Transportation can affect equine health and is a potential source of economic loss to the industry.
To identify journey (duration, vehicle, commercial/non-commercial) and horse (sex, age, breed, use, amateur or professional status) characteristics associated with development of transport-related health problems.
Cross-sectional online survey.
An online survey was conducted targeting amateur and professional participants in the Australian equine industry; eligible respondents organised horse movements at least monthly. They provided details of the last case of a transport-related health problem that had affected their horse(s). Associations between type of health problem, journey and horse characteristics were examined with multivariable multinomial regression analysis.
Based on 214 responses, health problems were classified as injuries, muscular problems, heat stroke, gastrointestinal and respiratory problems, or death/euthanasia. Respiratory problems were reported most frequently (33.7%) followed by gastrointestinal problems (23.8%) and traumatic injuries (16.3%). The type of health problem was associated with journey-duration (P<0.001) and horse breed (P = 0.001). Injuries were more likely to occur on short journeys, while more severe illnesses (gastrointestinal and respiratory problems or death/euthanasia) were more likely to occur on long journeys. Using Standardbreds as the reference group, Thoroughbreds, Arabians and Warmbloods were more likely to experience a severe illness than injury.
Self-selected participation in the study and self-reported nature of transport-related problems.
Horses undertaking journeys longer than 24 hours were at greater risk of developing severe disease or dying. Further studies are needed on long-haul transportation effects to safeguard the welfare of horses moved over long distances. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 3. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 04 August 2017.
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#16,081,808
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#10
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