An investigation of behaviour during tacking‐up and mounting in ridden sports and leisure horses

Dyson, Sue; Bondi, A.; Routh, Jennifer; Pollard, Danica; Preston, Tate; McConnell, Charles T.; Kydd, Julia H.

doi:10.1111/eve.13432

Cited by 15 publications

(34 citation statements)

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“…In a prospective observational study of a convenience sample of 193 sports and leisure horses, in regular work and presumed by their owners to be working comfortably, which were observed during mounting and ridden exercise on a single occasion, two horses pronked repeatedly when moving off after mounting (Dyson et al . 2022). In a subset of 148 of these horses with video footage available for retrospective analysis of ridden performance, bucking was observed in one horse (0.7%).…”

Section: Review Of the Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

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The recognition of pain and learned behaviour in horses which buck

Dyson¹,

Thomson²

2021

Equine Veterinary Education

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SummaryBucking behaviour in horses is potentially dangerous to riders. There is limited information about how bucking behaviour should be investigated by veterinarians. The objectives of this article are to define bucking behaviour, to review the literature relating to bucking and allied behaviours in horses and describe personal observations and to describe an approach to clinical investigation and management strategies. A literature review from 2000 to 2020 was performed via search engines and additional free searches. A buck is an upward leap, usually in addition to forward propulsion, when either both hindlimbs or all four limbs are off the ground with the thoracolumbosacral region raised. Bucking often occurs as a series of such leaps and different manifestations include ‘pronking’, ‘bronking’ and ‘fly bucking’. Causes include excitement, exuberance, defensive behaviour associated with fear, learned behaviour through negative reinforcement or a reaction to musculoskeletal pain. Specific causes of pain include an ill‐fitting saddle or girth, thoracolumbar pain, girth region pain, sternal or rib injury, neuropathic pain, sacroiliac joint region pain, referred pain and primary hindlimb lameness. Any of these may be compounded by a rider who is fearful, poorly balanced or crooked. Determination of the underlying cause requires a comprehensive clinical assessment, including assessment of saddle fit for horse and rider and suitability of the horse–rider combination. In some horses, identification of a primary source of pain allows targeted treatment and resolution of pain, but careful retraining is crucial. An understanding of learning behaviour is required for successful rehabilitation. It was concluded that identification of the cause of bucking may enable treatment of primary pain which, when combined with retraining, results in management of bucking behaviour. However, in a minority of horses, dangerous bucking behaviour cannot be reliably resolved, requiring retirement or euthanasia of the horse.

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Section: Review Of the Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Then progress to placement of the saddle, repeating the slow tightening of the girth and moving forwards after each tightening and also observing the horse’s behaviour (Dyson et al . 2021).…”

Section: Clinical Investigation Of Bucking Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 99%

The recognition of pain and learned behaviour in horses which buck

Dyson¹,

Thomson²

2021

Equine Veterinary Education

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“…Objective assessment of acute pain in equids has been studied extensively in the last few decades [ 7 , 8 , 9 ], and both composite and facial expression-based pain scales have proven useful in horses with different types of acute pain [ 6 , 10 ]. Pain assessment has also been described in ridden horses [ 11 ] and in horses during tacking-up and mounting [ 12 ]. Moreover, in donkeys, a recent study has shown that composite and facial expression-based pain scales can be successfully used [ 13 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Objective Assessment of Chronic Pain in Horses Using the Horse Chronic Pain Scale (HCPS): A Scale-Construction Study

Loon

Macri

2021

Animals

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The objective assessment of chronic pain is of utmost importance for improving welfare and quality of life in horses. Freedom from disease and pain is one of the ‘five freedoms’ that are necessary for animal welfare. The aim of this study was to develop a pain scale for the assessment of chronic pain in horses (Horse Chronic Pain Scale; HCPS), which is based on behavioural and facial expressions. The scale was used to assess 53 horses (26 horses diagnosed with chronic painful conditions by means of clinical examination and additional diagnostic procedures (consisting of osteoarthritis, chronic laminitis, chronic back and neck problems, chronic dental disorders) and 27 healthy control animals). Animals were assessed once daily for three consecutive days by two observers that were blinded to the condition of the animals and were unaware of any analgesic treatment regimens. The HCPS consists of two parts, the Horse Chronic Pain Composite Pain Scale (HCP CPS, with behavioural parameters) and the EQUUS-FAP (Equine Utrecht University Scale for Facial Assessment of Pain). The HCP CPS had good inter-observer reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.84, p < 0.001), while the EQUUS-FAP component (with facial expression-based parameters) had poor inter-observer reliability (ICC = 0.45, p < 0.05). The inter-observer reliability of the combined HCPS was good (ICC = 0.78, p < 0.001). The HCPS revealed significant differences between horses with chronic painful conditions and control horses on 2 out of 3 days (p < 0.05). In conclusion, we tested a composite pain scale for the assessment of chronic pain in horses based on behavioural and facial expression-based parameters. Further studies are needed to validate this pain scale before it can be used in practice.

