lets talk about horse welfare
TRANSCRIPT
Lets talk about Horse WelfareLinks & notes from the
Horse SA Horse Welfare Conference June 2015
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Horse SA conducted Australia's first online & off-line style horse welfare conference between 4-8 June 2015.
Information shared includes:
Dr. Andrew McLean ‘Sport & Recreation Horse Welfare’ Seminar
Webinar: Tips for the Care of Confined Horses
Webinar: About the Australian Horse Welfare Protocol
Large Animal Rescue Awareness for Horse Owners workshop
Professor Paul McGreevy ‘Leadership in Horse Welfare’ & ‘Thought Leaders Group.’ Notes taken at these sessions form the basis of the following PowerPoint.
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The incremental nature of animal welfare
Animal welfare originated in public distaste in the late 19th century for the sight of tired horses and other animals being whipped in public by drivers and carters
In 1824 the first animal protection society was established, and today’s RSPCA and others have their roots in this
The movement slowed down unfortunately until the publication in 1877 of Black Beauty, whose instant acceptance by the reading public has virtually ensured that the horse is now the worldwide ambassador for the protection of animals
The public debate about the whipping of horses still continues today
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The increased role of social media in surveillance of horse-related activities
Bad images go viral
Anyone with a smartphone, Go-Pro or drone is able to record & share
Social media will alert all to welfare issues
Issues can be uncovered by covert surveillance techniques
Surveillance technologies are readily available to the public and specific interest groups
Social media is here to stay
Events and activities should ensure an ‘open & transparent’ attitude to all parts of the public event, warm up and training
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Sponsors’ concerns about animal welfare
Increasingly, sponsors are raising concerns about the welfare of the animals involved in the sports and activities they sponsor
Event organisers must be able to reassure sponsors that everything possible is being done to ensure the welfare of the horses involved in our sports Sponsors will continue to withdraw in the face of public discomfort unless sports are aware of short comings and demonstrate how they act to address these
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Discussion: Reassuring sponsors that their money is invested well
Inviting sponsors into horse spaces, admitting faults, and how each potential welfare issue will be addressed
Be open and transparent with sponsors
Identifying champions whose equine management practices can be scientifically assessed and measured, demonstrating best practice. Then to engage these champions with sponsors.
Consider evidence based welfare measures, formed into a written document (e.g. equine welfare plan)
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What is ethical equitation?
Ethical equitation uses research into the training of horses to enhance horse welfare and improve the horse-rider relationship
Ethical equitation is based on a cost-benefit analysis: What are the welfare costs for the animal, balanced against the potential benefits for both humans and animals?
The International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) promotes independent, evidence-based research on training techniques, in order to identify those which are ineffective or may cause harm
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Ethical equitation: ISES Principles of learning theory in equitation
Currently 8 principles (soon to be 10)
The application of these principles is not restricted to any single method of horse-training.
There are many possible systems of optimal horse-training that adhere to all of these principles
Definition of Equitation ‘The art and practice of horsemanship and horse riding’ http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/equitation
“We have a moral obligation to ensure that we do everything possible to avoid jeopardizing horse welfare” Professor Paul McGreevy
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Ethical equitation: ISES Code of Conduct
The International Society for Equitation Science has developed a Code of Conduct which is available for event organisers, officials, riders, trainers and spectators, with the goal of ensuring a welfare-driven sustainable future for all horses.
This Code of Conduct highlights the most salient aspects relating to ethical and welfare concerns and how these should be addressed during competitive events
Can the Code be signed by all event participants?
Can the event collect evidence that the Code is being promoted and met?
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Discussing best practice
People often use common sense and their own knowledge of best practice, but the issue remains of how to marry this knowledge with evidence-based knowledge
Traditional knowledge is not necessarily good knowledge
Science can validate traditional knowledge (or not)
The marriage between knowledge and science is vital
Measure and capture best practice is important
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There is an opportunity to adopt a priority approach to the issues and challenges of horse welfare facing the horse industry
We can identify human interventions into horses’ lives which may have a negative impact, and measuring the effect of this impact How to measure the effect of these interventions?
One way is examination through the five domains of potential welfare compromise (Nutrition, environment, health, behaviour, mental state)
Are there other ways of measuring?
Should there be more than one way?
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Horse events can meet future challenges
• Animal welfare is incremental
• Social media is here to stay
• Sponsors concerns about animal welfare is likely to rise
• Address sponsors concerns, including being open and transparent
• Seek out evidence based science to underpin horse welfare (refer to ISES Code of Conduct & Principles of learning theory in equitation)
• Measure and capture best practice
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General interest links
International Society for Equitation Science (ISES)http://www.equitationscience.com
ISES Code of Conducthttp://www.equitationscience.com/code-of-conduct
ISES Learning Theory in Equitationhttp://www.equitationscience.com/learning-theory-in-equitation
Australian Horse Welfare Protocolhttp://www.horsecouncil.org.au/ahic/index.cfm/horse-welfare/
Australian Horse Welfare & Well-being Toolkithttp://www.horsecouncil.org.au/ahic/index.cfm/horse-welfare/australian-horse-welfare-well-being-toolkit/
Tips for the Care of Confined Horseshttp://www.horsesa.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/3100_HSA_CONFINEMENT-TIPS_Final.pdf
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Thank you to conference supporters:
The University of Adelaide Equine Health & Performance Centrehttps://www.adelaide.edu.au/vetsci/centres/ehpc/
Central Queensland University Appleton Institute (Adelaide) https://www.cqu.edu.au/research/organisations/appleton-institute
Find out about Horse SAhttp://www.slideshare.net/juliefiedler7/about-horse-sa-2015
‘Like’ our Face book pagehttps://www.facebook.com/SAHorse
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.auE: [email protected]
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