Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
EmailIphone Application    Posted: 2nd May 2017
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.
Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

Facial expressions research to help horses in pain
horse and rider
Studies suggest that owners, riders and trainers have a poor ability to recognise signs of pain when horses are ridden.

Researchers develop ethogram to help trainers recognise pain sooner

Horses may soon be saved from needless pain and suffering, thanks to new research led by the Animal Health Trust (AHT).

Studies suggest that owners, riders and trainers have a poor ability to recognise signs of pain when horses are ridden. As such, problems are labelled as rider-related, training-related, behavioural, or deemed ‘normal’ for that horse.

In a new study, equine orthopaedics specialist Dr Sue Dyson is developing an “ethogram” – a catalogue of behaviours – for professionals and owners to help them identify signs of pain.

In the first stage of testing, Sue and her team asked various people to apply the ethogram to photographs of horses’ head while they were ridden. For example, could the assessors see the whites of their eyes, could they notice different ear positions and could they notice a tightness in the muzzle? They found that the assessors were reasonably reliable in identifying these different facial expressions.

In the second stage of testing, Sue assessed whether the ethogram could be used to distinguish between sound and lame horses. During this stage, she applied a pain score of 0-3 to each feature of the ethogram (ears, eyes, muzzle etc.) and then totalled to find out an overall pain score for each horse.

"Results showed there was a scientifically significant difference in pain scored given by the assessors for clinically lame and sound horses," said a spokesperson for the AHT. “This is a huge step in providing the application of Sue’s ethogram, which could potentially save horses from needless suffering and chronic injuries as owners and trainers are able to recognise pain sooner and get those horses the veterinary care they need.”

Looking ahead, Sue and her team aim to develop a whole horse ethogram and its application to non-lame and lame horses, to differentiate between manifestations of conflict behaviour.

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise 100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.