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“…Hypersensitivity in the girth region may be implicated (Van Iwaarden et al 2012;Bowen et al 2017). In some horses with gastric ulceration treated using omeprazole with or without sucralfate, abnormal behaviour during tacking-up has resolved (Millares-Ramirez and Le Jeune 2019; Dyson et al 2020c). Muscle compression by the saddle may also induce changes in behaviour (Van Iwaarden et al 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Muscle compression by the saddle may also induce changes in behaviour (Van Iwaarden et al 2012). However, a recent observational study documented that in a proportion of horses more abnormal behaviour was seen while the bridle was put on than when the saddle was positioned and the girth was tightened (Dyson et al 2020c). It has been suggested that the use of a tight crank cavesson noseband may inhibit normal facial movements during tacking-up and that this may be associated with stress, as reflected by an increase in heart rate compared with use of a less restrictive noseband (Fenner et al 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An investigation into the relationship between equine behaviour when tacked‐up and mounted and epaxial muscle hypertonicity or pain, girth region hypersensitivity, saddle‐fit, rider position and balance, and lameness

Dyson¹,

Bondi²,

Routh

et al. 2021

Equine Veterinary Education

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Summary Background Reasons for abnormal behaviour during tacking‐up and mounting are poorly documented. Objectives To relate behavioural abnormalities during tacking‐up or mounting to epaxial muscle hypertonicity or pain, girth region hypersensitivity, ill‐fitting tack, rider position and balance, or equine musculoskeletal pain. Study design Prospective observational study; convenience sample of 193 horses. Methods The behaviour of horses in a stable or tied up was observed for ≥8 min before systematic palpation of the thoracolumbosacral and girth regions. Owners were asked to tack‐up and mount using their normal regime. A purpose‐designed protocol for assessment of behaviour during tacking‐up and mounting was applied. Lameness was evaluated in‐hand and during ridden exercise. Static and dynamic saddle‐fit were assessed. A static saddle‐fit score was the sum of any saddle‐fit abnormality. Rider position in the saddle, balance and size relative to the saddle were evaluated during ridden exercise. Multivariable negative binomial regression modelling was used to assess the relationship between the sum of tacking‐up and mounting behaviours and horse, rider and tack‐fit variables. Results Riding School horses comprised only 12% of the sample population, but had higher rates of abnormal behaviours during both tacking‐up (P<0.0001) and mounting (P = 0.007) compared with General Purpose horses. The rate of abnormal behaviour during tacking‐up for horses with moderate or severe lameness was 1.4 times higher (P = 0.02) than for nonlame horses. Horses with lameness in‐hand or ridden had 1.5 times higher rates of abnormal behaviour during mounting than nonlame horses. Tight tree points (P = 0.03) and epaxial muscle pain (P<0.001) were associated with higher behaviour scores during tacking‐up. Higher static saddle‐fit scores were associated with higher behaviour scores during mounting. Main limitations Oral examination was not performed. Conclusions The display of many behaviours during tacking‐up or mounting is likely to reflect lameness or tack‐associated discomfort. Owners must be better educated to recognise these behaviours.

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An investigation of behaviour during tacking‐up and mounting in ridden sports and leisure horses

Abstract: Such behaviours may be exhibited in anticipation of musculoskeletal pain during ridden exercise, which may be associated with ill-fitting tack in some horses.• Owners need to be made aware that these behaviours are not normal and may be a manifestation of underlying problems.

Cited by 15 publications

References 53 publications

The recognition of pain and learned behaviour in horses which buck

The recognition of pain and learned behaviour in horses which buck

Objective Assessment of Chronic Pain in Horses Using the Horse Chronic Pain Scale (HCPS): A Scale-Construction Study

An investigation into the relationship between equine behaviour when tacked‐up and mounted and epaxial muscle hypertonicity or pain, girth region hypersensitivity, saddle‐fit, rider position and balance, and lameness

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