“Straight from the Horse’s Mouth”: Equine-Assisted Services Curriculum Development Using Industry-Based Survey Assessment of Horse Welfare and Healthcare Management Practices
Authors: Perri Purvis, Carter Hill, M. Nicodemus, K. Holtcamp, Clay A Cavinder, Lori Irvin, J. Wells, E. Memili
Journal: Trends in Higher Education
Summary
# Editorial Summary Equine-assisted services (EAS) programmes across the United States rely heavily on older horses, yet undergraduate curricula preparing professionals for this sector rarely address the specific healthcare and welfare management demands these animals face. Researchers surveyed 30 EAS facility managers to identify the most pressing clinical challenges and current management practices, documenting that all surveyed facilities cared for more than three geriatric horses, with 60% regularly working functionally lame animals—a prevalence not necessarily linked to the number of older horses on site. Beyond lameness, gastrointestinal conditions emerged as a leading health concern affecting 73% of facilities, whilst behavioural assessment was the dominant pain detection method (93%), particularly amongst staff with greater equine experience. Current pain management relies on a multi-modal approach combining annual alternative therapies, daily pharmaceuticals, and nutritional supplementation (each utilised by approximately 73% of facilities), yet formal training in these strategies remains absent from most degree programmes. The findings indicate that EAS-focused curricula must prioritise gerontological horse management, early lameness recognition, gastrointestinal health, and evidence-based pain detection and treatment protocols—skills currently acquired through on-the-job experience rather than structured undergraduate education.
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Practical Takeaways
- •EAS programs should expect to manage geriatric horses and functionally lame horses as routine; develop robust protocols for pain assessment, particularly behavior-based observation, as this improves with experience
- •Gastrointestinal health and lameness management are the two primary welfare challenges in EAS settings; integrate pharmaceutical, nutritional, and alternative therapeutic options into daily care protocols
- •Multi-modal pain management combining annual alternative therapies (76%), daily prescriptions (73%), and nutritional supplements (73%) appears standard practice in well-managed EAS facilities
Key Findings
- •100% of surveyed EAS facilities managed more than three geriatric horses in their programs
- •60% of facilities regularly utilized functionally lame horses despite lameness not correlating with number of geriatric horses (r=0.20, p=0.22)
- •Gastrointestinal conditions affected 73% of facilities and were the leading non-lameness health concern
- •Behavior assessment was the most common pain detection method (93%) and positively correlated with years of horse experience (r=0.51, p=0.01)