Forced Handling Decreases Emotionality but Does Not Improve Young Horses’ Responses toward Humans and their Adaptability to Stress
Horses are often still exposed to stressful or inadequate conditions and difficult relationships with humans, despite growing concerns about animal welfare. In the present study, we investigated the impact of different approaches of short-term handling sessions on young Lusitanian horses raised on a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/5/784 |
| _version_ | 1797264934814351360 |
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| author | Inês Pereira-Figueiredo Ilda Rosa Consuelo Sancho Sanchez |
| author_facet | Inês Pereira-Figueiredo Ilda Rosa Consuelo Sancho Sanchez |
| author_sort | Inês Pereira-Figueiredo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Horses are often still exposed to stressful or inadequate conditions and difficult relationships with humans, despite growing concerns about animal welfare. In the present study, we investigated the impact of different approaches of short-term handling sessions on young Lusitanian horses raised on a high-breed farm, specifically on their later adaptability to humans and stressful environments. Thirty-one foals (3 months old ± 15 days), from both sexes, were separated into three groups, one submitted to 3 consecutive days of handling sessions (Int-H), another to one handling session each month for 3 months (Month-H), and one left undisturbed (control). At 8 months old ± 15 days, all foals were evaluated during behavioral tests (restraint in a stock and forced-person test). Evaluations were based on behavioral observations and physiological assessments. The handled foals (Int-H and Month-H) reacted less to being isolated and restrained and better tolerated human contact and veterinary procedures than the control ones. The handled foals displayed less evasive and negative behaviors toward human approach, but also sought less human contact and did not interact, regardless of the handling timeframe. All animals displayed signs of stress when restrained in the stock, with increased neutrophil counts and CHCM levels in the blood, and no differences in metabolic (CK and LDH) and other hematological parameters. The neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio was significantly higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in handled foals than in control ones, suggesting low standards of welfare. Our data suggest that early forced handling decreases fearfulness in new environments; however, it does not improve the horses’ relationship with humans, and it decreases welfare. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:36:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-af60f4c110844fc89694ab884c824832 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:36:48Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-af60f4c110844fc89694ab884c8248322024-03-12T16:38:18ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-03-0114578410.3390/ani14050784Forced Handling Decreases Emotionality but Does Not Improve Young Horses’ Responses toward Humans and their Adaptability to StressInês Pereira-Figueiredo0Ilda Rosa1Consuelo Sancho Sanchez2Neuroscience Institute of Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, C. Pintor Fernando Gallego, 1, 37007 Salamanca, SpainThekidsfellows-Research Group in Anthrozoology, 6060-309 Idanha-a-Nova, PortugalNeuroscience Institute of Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, C. Pintor Fernando Gallego, 1, 37007 Salamanca, SpainHorses are often still exposed to stressful or inadequate conditions and difficult relationships with humans, despite growing concerns about animal welfare. In the present study, we investigated the impact of different approaches of short-term handling sessions on young Lusitanian horses raised on a high-breed farm, specifically on their later adaptability to humans and stressful environments. Thirty-one foals (3 months old ± 15 days), from both sexes, were separated into three groups, one submitted to 3 consecutive days of handling sessions (Int-H), another to one handling session each month for 3 months (Month-H), and one left undisturbed (control). At 8 months old ± 15 days, all foals were evaluated during behavioral tests (restraint in a stock and forced-person test). Evaluations were based on behavioral observations and physiological assessments. The handled foals (Int-H and Month-H) reacted less to being isolated and restrained and better tolerated human contact and veterinary procedures than the control ones. The handled foals displayed less evasive and negative behaviors toward human approach, but also sought less human contact and did not interact, regardless of the handling timeframe. All animals displayed signs of stress when restrained in the stock, with increased neutrophil counts and CHCM levels in the blood, and no differences in metabolic (CK and LDH) and other hematological parameters. The neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio was significantly higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in handled foals than in control ones, suggesting low standards of welfare. Our data suggest that early forced handling decreases fearfulness in new environments; however, it does not improve the horses’ relationship with humans, and it decreases welfare.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/5/784animal welfarehuman–horse relationshipearly handlingstressful conditionsforced handling |
| spellingShingle | Inês Pereira-Figueiredo Ilda Rosa Consuelo Sancho Sanchez Forced Handling Decreases Emotionality but Does Not Improve Young Horses’ Responses toward Humans and their Adaptability to Stress Animals animal welfare human–horse relationship early handling stressful conditions forced handling |
| title | Forced Handling Decreases Emotionality but Does Not Improve Young Horses’ Responses toward Humans and their Adaptability to Stress |
| title_full | Forced Handling Decreases Emotionality but Does Not Improve Young Horses’ Responses toward Humans and their Adaptability to Stress |
| title_fullStr | Forced Handling Decreases Emotionality but Does Not Improve Young Horses’ Responses toward Humans and their Adaptability to Stress |
| title_full_unstemmed | Forced Handling Decreases Emotionality but Does Not Improve Young Horses’ Responses toward Humans and their Adaptability to Stress |
| title_short | Forced Handling Decreases Emotionality but Does Not Improve Young Horses’ Responses toward Humans and their Adaptability to Stress |
| title_sort | forced handling decreases emotionality but does not improve young horses responses toward humans and their adaptability to stress |
| topic | animal welfare human–horse relationship early handling stressful conditions forced handling |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/5/784 |
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