10 min warm-up followed by a 4-min test) and subsequently scored the horses for rideability on the official 1–10 scale (1 = poor to 10 = excellent) from the Danish Riding Federation. Rein tension, horse heart rate, saliva cortisol and conflict behaviour were measured for each rider-horse pair. The riders were inconsistent in their scoring of rideability to the individual horses, e.g. scores for one of the horses ranged from 1 to 8. There was a significant effect of rider (P = 0.003) and the frequency of conflict behaviour (undesired head movements: P < 0.001, breaking the gait: P = 0.013, and other evasive behaviour: P = 0.032) on rideability scores, i.e. the more conflict behaviour the lower the score. There was no significant effect of rein tension and the physiological measures on rideability scores. However, there was a significant effect of rider on rein tension, horses’ heart rate and increases in saliva cortisol concentrations and a tendency for some types of conflict behaviour, suggesting that some riders induced more discomfort in the horses. Future studies could help shed light on which elements of riding style are particularly important for sports horse welfare. In conclusion, this study found a large variation in rideability scores assigned to ten sports horses by ten professional riders. Rideability scores were dependent on the level of horse conflict behaviour, but not rein tension and physiological measures. Further studies are needed to improve the objectivity, consistency and reliability of rideability assessment of sports horses

Evolving protocols for research in equitation science

Within the emerging discipline of Equitation Science the application of consistent methodology, including robust objective measures, is required for sound scientific evaluation. This report aims to provide an evaluation of current methodology and to propose some initial guidelines for future research. The value of research, especially that involving small sample sizes, can be enhanced by the application of consistent methodology and reporting enabling results to be compared across studies. This paper includes guidelines for experimental design in studies involving the ridden horse. Equine ethograms currently used are reviewed and factors to be considered in the development of a riddenhorse ethogram are evaluated. An assessment of methods used to collect behavioral and physiological data is included and the use of equipment for measurements (e.g., rein-tension and pressure-sensing instruments) is discussed. Equitation science is a new discipline, subject to evolving viewpoints on research foci and design. Technological advances may improve the accuracy and detail of measurements, but must be used within appropriate and valid experimental designs

The science of horse training: implications for rider safety and animal welfare

Despite enormous investment in equine related equipment, nutrition and health, the actual communication process between domesticated horses interacting with humans every day remains poorly defined. Recently the advent of equitation science has encouraged the application of learning theory to the longstanding and important relationship between human and horse. Equitation science is an emerging discipline that combines learning theory, physics and ethology to examine the salience and efficacy of horse-training techniques. This thesis describes investigations into many areas of horse training in Australia from the safety of riders and welfare of elite dressage horses to the marketing of ponies and the physical characteristics of the communications cues provided by riders to their mounts. Given the broad nature of this project, a wide variety of investigative and experimental techniques were used to achieve the project objectives. A review of published material lead to recommendations for methodological standards and future research directions in rein tension research. The Signal Scribe™ rein tension meter (Crafted Technologies) was used to measure the tension created in the reins by 12 riders applying a deceleration cue. These measurements were carried out on an artificial horse torso. A system for detecting a rider’s lower-leg pressure on the lateral torso was also created using piezoresistive technology developed for measurement of seat pressure in wheelchairs. The system was used to measure the lower-leg pressure of 12 riders applying an acceleration cue on an artificial horse torso. This same equipment was modified to measure the force of whip strike impacts. In the small sample (n = 6) the back hand strikes with the preferred hand were more forceful than forehand strikes. This preliminary research demonstrated that fundamental communication processes between horse and rider is poorly defined and research and benchmarking of best practice is required. In view of the reported problems with equine back pain, an on-line survey of current use of layers between the saddle and the horse’s back was conducted. There were 1011 respondents representing a wide range of equestrian activities. Use of layer(s) between saddles and horses’ backs was ubiquitous in this sample. More research on this equipment is warranted as layer(s) can sabotage good saddle design and compromise equine welfare. Laboratories investigating saddlery and equestrian techniques should incorporate a layer between the saddles and the horses’ backs. Horse-related injuries to riders, handlers and veterinarians can be both serious and long-term in their effects on the victim. Recent technological advances in protective equipment may have mitigated the severity of some injuries, but overall, the incident frequency of horse-related injuries has not changed. Centuries of horse management, training and education to date appear to have done little to reduce the incidence rate of injuries to humans in their interactions with equids. Poor stimulus control of the horse by the rider and activation of the flight response are two aspects of horse/rider interactions that warrant further investigation as a means of preventing or mitigating horse-related accidents. Very little information on the role of the horse is available in incidents recorded, despite repeated acknowledgement that this can be an important factor in many of the incidents. Equitation Science can contribute to reducing horse-related injuries by reducing the “unpredictability” aspect of horse–human interactions. A novel methodology was developed to assess the value placed on safe horse behaviour in the Australian pony market. In doing so a hedonistic pricing model for this market was created. Horse riding is a particularly dangerous activity for children, especially until they have accrued significant riding experience. It is reasonable to suppose that this relatively naïve group would be riding ponies. Descriptors associated with safe behaviour in advertisements in Horse Deals did not contribute to increases in the asking price of ponies and pony club mounts. This suggests that vendors struggle to sell this attribute. That said, descriptors associated with warnings of dangerous behaviour contributed to decreases in the asking price of ponies and pony club mounts. Vendors in the pony and pony club markets appear to value different characteristics to those valued by buyers. Published dressage scores were used to appraise the welfare of elite dressage horses during Olympic competition. Judges at high-level dressage competitions can show considerable variability in the scoring of tests. Despite the relevance of the submission collective mark to horse welfare, judges appear to have considerable difficulty scoring in this domain and aligning their scores with overall performance. Using horses in human competition demands that both the physical and psychological health of the competition horse be monitored. This study has shown that it is not possible to identify and reliably quantify a measure of horse welfare in Olympic dressage competition. This thesis demonstrates that equitation science provides a lens through which the full diversity of horse-human interaction can be examined, evaluated and improved

