Horse’s emotional state and rider safety during grooming practices, a field study
Authors: L. Lansade, Coralie Bonneau, C. Parias, S. Biau
Journal: Applied Animal Behaviour Science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Grooming, Emotional State and Handler Safety Lansade and colleagues conducted a field observation study of 69 horses in riding centres and sports stables to characterise grooming practices, focusing on equine emotional responses and handler safety risk behaviours. Their findings revealed a concerning welfare picture: only 5% of horses displayed positive responses such as mutual grooming or relaxation, whilst four times as many showed avoidance and threatening behaviours, with nine recorded incidents of horses threatening handlers with hooves or teeth. Beyond equine welfare implications, the study documented alarming safety practices among handlers, with 100% of riders engaging in at least one risky behaviour during grooming sessions—most commonly passing behind or under the horse's head without maintaining visual contact (97%)—and averaging 6.7 dangerous behaviours per session, occasionally reaching 19. Notably, professional experience offered no protection: experienced riders and horse professionals showed identical safety lapses and were equally exposed to defensive horse behaviours as novices, including inadequate headwear (only 7% wore hard hats) and hazardous back posture during hoof care (88% at risk). These findings highlight a significant blind spot in equestrian education whereby grooming is undervalued as a welfare and safety priority, despite the evidence that horses often experience negative emotions during this routine care, suggesting urgent need for standardised handler training in both reading equine stress signals and risk mitigation during ground work.
Read the full abstract on the publisher's site
Practical Takeaways
- •Grooming is commonly associated with negative emotional responses in horses and creates genuine safety hazards for handlers—invest time in learning to read your horse's comfort signals and adjust your techniques accordingly
- •Implement consistent safety practices during grooming regardless of your experience level: always maintain visual contact with your horse, wear a helmet, use proper body mechanics when picking feet, and maintain safe distance from vulnerable areas
- •Your horse's defensive behaviour during grooming (pinning ears, stepping back, threatening) is feedback that something about the process is uncomfortable—investigate technique, pressure, tools, or underlying pain rather than dismissing it as attitude
Key Findings
- •Only 5% of horses showed positive emotions during grooming (mutual grooming, approach, relaxed behaviour), while 20% expressed avoidance and threatening behaviours
- •Nine incidents of threatening behaviour occurred where hooves or teeth passed within 10 cm of the rider's body or head during grooming sessions
- •100% of riders demonstrated at least one risky behaviour during grooming, averaging 6.7 dangerous behaviours per session, with 97% passing behind or under the horse's head without maintaining visual contact
- •Rider experience level had no protective effect: professionals showed equivalent safety risks and back strain (88% risky posture when picking hooves) compared to less experienced riders, despite similar exposure to dangerous situations