A Preliminary Assessment of Equine Affect in Equine-Assisted Services
Authors: Christine Rudd, E. Pasiuk, N. Anderson, Nathan Hall, Robin H Foster, Katy Schroeder
Journal: Anthrozoös
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Equine Affect in Equine-Assisted Services Whilst equine-assisted services (EAS) have demonstrated considerable benefit for human participants, the physiological and behavioural experience of the horses providing these services remains poorly characterised. Rudd and colleagues conducted a mixed-methods study with 14 horses and 56 human participants performing three common EAS interactions (grooming, leading, and maze navigation), measuring equine stress responses through heart rate variability (HRV), infrared eye temperature, and direct behavioural observation. Grooming emerged as significantly more stressful for horses than leading or maze work, with increased sympathetic nervous system activation (LF:HF ratio considerably elevated; p < 0.001 versus leading, p = 0.005 versus maze) and elevated eye temperature (p = 0.003 versus leading, p < 0.001 versus maze), alongside observable stress-related behaviours including heightened head carriage and pawing. These findings suggest that grooming interactions in EAS settings warrant particular attention from practitioners, as horses may experience genuine physiological stress during what is often perceived as a benign or positive activity, necessitating investigation into modifications that could optimise equine welfare during unmounted service delivery.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Grooming sessions in EAS programs may cause measurable stress responses in horses—monitor for elevated head carriage, pawing, and adjust duration or technique to minimize sympathetic activation
- •Use HRV monitoring and eye temperature as practical welfare indicators during EAS activities; leading and maze activities appear less stressful than grooming
- •Consider rotating horses more frequently during grooming-heavy EAS sessions and evaluate whether alternative handling approaches could reduce the stress response observed in this study
Key Findings
- •Horses displayed significantly greater sympathetic nervous system activation during grooming compared to leading (LF:HF p<0.001) and maze conditions (LF:HF p=0.005)
- •Eye temperature was significantly elevated post-grooming compared to leading (p=0.003) and maze conditions (p<0.001), indicating physiological stress
- •Horses showed more stress-associated behaviors including elevated head carriage and pawing during grooming versus other unmounted interactions
- •Heart rate variability and behavioral markers suggest potential welfare concerns for horses during grooming activities in equine-assisted services