The roles of equine ethology and applied learning theory in horse-related human injuries

Horse-related injuries to riders, handlers, and veterinarians can be both serious and long-term in their effects on the victim. This review of literature covering horse-related injuries to human beings sought to identify rider and handler injury incidence and the relationships between antecedents and demographics of incidents. Review and evaluation of previously recommended prevention strategies were also undertaken. There was evidence that recent technological advances in protective equipment may have mitigated some injuries but the frequency of the incident has not changed. Despite several authors acknowledging the important role the horse played in many of the incidents, there was little specific detail about this role recorded. The emerging field of equitation science will contribute important insights that make horse-use safer by reducing the ‘‘unpredictability’’ aspect of horse–human interactions

The roles of equine ethology and applied learning theory in horse-related human injuries

Horse-related injuries to riders, handlers, and veterinarians can be both serious and long-term in their effects on the victim. This review of literature covering horse-related injuries to human beings sought to identify rider and handler injury incidence and the relationships between antecedents and demographics of incidents. Review and evaluation of previously recommended prevention strategies were also undertaken. There was evidence that recent technological advances in protective equipment may have mitigated some injuries but the frequency of the incident has not changed. Despite several authors acknowledging the important role the horse played in many of the incidents, there was little specific detail about this role recorded. The emerging field of equitation science will contribute important insights that make horse-use safer by reducing the ‘‘unpredictability’’ aspect of horse–human interactions

Over-flexing the horse\u27s neck: A modern equestrian obsession?

We used an opportunistic review of photographs of different adult and juvenile horses walking, trotting, and cantering (n = 828) to compare the angle of the nasal plane relative to vertical in feral and domestic horses at liberty (n = 450) with ridden horses advertised in a popular Australian horse magazine (n = 378). We assumed that horses in advertisements were shown at, what was perceived by the vendors to be, their best. Of the ridden horses, 68% had their nasal plane behind the vertical. The mean angle of the unridden horses at walk, trot, and canter (30.7 ± 11.5; 27.3 ± 12.0; 25.5 ± 11.0) was significantly greater than those of the ridden horses (1.4 ± 14.1; −5.1 ± −11.1; 3.1 ± 15.4, P \u3c 0.001). Surprisingly, unridden domestic horses showed greater angles than feral horses or domestic horses at liberty. We compared adult and juvenile horses in all 3 gaits and found no significant difference. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the longitudinal neck flexion of the degree desirable by popular opinion in ridden horses is not a common feature of unridden horses moving naturally. Moreover, they suggest that advertised horses in our series are generally being ridden at odds with their natural carriage and contrary to the international rules of dressage (as published by the International Equestrian Federation). These findings are discussed against the backdrop of the established doctrine, which states that carrying a rider necessitates changes in longitudinal flexion, and in the context of the current debate around hyperflexion

Variability of scores in the 2008 Olympic dressage competition and implications for horse training and welfare

