Equine-assisted interventions in Germany: animal welfare knowledge and practices among equine-assisted professionals.
Authors: Braun T F, Ameli K, Krämer S
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Equine-assisted interventions (EAI) have demonstrated considerable therapeutic benefits across diverse human populations, yet the animal welfare practices underpinning these programmes remain poorly characterised in the scientific literature. Braun and colleagues surveyed 111 German EAI professionals using mixed-methods questionnaires to evaluate their understanding of equine welfare and the practical measures they implement, analysing responses through SPSS statistical software and thematic coding. Whilst 96.6% of respondents reported placing high importance on animal welfare, knowledge gaps emerged across the cohort: professionals generally recognised obvious stress signals and considered horses' basic physical and psychological needs, but demonstrated inconsistency in identifying more subtle behavioural indicators of discomfort or distress. These findings highlight a critical discrepancy between professionals' welfare intentions and their capacity to recognise nuanced equine communication, suggesting that formal training in equine stress physiology and subtle body language interpretation could substantially improve welfare outcomes in EAI settings across farriery, veterinary, physiotherapy, and coaching disciplines. Further investigation into how welfare protocols are implemented and enforced within EAI programmes would help establish evidence-based best-practice standards.
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Practical Takeaways
- •While animal welfare is prioritized by most equine-assisted professionals, training in recognizing subtle stress behaviors (ear position, muscle tension, micro-expressions) should be enhanced to prevent welfare compromise
- •Establish standardized protocols for assessing horse welfare beyond obvious stress signals, including regular monitoring of psychological state and workload appropriateness
- •Consider implementing mandatory continuing education in equine behavior and welfare assessment for all equine-assisted intervention practitioners
Key Findings
- •96.6% of equine-assisted professionals rate animal welfare as very important during interventions
- •Knowledge of animal welfare aspects among professionals is varied, with gaps in recognizing subtle stress behaviors
- •Professionals focus on obvious physical and psychological stress signals but may miss more nuanced behavioral indicators
- •Common considerations include physical needs, psychological needs, and stress-related communication signals in horses