A Grumpy Horse in the Stall Is Probably Grumpy When Ridden

French researchers found that signs of poor welfare in the barn correlate with more behavioral signs of poor welfare under saddle.
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A Grumpy Horse in the Stall Is Probably Grumpy When Ridden
Researchers watched the horses in their stalls for signs of poor welfare—specifically, stereotypies; aggression toward humans; a withdrawn, “depressed” posture showing little to no interest in the environment; and an alert/alarm posture suggesting the horse is more aware of his environment than normal. | Photo: iStock
You know the obviously grumpy horse, the one that turns when he sees you coming or lays his ears back when he looks out his stall window? Some riders would say, “Yeah but he’s fine once you get on him.” Or they might shrug him off as just one of those “bad mood” horses. Some people might not even notice he’s being grumpy.

Yet, some riders might say, “Wait, are you sure he really wants to be ridden as much as I want to ride?”

And it’s this last group of riders whose ideas line up with the findings of a new study by French equine behavior scientists.

“We can’t dissociate the welfare of a horse in his ‘home’ and the practice of equitation,” said Alice Ruet, PhD, welfare science engineer at the French Institute of the Horse and Equitation (IFCE) in Saumur, France.

Editor’s note: In the U.S., “equitation” usually refers to classes judging riders’ posture and effectiveness on the flat or over fences. However, the word is used internationally to describe the act of riding and working with horses.

Her group’s recent study confirmed that signs of poor welfare in the barn not only correlate with more behavioral signs of poor welfare under saddle but also reflect how easy the horse is to sit on while riding—and possibly how well he performs.

“Our study has shown that there’s a relationship between poor welfare in a stall and the expression of behaviors, postures, and even a particular way of moving when the horses are being ridden,” Ruet said. “And this points to a negative perception of equitation by these horses.”

Observing Horses in the Stall and Under Saddle, Measuring Movement

In their study, Ruet and her fellow researchers observed 43 clinically healthy Warmblood riding horses in a French riding stable where they lived in box stalls when they weren’t working, except for one hour of free turnout per week. The scientists watched the horses in the stall for signs of poor welfare—specifically, stereotypies; aggression toward humans; a withdrawn, “depressed” posture showing little to no interest in the environment; and an alert/alarm posture suggesting the horse is more aware of his environment than normal. They also asked the horses’ regular riding instructor to complete a brief questionnaire about their behavior under saddle.

The scientists then selected 30 of the horses to be ridden by a single expert rider, who knew nothing about the horses’ welfare in the stall. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) were placed on the horses and riders to gather information about their movement during the ride.

Meanwhile, the scientists evaluated behavioral signs from the horses under saddle by analyzing videos from the ground as well as from the rider’s helmet camera.

They found distinct associations between the horses’ behaviors in the stall and their behaviors and performance under saddle, Ruet said. For example, horses that were aggressive in the stall showed more conflict behavior, such as bucking, when ridden. Horses with stereotypies such as cribbing acted more stressed when ridden, with behaviors like high tail carriage. Those that acted unresponsive or depressed in the stall were more reluctant to move forward under saddle. And those that were hypervigilant in the stall were more likely to act alarmed or appear tense when ridden.

Horses that had poor welfare states in the stall also seemed to be less comfortable to ride, Ruet added. IMU data showed more up-and-down movement of the back of the horse, and consequently of the rider, making for a rougher ride.

Poor Home Welfare, Poor Riding Welfare: A Vicious Cycle?

Although the links between welfare in the stall and welfare under saddle were clear, the scientists said their study didn’t allow them to establish cause and effect. They theorized that horses dislike being ridden because they’re unhappy in their stalls or they’re grumpy in the stall because they’re unhappy under saddle. It could be either or both of these, Ruet said. But most likely, it’s a “vicious cycle” of one making the other worse—although more studies are needed to confirm this.

Awareness: Appreciating—and Recognizing—Signs of Poor Welfare in Stalled Riding Horses

“There’s this popular banalization of aggression and other signs of poor welfare in stalled horses,” Ruet said, explaining that people tend to dismiss it as normal, unimportant, or just the horse’s personality. “People often think it’s not a big deal. And that’s when they see it at all! Even some professionals didn’t pick up on the more subtle signs of poor welfare in the stall. So I think it’s really important that all riders (of all levels) learn to recognize signs of poor welfare, from the most obvious like aggression to the most subtle like retreated posture (which can look like resting). And they need to recognize these as signs of poor welfare—and not just a personality trait.”

Such training should become a requirement in any courses for the equine profession, Ruet added.

“In order to favor ethical equitation, in which we create no negative states (physical or emotional) in horses, it’s primordial to ensure good welfare for the horse in his home environment,” she said. “This is important for rider safety, because horses with poor welfare have more conflict behaviors under saddle, which seems to be an important point for riding schools or amateur riders, for example. And although our study doesn’t show it directly, it’s likely that ensuring good welfare in the horse’s home environment also favors better sports performance, which is interesting for professional riders, but further studies would be needed to confirm that.”

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Passionate about horses and science from the time she was riding her first Shetland Pony in Texas, Christa Lesté-Lasserre writes about scientific research that contributes to a better understanding of all equids. After undergrad studies in science, journalism, and literature, she received a master’s degree in creative writing. Now based in France, she aims to present the most fascinating aspect of equine science: the story it creates. Follow Lesté-Lasserre on Twitter @christalestelas.

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