Olympic dressage involves “an intimate unity between a human and a non-human” and is scored by a subjective judging process, under the auspices of the Fédération Equestre Internationale whose Code of Conduct declares the welfare of the horse as paramount. Dressage is of particular interest to equitation scientists and equine ethologists because it embodies the full range of the stimulus-response contingencies that operate in all of the Olympic disciplines. In Fédération Equestre Internationale dressage competition, collective marks are awarded across four domains immediately after each performance. Collective marks are designed to summarize the performance of horse and rider and must reflect the qualities of the entire performance. They are derived from the observation of the judges of the separate test movements. The 4 collective marks include: (1) paces; (2) impulsion; (3) submission; and (4) the rider\u27s position and seat; correctness and effect of the aids (rider signals). The definition of submission in this context makes reference to lightness and other qualities that align with optimal ridden horse welfare. We assessed the characteristics of these marks in horses competing in the 2008 Olympic Games Grand Prix (GP; n = 46) and Grand Prix Special (GPS; n = 25) dressage competitions. We also examined the effect of judge location and used Pearson correlation coefficients to explore relationships between collective marks and test-movement scores. All 4 collective marks correlated with each other significantly (P \u3c 0.001). The weakest correlation was between paces and submission (r = 0.22) and the strongest between impulsion and rider position scores (RPS) (r = 0.59). In the GP, paces and submission scores were less correlated with test movement scores than the impulsion and RPS scores. In the GPS, submission scores were less correlated with individual movements than the other collective marks. Indeed, they failed to significantly correlate with 19 of 32 movement scores (P \u3c 0.05). RPS varied most in the GP (standard deviation = 0.73) whereas submission scores varied most in the GPS (standard deviation = 0.65). A REML analysis across both competitions showed all collective marks were significant in predicting final percentage scores but submission (F = 31.27) made the least significant contribution (paces, F = 61.3; impulsion, F = 69.77; RPS F = 53.01; P \u3c 0.001 for all values). These results speak of considerable variability in judging and suggest that, despite the relevance of submission to horse welfare, judges have considerable difficulty scoring in this domain and aligning their scores with overall performance

Riders\u27 application of rein tension for walk-to-halt transitions on a model horse

Rein cues have been used for millennia when controlling horses. Recent research has quantified the range of tensions exerted on the horse\u27s mouth by bit and rein apparatus under a variety of conditions and investigating the tension horses will freely tolerate. Given the importance of rein tension in terms of controlling horses and the potential for welfare issues arising from use of apparatus in the horse\u27s mouth, this study the tensions created by riders (n = 12) performing walk to halt gait transitions on a model horse. The mean tension when applying the deceleration cue of the left rein (mean tension, 8.58 N; standard deviation = 5.15; range = 3.14-28.92 N) was greater than the right rein (mean tension, 6.24 N; standard deviation = 4.1; range = 2.27-16.17 N). Little correlation was found between rider morphometry and rein tension. Although the deceleration cue was significantly higher than the resting tension by 51% for the right rein (P \u3c 0.001) and by 59% for the left rein (P \u3c 0.001), there was large variation between and within riders. These findings suggest the need for greater awareness of the potential for rein tensions to vary from principles of good horse welfare and training principles

Riders\u27 application of rein tension for walk-to-halt transitions on a model horse

Rein cues have been used for millennia when controlling horses. Recent research has quantified the range of tensions exerted on the horse\u27s mouth by bit and rein apparatus under a variety of conditions and investigating the tension horses will freely tolerate. Given the importance of rein tension in terms of controlling horses and the potential for welfare issues arising from use of apparatus in the horse\u27s mouth, this study the tensions created by riders (n = 12) performing walk to halt gait transitions on a model horse. The mean tension when applying the deceleration cue of the left rein (mean tension, 8.58 N; standard deviation = 5.15; range = 3.14-28.92 N) was greater than the right rein (mean tension, 6.24 N; standard deviation = 4.1; range = 2.27-16.17 N). Little correlation was found between rider morphometry and rein tension. Although the deceleration cue was significantly higher than the resting tension by 51% for the right rein (P \u3c 0.001) and by 59% for the left rein (P \u3c 0.001), there was large variation between and within riders. These findings suggest the need for greater awareness of the potential for rein tensions to vary from principles of good horse welfare and training principles

Do vendors value safety in the Australian recreational (non-thoroughbred) riding horse market?

The importance that vendors attribute to safety when selling a horse may be estimated by examining the relationship between the use of positive and negative descriptive terms associated with horse safety and the advertised price of recreational riding horses. In this study, we gathered data for non-Thoroughbred horses from 524 advertisements on price, safety, and warning descriptors and other characteristics including age, height, sex, color, breed, registration, and experience to investigate variates associated with pricing in the Australian adult riding horse market. We did this by examining the Allrounders and Adult Riding Club sections in 6 consecutive 2009 editions of the leading Australian horse-trading magazine Horse Deals. From these, we identified 67 descriptive terms and phrases that vendors used to describe their horses and assigned them to 4 categories based on the extent to which they communicated a behavioral or biological characteristic of the animal relevant to rider/handler safety. Three of these categories reflected degrees of perceived positive assurance, and the fourth contained covert warning (negative) descriptors. Linear regression analysis of log (price) revealed that variates such as a larger total sum of performance experience and bigger advertisements (P \u3c 0.001), breed registration (P = 0.03), and sex stated as gelding (P = 0.006) all significantly increased the price set by vendors. The inclusion of covert warning descriptors had a detrimental influence on price (P = 0.007). The inclusion of positive descriptive terms associated with safety had a rather smaller and less significant effect (P\u3c 0.023) on price. Overall, these findings highlight the need for further exploration of the attitudes and beliefs that vendors, purchasers, and recreational riders, in general, place on safety