Researchers from the University of Sydney Faculty of Veterinary Science, in Australia, and their colleagues are conducting a study on equine transport practices and transport-related illnesses and are seeking input from horse owners.

“We want to get an insight into how you manage and prepare your horses for transportation, the act of transportation of horses, and how you manage horses after a transport event,” said researcher and PhD candidate Barbara Padalino, DVM. “If any diseases or injuries have occurred to your horses related to a transport event in the last two years we are interested in documenting and investigating the underlying potential reasons behind these events.”

Padalino said the study’s aim is to gather data to identify transportation risk factors with the ultimate goal of making transportation safer and less stressful for horses.

“The survey results will potentially help reduce the incidence of transport-related diseases and injuries and thereby be used by the industry as it strives to implement best practices in horse transportation,” she said, noting that the team needs “real-world input” to accomplish this