Welfare Status of Working Horses and Owners′ Perceptions of Their Animals
Appropriate interventions to improve working equine welfare should be proposed according to scientific evidence that arises from different geo-cultural contexts. This study aims to assess and compare the welfare status of working horses in two administrative regions of Chile and to determine how own...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2017-08-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/7/8/56 |
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| author | Daniela Luna Rodrigo A. Vásquez Manuel Rojas Tamara A. Tadich |
| author_facet | Daniela Luna Rodrigo A. Vásquez Manuel Rojas Tamara A. Tadich |
| author_sort | Daniela Luna |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Appropriate interventions to improve working equine welfare should be proposed according to scientific evidence that arises from different geo-cultural contexts. This study aims to assess and compare the welfare status of working horses in two administrative regions of Chile and to determine how owners perceive their horses. Horses’ welfare status was assessed through direct indicators (direct observation and clinical examination) and indirect indicators (an interview with the owner). Owners′ perceptions of their horses were determined through a discourse analysis of their statements. In total, 100 horses and 100 owners were assessed. Results showed a low prevalence of health problems and negative behavior responses among horses in the two regions evaluated. Significant associations were found between inadequate body condition and the absence of deworming, and between hoof abnormalities and a low frequency of shoeing. Between regions, significant differences were found in the presence of lesions and the person responsible for horseshoeing. In regards to the owners′ appreciations, two differing perceptions of working horses were found: a predominantly affective perception and a perception of the animal as a working instrument. Although the instrumental perception was more frequent in the Araucania region, the affective perception was widely shared by both owner populations. The results reveal a good welfare status in working horses and suggest that both affective and instrumental perceptions of these animals can coexist. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T03:31:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-acd3e64ff6154a88828d2a2a7e43e06f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T03:31:51Z |
| publishDate | 2017-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-acd3e64ff6154a88828d2a2a7e43e06f2022-12-21T18:01:38ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152017-08-01785610.3390/ani7080056ani7080056Welfare Status of Working Horses and Owners′ Perceptions of Their AnimalsDaniela Luna0Rodrigo A. Vásquez1Manuel Rojas2Tamara A. Tadich3Programa Doctorado en Ciencias Silvoagropecuarias y Veterinarias, Universidad de Chile, Santa Rosa 11315, La Pintana, Santiago 8820000, ChileInstituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago 7800003, ChileDepartamento de Ingenieria Industrial, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile, Beauchef 851, Santiago 8370456, ChileDepartamento de Fomento de la Producción Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santa Rosa 11735, La Pintana, Santiago 8820000, ChileAppropriate interventions to improve working equine welfare should be proposed according to scientific evidence that arises from different geo-cultural contexts. This study aims to assess and compare the welfare status of working horses in two administrative regions of Chile and to determine how owners perceive their horses. Horses’ welfare status was assessed through direct indicators (direct observation and clinical examination) and indirect indicators (an interview with the owner). Owners′ perceptions of their horses were determined through a discourse analysis of their statements. In total, 100 horses and 100 owners were assessed. Results showed a low prevalence of health problems and negative behavior responses among horses in the two regions evaluated. Significant associations were found between inadequate body condition and the absence of deworming, and between hoof abnormalities and a low frequency of shoeing. Between regions, significant differences were found in the presence of lesions and the person responsible for horseshoeing. In regards to the owners′ appreciations, two differing perceptions of working horses were found: a predominantly affective perception and a perception of the animal as a working instrument. Although the instrumental perception was more frequent in the Araucania region, the affective perception was widely shared by both owner populations. The results reveal a good welfare status in working horses and suggest that both affective and instrumental perceptions of these animals can coexist.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/7/8/56equine welfareworking horsesurban draught horsessemantic analysishuman-animal relationship |
| spellingShingle | Daniela Luna Rodrigo A. Vásquez Manuel Rojas Tamara A. Tadich Welfare Status of Working Horses and Owners′ Perceptions of Their Animals Animals equine welfare working horses urban draught horses semantic analysis human-animal relationship |
| title | Welfare Status of Working Horses and Owners′ Perceptions of Their Animals |
| title_full | Welfare Status of Working Horses and Owners′ Perceptions of Their Animals |
| title_fullStr | Welfare Status of Working Horses and Owners′ Perceptions of Their Animals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Welfare Status of Working Horses and Owners′ Perceptions of Their Animals |
| title_short | Welfare Status of Working Horses and Owners′ Perceptions of Their Animals |
| title_sort | welfare status of working horses and owners perceptions of their animals |
| topic | equine welfare working horses urban draught horses semantic analysis human-animal relationship |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/7/8/56 |
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