Examining Modern Perceptions of Horse Welfare and Use

Learn what steps one researcher recommends horse industry members take to improve horse welfare perceptions.
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Horse industry members are in an ironic position: Concern for large farm animal welfare is at its highest, while general familiarity with these animals is at its lowest. In other words, the general population is crying out for improved farm animal welfare, while fewer and fewer people own these creatures or know much about them.

“It is critical to recognize the seriousness with which these perceptions (of animal cruelty) and concerns resonate and the reality that they often resonate with those farthest away from the daily care of horses and other large farm animals,” said Karin D. Bump, PAS, PhD, professor of equine business management at Cazenovia College and director of the National Association of Equine Affiliated Academics. She spoke and presented a poster on the topic at the 2013 International Society for Equitation Science conference, held July 17-19 at the University of Delaware, in Newark.

This doesn’t mean people are wrong about animal cruelty, or that starving, neglecting, and beating horses isn’t cruel, Bump said. But it’s important that we, as horse handlers, communicate with non-horse people to “broaden the scope of conversation on horse care and use,” she said. “(We also need) to consider how to address perceptions to create more open dialogue and understanding about what it means to own and care for a horse in a responsible manner centered on animal husbandry.”

She believes this dialogue will help educate the general public about horse care needs, while also helping prevent situations in which well-meaning people adopt or buy horses or ponies without understanding how to care for them properly

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Passionate about horses and science from the time she was riding her first Shetland Pony in Texas, Christa Lesté-Lasserre writes about scientific research that contributes to a better understanding of all equids. After undergrad studies in science, journalism, and literature, she received a master’s degree in creative writing. Now based in France, she aims to present the most fascinating aspect of equine science: the story it creates. Follow Lesté-Lasserre on Twitter @christalestelas.

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