Welfare and stress assessment of tourism carriage horses under real working conditions in Sicily.
Authors: Arfuso Francesca, Rizzo Maria, Arrigo Federica, Francaviglia Francesco, Perillo Laura, Schembri Pietro, Zumbo Luigi Emiliano Maria, Disclafani Rosaria, Piccione Giuseppe, Monteverde Vincenzo
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Welfare Assessment of Tourism Carriage Horses in Sicily Twenty-two Standardbred carriage horses working in Sicilian tourism underwent physiological assessment during a typical working day (07.00 to 17.00) across three summer months in 2022, with blood samples collected before work and within 10 minutes of finishing to measure stress markers, inflammatory indicators and haematological parameters. Whilst cortisol, total protein and globulin concentrations remained unchanged in response to the day's work itself, these values—along with specific globulin fractions—significantly elevated in July relative to May and June, correlating directly with increasing temperature-humidity index (THI) values that indicated mild stress in June and high stress in July. Red blood cell indices did increase post-work compared to rest, suggesting some physiological strain, though the absence of work-induced elevation in cortisol and acute phase proteins indicates these horses had adapted reasonably well to their occupational demands under moderate thermal conditions. The findings suggest current tourism carriage horses in Sicily maintain acceptable welfare standards during routine operations, but environmental heat stress rather than work intensity poses the primary welfare concern. Practitioners should prioritise scheduling rest periods and reducing work hours during peak summer temperatures, particularly when THI exceeds thresholds indicating high thermal stress, to mitigate accumulating physiological load and maintain long-term welfare in this working population.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Avoid scheduling carriage work during peak summer heat (July data showed high THI stress); prioritize cooler hours of the day
- •Monitor horses during humid months (June-July) for signs of heat stress even if they appear behaviorally adapted to routine work
- •These horses showed physiological adaptation to regular carriage work, suggesting moderate work loads are manageable when temperature conditions are controlled
Key Findings
- •Direct erythrocyte indices increased significantly after work compared to rest (P < 0.05)
- •Cortisol, total proteins, and globulins remained unchanged by carriage work itself but increased during high temperature-humidity index conditions in July (P < 0.05)
- •Temperature-humidity index showed mild stress in June and high stress in July, correlating with elevated physiological markers
- •Standardbred carriage horses demonstrated adaptation to regular work activity over the three-month study period