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.
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

Owners’ belief in horse emotion linked to animal wellbeing
Working horses are vital to communities in low and middle income countries.
Study examines relationships between owners and horses in Senegal.

A study has uncovered a link between working horse owners believing in horse emotion, and their animal having improved health and wellbeing.

The project, a collaboration between working animal charity Brooke and the University of Portsmouth, has highlighted the importance of this discovery for low and middle income countries, where the welfare of working horses is closely linked to the livelihoods of communities.

The research took place among communities in Senegal, specifically towns and villages in the Diourbel, Louga and Thiès regions. In these communities, working horses are vital to supporting the local agricultural industry.

Research from Brooke identified that, in Senegal, having a working donkey meant farmers produced 78 per cent more groundnuts, 46 per cent more maize and 44 per cent more millet.

In Burkina Faso, farmers said they’d see a 50 per cent loss in cultivated products without their equids. Equids are also used to transport water and livestock feed. Brooke says these roles mean that the health and welfare of these animals is vitally important.

To understand the relationship between people and their working equids, the researchers surveyed 299 working horse owners and their horses in the Senegalese communities.

The study found that horse owners who had stronger belief in horse sentience, and an overall positive attitude to horses, owned horses with a healthier body condition.

Owners who believed in horse’s emotions also provided appropriate nutrition and owned horses with better health and behaviour. A positive attitude towards horses was also associated with improved equine nutrition and behaviour.

Households which could afford their own needs were more likely to provide better welfare for their horse, including adequate diet, housing, and veterinary care. Larger households and those with better incomes were most likely to have a horse with good general health.

Leanne Proops, associate professor in animal behaviour and welfare at University of Portsmouth, said: “This finding is critical for organisations working to improve animal welfare, as it suggests that fostering empathy and compassion in horse owners could be a key strategy for improving the lives of working horses.”

However, researchers believe this discovery could work both ways.

Dr Proops added: "We know that people tend to protect themselves from distress by thinking that animals are not so capable of feeling emotions when they are faced with situations where animals may be suffering.

“Our hope is that these insights drive advocacy for better policies to protect working horses, encourage funding for welfare programs and raise awareness in communities about how knowledge of animal emotions can directly benefit their animals and, in turn, their own livelihoods.”

The full study can be found in the journal Plos One.

Image © Shutterstock

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

Free CPD announced for BVNA members

News Story 1
 Zoetis is to present a CPD event for free to members of the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA).

Led by veterinary consultant Ruth Moxon, the one-hour online session is designed to help veterinary nurses discuss parasiticide options with clients. It will advise on structuring recommendations, factors for product choice and moving away from 'selling'.

'How do you recommend parasite treatments to your clients?' will be presented on Tuesday, 20 May at 7.30pm. It is free for BVNA members, with £15.00 tickets for non-members.

Veterinary nurses can email cpd@bvna.co.uk to book their place. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
DAERA to reduce BVD 'grace period'

DAERA has reminded herd keepers of an upcoming reduction to the 'grace period' to avoid BVD herd restrictions.

From 1 May 2025, herd keepers will have seven days to cull any BVD positive or inconclusive animals to avoid restrictions being applied to their herd.

It follows legislation introduced on 1 February, as DAERA introduces herd movement restrictions through a phased approach. Herd keepers originally had 28 days to cull BVD positive or inconclusive animals.

DAERA says that, providing herd keepers use the seven-day grace period, no herds should be restricted within the first year of these measures.

Additional measures, which will target herds with animals over 30 days old that haven't been tested for BVD, will be introduced from 1 June 2025.

More information is available on the DAERA website.