Application of a Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram to horses competing at 5‐star three‐day‐events: Comparison with performance
Authors: Dyson S., Ellis A. D.
Journal: Equine Veterinary Education
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram at Elite Three-Day Events Dyson and Ellis applied a 24-behaviour pain ethogram during dressage warm-up at two 5-star three-day events to establish whether observable pain-related behaviours could predict performance failure and correlate with competition outcomes in 137 horses. Pain ethogram scores ranged from 0–9, with median scores of 3 in clinically non-lame horses rising to 5 in those displaying trot or canter gait abnormalities; critically, 59% of horses scoring ≥7 behaviours failed to complete the cross-country phase, compared with 33% scoring below 7. Moderate correlations emerged between pain ethogram scores and both dressage penalties (rho = 0.4) and final placings (rho = 0.3), whilst horses unable to complete cross-country demonstrated significantly higher pain scores than those that finished. The strong consistency between scores when horses competed at both events (rho = 0.6) validates the ethogram's reliability as a practical diagnostic tool. For equine professionals, these findings underscore that systematic observation of pain behaviours during warm-up provides actionable early warning of compromised welfare and impending performance failure, offering opportunity for intervention before costly competition withdrawal or escalated musculoskeletal injury.
Read the full abstract on the publisher's site
Practical Takeaways
- •Use the 24-behavior RHpE during warm-up to identify horses at risk of cross-country failure; a score ≥7 suggests 59% failure rate and warrants further veterinary investigation before competition
- •Higher RHpE scores correlate with worse dressage performance and final placings, so systematic assessment can inform both welfare decisions and competitive expectations
- •The RHpE is a repeatable, practical tool for detecting subtle musculoskeletal pain early, enabling earlier diagnosis and treatment to improve both welfare and performance outcomes
Key Findings
- •59% of horses with RHpE score ≥7 failed to complete cross-country phase versus 33% with score <7
- •Moderate correlation (rho=0.4, P<0.001) between RHpE score and dressage penalties
- •Horses with lameness or canter gait abnormalities had significantly higher RHpE scores (P<0.01)
- •Strong correlation (rho=0.6, P<0.001) in RHpE scores for horses competing at both events, indicating tool reliability