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[hal-04837219] Forage, freedom of movement, and social interactions remain essential fundamentals for the welfare of high-level sport horses
Societal concerns for animal welfare extend to all domestic species, including high-level sport horses. The welfare of these horses, notably highlighted during the recent Olympics, has garnered significant public interest, prompting inquiries into their living conditions. Animal welfare studies have emphasised three key needs crucial to equine welfare: unlimited access to forage, freedom of movement, and social interactions with peers, commonly referred to as the “3Fs”—access to Forage, Freedom of movement, and interactions with Friend conspecifics. However, the feasibility and benefits of satisfying these needs specifically for sport horses remain unexplored. Indeed, they may face unique challenges such as high physical workload, extensive travel, limited time in their home stables, weight management, and high economic value necessitating careful handling. Consequently, restrictions on feeding, freedom of movement, and social contact are often deemed necessary. This field study aims to assess the actual level of implementation of welfare in high-level sport horses by evaluating body condition, injury risk, and behavioural welfare indicators in their home stable. To achieve this objective, the welfare of 56 high-level sport horses competing internationally was assessed using behavioural indicators of welfare through scan sampling (abnormal behaviours, i.e., stereotypies, aggression towards humans, withdrawn behaviour, and alert behaviours; positions of the ears in a backward position while foraging, watching behaviours, and through other Animal Welfare Indicators (AWIN) protocol measures). This study shows that there exists a large variability among horses regarding their access to the 3Fs, with some of them having a lot of restrictions and others not, meaning it is possible to respect them while competing at a high level. Second, we observed that the fewer restrictions the horses experience regarding the 3Fs while in their home stables, the better their welfare, as demonstrated by the indicators we assessed. These results undeniably support the fact that unrestricted access to forage, the ability to move freely outdoors, and the opportunity to interact socially with conspecifics are fundamental needs of horses that could be provided to horses, also to high-performance ones. It is therefore essential that solutions are put in place to ensure that these conditions are met.
ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Romane Phelipon) 13 Dec 2024
https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04837219v1
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[hal-04667798] Behaviours exhibited during training predict physical tiredness in harness trotter horses
Physical activity, especially high-intensity training (HIT), leads to physiological and behavioural changes. The objectives of this randomized cross-over study were to investigate i) the effects of physical exercise on weight, behaviours, and head and ear positions on the days after low-intensity training (LIT) or high-intensity training; and ii) to explore if behaviours, and/or physiological parameters (sweat, salivation and blood lactate levels) during training can predict post-training behaviours. A total of nineteen French trotter horses housed in four different training centres were studied the day before (D pre ) and after LIT or HIT (afternoon after training (D training ) and 2 days after training (D1 Post and D2 Post )). The results showed that horses exhibited i) longer durations of resting and head below the withers (HBW) on D training and D1 Post than on D pre and ii) shorter eating durations on D1 Post and D2 Post than on D pre after HIT. This was associated with significant weight loss on D 2 Post . Several behaviours associated with discomfort ( e.g ., head conflict behaviours, nose behind the vertical, and open mouth), as well as amount of sweat, seemed to predict the durations of resting, HBW and eating on D1 Post . Thus, behaviours are impacted by training, and a combination of behaviours and visible physiological parameters exhibited during training have the potential to predict physical tiredness in harness racing horses.
ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Noémie Hennes) 05 Aug 2024
https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04667798v1
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[hal-04667773] Differences in behaviour, facial expressions and locomotion between positive anticipation and frustration in horses
Animal welfare is a result of accumulated negative and positive emotions. Therefore, it is important to limit the former and promote the latter. Doing so requires a precise identification of these emotions. The aim of this study was to characterize the behaviours, facial expressions and locomotor parameters of 21 horses in two conditions with opposite valence, presumed to induce positive anticipation and frustration. In the positive anticipation situation, the horse was led to a bucket of food, knowing that they would be allowed to eat it. In the frustration situation, experimenters indicated to the horse that food was available without allowing them to eat it. In the positive anticipation situation, horses exhibited a lower neck position with the ears forward and upper lip advanced and went faster by increasing their stride frequency accompanied by increased global locomotor activity. In the frustration situation, horses exhibited a higher neck position with the ears backward or to the side, accompanied by ear movements and eye blinks, and interacted more with the experimenters. This study describes new possible indicators of positive anticipations and frustration in horses.
ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Romane Phelipon) 05 Aug 2024
https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04667773v1
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[hal-03768888] Horse welfare: A joint assessment of four categories of behavioural indicators using the AWIN protocol, scan sampling and surveys
Domesticated horses (Equus caballus) can be exposed to a compromised welfare state and detecting a deterioration in welfare is essential to modify the animals' living conditions appropriately. This study focused on four categories of behavioural indicators, as markers of poor welfare: stereotypies, aggressiveness towards humans, unresponsiveness to the environment and hypervigilance. In the scientific literature, at least three assessment methods can be used to evaluate them: the Animal Welfare Indicators (AWIN) protocol, behavioural observations using scans and surveys. The question remains as to whether all these three methods allow an effective assessment of the four categories of behavioural indicators. To address this issue, the repeatability at a three-month interval and convergent validity of each measure (correlations between methods) were investigated on 202 horses housed in loose boxes. Overall, the repeatability and convergent validity were limited, highlighting the difficulty in assessing these indicators in horses. However, stereotypies and aggressiveness measures showed higher repeatability and convergent validity than those of unresponsiveness to the environment and hypervigilance. Behavioural observations using scans enabled the four categories of behavioural indicators to be detected more effectively. Suggestions of improvements are proposed for one-off measures such as those performed with the AWIN protocol. Regardless of the assessment method, very limited correlations were observed between the four categories of behavioural indicators, suggesting that they should all be included in a set of indicators used to assess the welfare state of horses, in conjunction with physiological and health measures.
ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Alice Ruet) 20 Feb 2023
https://hal.science/hal-03768888v1
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[hal-04076442] Gut microbiota resilience in horse athletes following holidays out to pasture
Elite horse athletes that live in individual boxes and train and compete for hours experience long-term physical and mental stress that compromises animal welfare and alters the gut microbiota. We therefore assessed if a temporary period out to pasture with conspecifics could improve animal welfare and in turn, favorably affect intestinal microbiota composition. A total of 27 athletes were monitored before and after a period of 1.5 months out to pasture, and their fecal microbiota and behavior profiles were compared to those of 18 horses kept in individual boxes. The overall diversity and microbiota composition of pasture and control individuals were temporally similar, suggesting resilience to environmental challenges. However, pasture exposure induced an increase in Ruminococcus and Coprococcus that lasted 1-month after the return to individual boxes, which may have promoted beneficial effects on health and welfare. Associations between the gut microbiota composition and behavior indicating poor welfare were established. Furthermore, withdrawn behavior was associated with the relative abundances of Lachnospiraceae AC2044 group and Clostridiales family XIII. Both accommodate a large part of butyrate-producing bacterial genera. While we cannot infer causality within this study, arguably, these findings suggest that management practices maintained over a longer period of time may moderate the behavior link to the gut ecosystem beyond its resilience potential.
ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Núria Mach) 20 Apr 2023
https://hal.science/hal-04076442v1
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[hal-02987164] Horses Could Perceive Riding Differently Depending on the Way They Express Poor Welfare in the Stable
This study investigated the relationships between four behavioral and postural indicators of a compromised welfare state in loose boxes (stereotypies, aggressive behaviors toward humans, withdrawn posture reflecting unresponsiveness to the environment, and alert posture indicating hypervigilance) and the way horses perceived riding. This perception was inferred using a survey completed by the usual riding instructor and during a standardized riding session (assessment of behaviors and postures, qualitative behavior assessment (QBA) and characterization of the horses' locomotion using an inertial measurement unit). In accordance with ear and tail positions and the QBA, stereotypic and the most hypervigilant horses in loose boxes seemed to experience a more negative affective state during the riding session compared with nonstereotypic and less hypervigilant animals (P < .02 in all cases). Horses which were aggressive toward humans in loose boxes had higher scores regarding the occurrence of discomfort and defensive behaviors on the survey than nonaggressive horses (P = .03). They also presented higher dorsoventral accelerations at a canter during the riding session (P = .03), requiring the rider to increase his spinal movement (P = .005). These results suggest that aggressive horses may be harder to ride than nonaggressive animals. The expression of unresponsiveness to the environment in loose boxes was related to more reluctance to move forward, as assessed in the survey (P = .006). This study suggests that a compromised welfare state in the stable is related to horses having a more negative perception of riding. This perception could vary depending on the expression of poor welfare.
ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Alice Ruet) 05 Sep 2022
https://institut-agro-dijon.hal.science/hal-02987164v1
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[hal-03536907] Effects of a temporary period on pasture on the welfare state of horses housed in individual boxes
omesticated horses mainly live in individual boxes, a housing system reported as compromising animal welfare. A common practice in riding schools involves offering a temporary period on pasture with conspecifics to alleviate the impact of long-term deprivation triggered by boxes. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of this practice using four behavioural indicators reflecting a compromised welfare state: stereotypies; aggressive behaviours towards humans; the "withdrawn posture" reflecting unresponsiveness to the environment; and the "alert posture" indicating hypervigilance. A group of 31 horses was monitored before, during and after a period of 1.5 months on pasture (intra-group comparisons) and their behaviours were compared to those of 29 horses kept in individual boxes during the study (inter-group comparisons). On pasture, no stereotypies and aggressive behaviours towards humans were observed, and the occurrence of the "alert posture" decreased, although the results were not significant. An increase in the expression of natural behaviours such as locomotion, exploration and social behaviours was observed. However, the expression of the "withdrawn posture" increased during the first five days on pasture (Friedman: P<0.001; Wilcoxon signed-rank: P<0.001) before a decrease was observed after 20 days, returning to the level previously observed when horses were in boxes (Wilcoxon signed-rank: P<0.01). These results suggest that going out to pasture can positively influence the welfare state of horses, but also that several days of adaptation are needed, probably due to the novelty of the environmental and social conditions. The most noticeable result occurred when horses returned to individual boxes. A sharp increase in the occurrence of stereotypies (Cochran test: P<0.001; Chi(2) of homogeneity: P = 0.05), of the "withdrawn" (Friedman: P<0.001; Wilcoxon rank-sum: P<0.05) and the "alert" postures (Friedman: P<0.01; Wilcoxon rank-sum: P<0.001) was observed during the first five days of returning to confinement. The expression of the majority of natural behaviours immediately returned to the level observed during the pre-pasture period. After three months, the expression of the four welfare indicators was not different from that in the pre-pasture period. These results demonstrate that the beneficial effects likely to be induced by the pasture do not last when horses return to individual boxes and that the environmental change causes deleterious shortterm effects on the animals' welfare state. It would thus be recommended to keep domestic horses permanently on pasture when possible.
ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Alice Ruet) 22 Aug 2022
https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-03536907v1
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[hal-03197220] Priming for welfare: gut microbiota is associated with equitation conditions and behavior in horse athletes
We simultaneously measured the fecal microbiota and multiple environmental and host-related variables in a cohort of 185 healthy horses reared in similar conditions during a period of eight months. The pattern of rare bacteria varied from host to host and was largely different between two time points. Among a suite of variables examined, equitation factors were highly associated with the gut microbiota variability, evoking a relationship between gut microbiota and high levels of physical and mental stressors. Behavioral indicators that pointed toward a compromised welfare state (e.g. stereotypies, hypervigilance and aggressiveness) were also associated with the gut microbiota, reinforcing the notion for the existence of the microbiota-gut-brain axis. These observations were consistent with the microbiability of behaviour traits (> 15%), illustrating the importance of gut microbial composition to animal behaviour. As more elite athletes suffer from stress, targeting the microbiota offers a new opportunity to investigate the bidirectional interactions within the brain gut microbiota axis.
ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Núria Mach) 13 Apr 2021
https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-03197220v1
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[hal-02624117] Inter-breed diversity and temporal dynamics of the faecal microbiota in healthy horses
Understanding gut microbiota similarities and differences across breeds in horses has the potential to advance approaches aimed at personalized microbial modifications, particularly those involved in improving sport athletic performance. Here, we explore whether faecal microbiota composition based on faecal 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing varies across six different sport breeds at two time points 8 months apart within a cohort of 189 healthy horses cared for under similar conditions. Lusitano horses presented the smallest and Hanoverians the greatest bacterial diversity. We found subtle but significant differences in beta-diversity between Lusitano, Anglo Arabian and the central European breeds, and we reproduced these results across the two time points. Repeat sampling of subjects showed community to be temporally more stable in Lusitano and Anglo Arabian breeds. Additionally, we found that 27 genera significantly varied in abundance across breeds. Overall, 33% of these taxa overlapped with previously identified taxa that were associated with genetic variation in humans or other species. However, a non-significant correlation was observed between microbial composition and the host pedigree-based kinship. Despite a notable variation in the diversity and composition of the faecal microbiota, breed exerted limited effects on the equine faecal microbiota.
ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Francesca Massacci) 26 May 2020
https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-02624117v1
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[hal-02623360] Housing horses in individual boxes is a challenge with regard to welfare
Horses are mainly housed in individual boxes. This housing system is reported to be highly detrimental with regard to welfare and could trigger the expression of four behavioural indicators of a compromised welfare state: stereotypies, aggressiveness toward humans, unresponsiveness to the environment, and stress-related behaviours. The aim of this study was to identify housing and management factors that could alleviate the detrimental effects of individual boxes on welfare. A total of 187 horses were observed over 50 days by scan sampling. The impact of 12 factors was investigated on the expression of the four behavioural indicators in three different analyses. The results show that the majority of factors tested did not influence the expression of the behavioural indicators. Only three (straw bedding, a window opening onto the external environment, and a reduced quantity of concentrated feed) would have beneficial, although limited, effects. Furthermore, the longer the horses spent in individual boxes, the more likely they were to express unresponsiveness to the environment. To preserve the welfare of horses, it seems necessary to allow free exercise, interactions with conspecifics, and fibre consumption as often as possible, to ensure the satisfaction of the species' behavioural and physiological needs.
ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Alice Ruet) 26 May 2020
https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-02623360v1
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[hal-02623405] Progressive habituation to separation alleviates the negative effects of weaning in the mother and foal.
Early and definitive separation between offspring and their mothers has negative consequences on behavioral and physiological responses. This study compared sudden and definitive weaning (Sudd group, N = 16) and weaning involving progressive habituation to separation using a fence line during the month preceding definitive separation (Prog group, N = 18). The impact of these two methods was assessed in both foals and their mothers through behavioral and biological parameters, including salivary cortisol, telomere length and blood transcriptomes. On the day of definitive separation, Prog foals neighed and trotted less and presented lower cortisol levels than Sudd foals. The weaning type also acted on the foals' personality development; Prog foals became more curious, less fearful and less gregarious than Sudd foals, and the effects remained visible for at least 3 months. In principal component analysis, the Sudd and Prog groups were well separated along a factor where fear, reactivity and gregariousness correlated with high cortisol levels, but curiosity was associated with an increased telomere length and higher expression of genes involved in mitochondrial functions. Progressive weaning was also beneficial in mares. Principal component analysis showed that most Sudd group mares had higher cortisol levels and displayed more alert postures, neighs and activity on the day of weaning, indicating higher stress levels, while Prog mares had profiles that were characterized by more time spent resting on the day of weaning and longer telomere lengths. In conclusion, this study shows that progressive habituation to separation alleviates the negative effect of definitive weaning on both the mother and her young compared to sudden separation.
ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Léa Lansade) 26 May 2020
https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-02623405v1
