Indicators of Horse Welfare: State-of-the-Art.
Authors: Lesimple Clémence
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Indicators of Horse Welfare: State-of-the-Art Distinguishing chronic welfare states from temporary emotional or pain responses remains fundamental to accurate equine assessment, yet the distinction is frequently muddled in both research and practice. Lesimple's 2020 review critically examined the scientific validation of welfare indicators used in horses, separating reliable, evidence-based measures (such as body lesions, apathy, aggression and stereotypic behaviours) from transient acute stress responses and unfounded assumptions that have infiltrated both the literature and commercial practice. With an expanding body of welfare research producing increasingly diverse assessment tools, many of which lack rigorous scientific testing before widespread adoption, the distinction between what is scientifically sound and what merely appears credible has become increasingly critical—particularly as legislative decisions now hinge on welfare evaluations. This synthesis provides equine professionals and researchers with a validated framework for distinguishing genuine chronic welfare indicators from misleading signals, essential for making evidence-based decisions about management, training and care protocols. For farriers, veterinarians, physiotherapists and coaches, applying these scientifically grounded assessment tools rather than relying on anecdotal observations or untested popular beliefs ensures more accurate welfare evaluation and better-informed interventions.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Use only scientifically validated welfare indicators when assessing horse welfare; distinguish between chronic welfare state and temporary emotional responses to acute situations
- •Rely on animal-based measures (observable behaviours and physical signs) rather than assumptions or popular beliefs when evaluating horse welfare for management and legal decisions
- •Implement multidisciplinary assessment approaches combining behavioural, physical, and physiological measures to accurately identify horses with impaired welfare requiring intervention
Key Findings
- •Animal welfare must be distinguished as a chronic state from temporary emotional or stress-related states in horses
- •Animal-based measures and multidisciplinary scientifically validated indicators are necessary for accurate welfare assessment in non-verbal individuals
- •Many welfare measures in recent horse studies lack scientific validation before application, creating risk of false welfare evaluations
- •Reliable welfare indicators include body lesions, apathy, aggressiveness, and stereotypic behaviours, differentiated from acute pain and stress signals