Benefits of Animal Exposure on Veterinary Students' Understanding of Equine Behaviour and Self-Assessed Equine Handling Skills.
Authors: Guinnefollau Lauréline, Gee Erica K, Bolwell Charlotte F, Norman Elizabeth J, Rogers Chris W
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
Incoming veterinary students typically arrive with substantial knowledge gaps regarding equine behaviour interpretation and handling competency, despite horses presenting one of the most significant safety risks in veterinary practice. When 214 first and fourth-year students were asked to identify affective states from photographs and self-assess their handling abilities, only 48% of first-years correctly interpreted the horse's emotional state, and most demonstrated poor comprehension of equine learning mechanisms alongside limited confidence in practical skills. Prior exposure to animals—particularly horses on family properties or through pet ownership—emerged as a significant predictor of behavioural literacy, whilst fourth-year students showed threefold improvement in behavioural interpretation and substantially higher self-rated competency than their first-year peers, underscoring the value of structured programme experience. For equine professionals working alongside vets or advising on student training, these findings emphasise that formal education substantially closes the knowledge gap, but also that early-career veterinarians without pre-university animal exposure may require additional mentoring in behaviour recognition and handling techniques to ensure both personal safety and horse welfare during clinical work.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Most newly qualified veterinarians started with poor equine behaviour comprehension, emphasizing the need for structured practical training programs focused on recognizing equine affective states and learning mechanisms
- •Students with prior horse experience demonstrate superior behaviour interpretation skills, suggesting mentorship or simulated exposure programs may benefit those without this background
- •Practical training during veterinary education substantially improves handling competency and behaviour recognition—investing in quality hands-on programs is critical for graduate preparedness
Key Findings
- •Only 48.7% (56/115) of first-year veterinary students correctly interpreted equine behaviour from photographs, indicating poor baseline knowledge
- •Fourth-year students were three times more likely to accurately interpret equine behaviour compared to first-year students (p = 0.01)
- •Prior animal experience, specifically pet ownership (p = 0.027) and presence of horses on family property (p = 0.001), significantly predicted better equine behaviour understanding
- •Fourth-year students self-rated their equine handling skills significantly higher than first-year students (p = 0.006), suggesting practical training improves competency