UMR 0085 INRAE, PRC, CNRS, UMR 7247, IFCE, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France.
I.F.C.E. Ecole Nationale d'Equitation, Terrefort, BP 207, 49411, Saumur, France.
J Equine Vet Sci. 2020 Nov;94:103206. doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2020.103206. Epub 2020 Aug 5.
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postural indicators of a compromised welfare state in loose boxes (stereotypies, aggressive behaviors toward humans, withdrawn posture reflecting unresponsiveness to the environment, and alert posture indicating hypervigilance) and the way horses perceived riding.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.
本研究调查了松散箱中四种行为和姿势指标与马对骑乘的感知之间的关系，这些指标表明福利状况不佳：刻板行为、对人类的攻击行为、对环境无反应的退缩姿势以及高度警惕的姿势。这种感知是通过通常的骑乘教练完成的调查以及标准化的骑乘课程来推断的（评估行为和姿势、定性行为评估（QBA）以及使用惯性测量单元对马的运动进行特征描述）。根据耳朵和尾巴的位置以及 QBA，与非刻板和警惕性较低的动物相比，在松散箱中刻板和警惕性最高的马在骑乘过程中似乎经历了更负面的情绪状态（在所有情况下 P<.02）。在松散箱中对人类具有攻击性的马在调查中有关不适和防御行为的发生得分高于非攻击性的马（P=.03）。它们在骑乘过程中的快步奔跑时还表现出更高的背腹加速度（P=.03），这要求骑手增加脊柱运动（P=.005）。这些结果表明，攻击性的马可能比非攻击性的动物更难骑。在松散箱中对环境无反应的表现与在调查中评估的更不愿意前进有关（P=.006）。本研究表明，马厩福利状况不佳与马对骑乘的负面感知有关。这种感知可能因福利不佳的表现而有所不同。
