International research delving into horse welfare topics has been brought to New Zealand, as researchers from Companion Animals New Zealand collaborate with international institutions on hot topics such as the use of horses in sport and identifying horse emotions.
Companion Animals New Zealand is committed to promoting a Good Life for Animals. We invest in research and behaviour change initiatives to improve understanding of animal emotions and share evidence-based knowledge with pet owners and those caring for animals.
To achieve this, the charity carries out its own research, as well as collaborating with a number of international animal welfare research teams.
Professor Nat Waran, Director for A Good Life for Animals Centre at Companion Animals NZ, is an internationally recognised animal behaviour and welfare scientist and her work towards improving equine welfare has been extensive. She says working with a global network of animal welfare scientists is vital because it fosters an interchange of diverse perspectives and international comparisons, helping us stay at the forefront of animal welfare advancements and knowledge here in New Zealand.
“International research collaborations are important for assisting with Companion Animals NZ’s work because they allow us to tap into global expertise and cutting-edge knowledge. By working with world-leading researchers, we can bring valuable insights back to New Zealand and apply them through a local lens, ultimately improving the welfare of our animals here at home.”
Horses in sport
Companion Animal’s New Zealand’s collaboration on equine welfare research projects involves researchers from various countries including; Sweden, UK, Denmark, Brazil and Australia. One of these is a study considering public opinion regarding the use of horses in sport. It asks about what equestrian events people have watched and/or attended.
It’s being conducted by Pamela Spisak, a MSc Equine Science student at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh. Pamela is co-supervised Professor Nat Waran, (the A Good Life for Animals Director for Companion Animals New NZ). Information from the work will help add to our understanding of the current level of interest and opinions regarding horse use in sport, of both the general public and those involved in the horse world. CANZ looks forward to reporting on the results once the student has completed the work.
This survey is open until 1 November: Public Opinion of Equestrian Sport (jisc.ac.uk)
Horse emotions
Another international equine welfare study we are involved in aims to improve owner knowledge about how horses express emotions. An international animal welfare science team, including Prof Nat Waran, is exploring how horses express their emotions in ANTICIPATION of different handling situations. Reseachers are interested in if they see these events as positive or negative, how intense their feelings are (calm, excited, or somewhere in between), and the various behaviours/facialand body movements horses exhibit to express their emotional state.
Participants are asked to spend 25 minutes watching some short video clips and providing their insights. These videos feature horses trained to anticipate four specific human interactions, each designed to evoke different emotional responses.
This survey is open until 10 November: https://www.slu.se/globalassets/ew/horses-emotions.html
More to come
Equine welfare studies such as these are crucial because they help capture public and equestrian opinions, attitudes, and experiences, providing valuable insights into how various parts of society view the way horses are managed in different environments and used for different purposes. The results gained from our international equine welfare work will help inform welfare standards, influence policy decisions, and guide best practices to ensure that horses are cared for in ways that prioritise their health, happiness, and wellbeing, with the aim of providing a Good Life for all equids wherever they may live.