Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Horse Husbandry and Preventive Health Practices in Australia: An Online Survey of Horse Guardians.
- Journal:
- Journal of applied animal welfare science : JAAWS
- Year:
- 2018
- Authors:
- Thompson, Kirrilly R et al.
- Affiliation:
- a Appleton Institute for Behavioural Science · Australia
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A recent survey of 505 horse owners in Australia looked into how they care for their horses' health. While there weren't any major welfare problems found, some concerning practices were noted. For example, a small number of owners didn't regularly deworm their horses, and some lacked proper parasite control and dental care. Additionally, a few owners had their horse's hooves taken care of by unqualified individuals, and about 19% of owners didn't vaccinate their horses against tetanus. Overall, the study highlights the need for better information and resources for horse owners to improve their care practices.
Abstract
Little is known about the horse health management practices of Australian horse caregivers (owners). This article presents findings from a convenience sample of 505 horse owners who participated in an online survey. No large-scale welfare issues were identified, but there were some areas of potential concern, including owners who did not regularly deworm their horses (4%), a lack of strategic parasite control (3.1%), and a lack of regular dental care (11%). Several participants did not have their horse's hooves regularly shod or trimmed (2%), and 14% had an unqualified person maintain their horse's hooves. One in five owners (19%) did not vaccinate their horses against tetanus. The findings are discussed in relation to current Australian horse health guidelines and traditional sources of horse health information, together with recommendations for providing horse owners with relevant information in relevant forms.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29419326/