Survey of the knowledge and perceptions of horse owners in Ireland of common clinical conditions and their impact.
Authors: Golding Emma, Neavyn Neita Aoife, Walshe Nicola, Hanlon Alison, Mulcahy Grace, Duggan Vivienne
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Horse owners act as primary decision-makers for their animals' health and welfare, yet little is known about how their understanding of common conditions influences management outcomes or how serious illness affects owners emotionally. This Irish survey of 491 horse owners explored self-declared knowledge of eight prevalent conditions (arthritis, PPID, EMS, gastric ulcers, high worm burden, dermatophilosis, quidding/head tossing, and equine asthma), perceptions of disease impact, and decision-making factors around euthanasia. Knowledge varied markedly between conditions—84.1% reported strong knowledge of mud rash compared to only 42% for EMS—and importantly, owners' perceived impact on their horse correlated significantly with their own emotional distress across all conditions, from weak correlation for arthritis (0.36) to strong for EMS (0.62). Pain, discomfort, and quality of life emerged as the dominant concerns when facing equine illness or end-of-life decisions. For practitioners, these findings suggest that targeted education around metabolic and systemic conditions may yield significant benefits, whilst recognising that owner emotional wellbeing during health crises warrants professional consideration alongside clinical management of the horse itself.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Veterinarians should tailor client education on condition severity and management to address knowledge gaps, particularly for metabolic and respiratory conditions where owner understanding is lowest
- •Recognize that owners' emotional responses to equine illness directly correlate with their perception of disease impact; counseling should address both horse welfare and owner wellbeing
- •Discussions about quality of life, pain management, and end-of-life care are critical touch points for owners making health decisions—prioritize these conversations in clinical practice
Key Findings
- •Owner knowledge of common equine conditions varied significantly, ranging from 84.1% reporting very good knowledge of mud rash to 42% for EMS
- •Strong positive correlation between perceived impact on horse and emotional impact on owner for all conditions studied (correlation range 0.36-0.62)
- •Pain, discomfort, and quality of life were the most common concerns influencing medical decision-making and euthanasia decisions
- •Survey respondents likely biased toward computer-literate owners with good literacy and pre-existing interest in equine health