The influence of rider skill on ridden horse behaviour, assessed using the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram, and gait quality
Authors: Dyson S., Martin C., Bondi A., Ellis A. D.
Journal: Equine Veterinary Education
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Rider Skill and Horse Behaviour Assessment Dyson and colleagues investigated whether rider competence influences pain-related behaviours in ridden horses, questioning the assumption that skilled riders would produce lower Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE) scores alongside improved gaits. Forty horses in regular work were ridden by both their habitual rider and a professional rider of substantially higher skill (median 6/10 versus 4.5/10 on the FEI scale) whilst performing a standardised dressage-type assessment, with blinded video analysis used to score gait quality and record RHpE behaviours. Gait quality correlated strongly with rider skill, yet median RHpE scores remained similar regardless of rider (9/24 in both cases, range 3–14), suggesting that pain-related postural and movement abnormalities persist independently of riding ability—though specific pain behaviours did vary in frequency between riders. For practitioners, this finding implies that whilst skilled riding optimises the horse's mechanical efficiency and apparent performance, it does not mask underlying musculoskeletal discomfort; conversely, a poor RHpE score should not be attributed solely to rider incompetence. The work reinforces that the RHpE functions as a pain assessment tool rather than a measure of ridden performance, and that clinical evaluation must consider both ridden behaviour and gait quality to build a complete picture of equine wellbeing.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Improved rider skill reliably produces measurable improvements in gait quality, supporting investment in rider training and education
- •RHpE scores alone may not capture how rider skill influences horse movement; assessment should include objective gait evaluation alongside pain ethogram scoring
- •Rider technique can modulate how pain behaviours are expressed—a horse's pain indicators may vary depending on who is riding, so serial assessments should use consistent riders when diagnosing musculoskeletal issues
Key Findings
- •Professional riders achieved higher skill scores (6/10) compared to normal riders (4.5/10, P<0.001)
- •Rider skill correlated significantly with gait quality scores (P<0.001)
- •Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram scores showed no significant difference between normal and professional riders (median 9/24 for both)
- •Rider skill altered the frequency of occurrence of specific pain-related behaviours despite similar overall RHpE scores