A Pilot Welfare Assessment of Working Ponies on Gili Trawangan, Indonesia.
Authors: Pinsky Tova C, Puja I Ketut, Aleri Joshua, Hood Jennifer, Sasadara Maria M, Collins Teresa
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Working Pony Welfare on Gili Trawangan, Indonesia Approximately 200 working ponies on the Indonesian island of Gili Trawangan—where motor vehicles are banned—operate within a largely unmonitored system, prompting researchers to establish baseline welfare data that could guide targeted intervention strategies. The 2019 pilot study combined questionnaires with 33 cart drivers and veterinary examinations of 38 ponies to assess body condition, lameness, foot health, and wound prevalence alongside management practices and driver knowledge. The findings revealed considerable welfare concerns: whilst 60% of ponies maintained adequate body condition (score 3/5), over 39% were underweight; lameness affected 38% of the population; 92% presented foot pathology ranging from overgrown hooves to thrush and abscesses; and 86% carried wounds, many consistent with harness rubbing or untreated injuries. Most troublingly, 30% of drivers reported they would continue working ponies with visible signs of injury or illness, reflecting a knowledge gap rather than deliberate negligence. Given the remoteness of the island, lack of local veterinary services, and limited driver education on equine health recognition, sustainable welfare improvements will require culturally appropriate, accessible training programmes that balance animal welfare with the economic realities of working communities and local tourism.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Foot care is critical and urgent on Gili Trawangan—92% foot pathology prevalence suggests systematic farriery education and accessible hoof care services could dramatically improve working pony welfare
- •Baseline health data demonstrates that education interventions targeting drivers about signs of injury/illness and work cessation could prevent welfare deterioration and work-related injury progression
- •Remote island populations with limited veterinary access need portable wound management and preventive care protocols that drivers can implement—farriers and lay handlers must be trained as first responders
Key Findings
- •38% of ponies examined had lameness and 92% had foot pathology
- •86.1% of ponies (31/38) had at least one wound
- •60.5% of ponies had body condition score of 3/5, with 31.6% scoring 2/5
- •30% of cart drivers reported willingness to work ponies despite visible injury or illness