Equine

Human emotional odours influence horses’ behaviour and physiology

Olfaction is the most widespread sensory modality animals use to communicate, yet much remains to be discovered about its role. While most studies focused on intraspecific interactions and reproduction, new evidence suggests chemosignals may influence interspecific interactions and emotional communication....

Year Published: 2026Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Jardat, P., Destrez, A., Damon, F. et al. 2026. Human emotional odours influence horses’ behaviour and physiology. PLOS ONE 21(1), e0337948.

Pasture heterogeneity improves donkey welfare: Effects of structural variation, species diversity, and sward height on herd emotional states

Grazing environment plays a key role in the welfare of domestic herbivores. In the UK, donkeys are typically kept on species-poor, agriculturally improved grasslands that offer limited dietary and behavioural opportunities. Obesity, driven by low exercise levels and unsuitable diet,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Fitts, J., Kubasiewicz, L. M., Norris, S. L. et al. 2025. Pasture heterogeneity improves donkey welfare: Effects of structural variation, species diversity, and sward height on herd emotional states. Animals 15(23).

Introducing an innovative pain scale for assessing postpartum pain in mares: Preliminary clinical evaluation

Background: Pain after giving birth is commonly observed in horses, yet there has not been a specific tool developed for assessing this pain in postpartum mares. The goal was to adapt existing equine pain scales and to preliminarily validate a...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Reproduction, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Bolesławska-Szubartowska, J., Kucharczuk, M., Skrabska, A. et al. 2025. Introducing an innovative pain scale for assessing postpartum pain in mares: Preliminary clinical evaluation. Animals 15(23).

Social referencing in the domestic horse

Dogs and cats use human emotional information directed to an unfamiliar situation to guide their behavior, known as social referencing. It is not clear whether other domestic species show similar socio-cognitive abilities in interacting with humans. We investigated whether horses...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Schrimpf, A., Single, M., Nawroth, C. 2020. Social referencing in the domestic horse. Animals 10(1), 164.

The Right Angle: Validating a standardised protocol for the use of infra-red thermography of eye temperature as a welfare indicator

Infra-red thermography (IRT) is a non-invasive tool for measuring eye temperature as an indicator of stress and welfare in animals. Previous studies state that images are taken from 90° but do not specify a reference point or method of standardisation....

Year Published: 2020Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Ijichi, C., Evans, L., Woods, H. et al. 2020. The Right Angle: Validating a standardised protocol for the use of infra-red thermography of eye temperature as a welfare indicator. Animal Welfare 29(2), 123-131.

The underexplored role of chemical communication in the domestic horse, Equus caballus

This work provides an overview of the role of chemical communication in horse behavior and addresses the potential usefulness of this knowledge for management practices and animal welfare. First, we present an outline of the social organization of horses under...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Guarneros, M., Sánchez-García, O., Martínez-Gómez, M. et al. 2020. The underexplored role of chemical communication in the domestic horse, Equus caballus. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 38, 89-95.

Time-budget of horses reared for meat production: Influence of stocking density on behavioural activities and subsequent welfare

Horses reared for meat production can be kept in intensive breeding farms where they are housed in group pens at high stocking densities. The present study aimed to evaluate whether the expressed behaviours correlated with stocking density, and to compare...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Stocking DensityAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Raspa, F., Tarantola, M., Bergero, D. et al. 2020. Time-budget of horses reared for meat production: Influence of stocking density on behavioural activities and subsequent welfare. Animals 10(8), 1334.

Use of the horse grimace scale to identify and quantify pain due to dental disorders in horses

Dental disorders can cause discomfort and chronic pain, affecting the athletic performance and welfare of the horses. However, dental disorders may not be manifested with recognizable clinical signs and may, therefore, lead to late diagnosis or care. The present study...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Marcantonio Coneglian, M., Duarte Borges, T., Henrique Weber, S. et al. 2020. Use of the horse grimace scale to identify and quantify pain due to dental disorders in horses. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 225, 104970.

Welfare benefits after the implementation of slow-feeder hay bags for stabled horses

Horse confinement is a common practice worldwide. However, preventing horses from grazing and denying them social interaction can compromise their welfare and lead to undesirable consequences. Considering the hypothesis that increasing the forage consumption time can lead to improved welfare,...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Gomes Correa, M., Ferreira Rodrigues e Silva, C., Antunes Dias, L. et al. 2020. Welfare benefits after the implementation of slow-feeder hay bags for stabled horses. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 38, 61-66.

Natural horse boarding vs traditional stable: A comparison of hormonal, hematological and immunological parameters

In the equestrian world, two different types of management can be distinguished: traditional management and natural boarding. The aim of this research was to compare hormonal, hematological and immunological parameters of 47 horses kept in these two different managements. Blood...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, HousingAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Placci, M., Marliani, G., Sabioni, S. et al. 2020. Natural horse boarding vs traditional stable: A comparison of hormonal, hematological and immunological parameters. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 23(3), 366-377.