A WORLDWIDE audience logged on to listen to leading equine specialist veterinary clinicians, research scientists and practitioners in December. The world-class presenters shared their equine knowledge and disseminated the findings from recent evidence-based studies at the Saddle Research Trust’s 4th International Conference, Welfare and Performance of the Ridden Horse: The Future.

Applying the science

In the first session, ‘Applying the Science’, Professor Hilary Clayton presented the keynote on how the rider affects the welfare and performance of the ridden horse. She explained how rider asymmetry or a rider who is too large can compromise performance, how the synchronisation of movement with the horse is often lacking especially among less skilled riders, and how better performance is associated with minimal disruption by the rider.

Through the lens

In the second session of the day, leading veterinary authority on gait analysis Dr. Filipe Serra Bragança discussed the significant advances in technology for sophisticated objective analysis of gait for research purposes and clinical use. He explained that subjective agreement of lameness by veterinary/physiotherapy experts has been found to be low, but with the evolution of modern kinematic gait analysis, it is now possible to assess the horse/rider interaction, analyse performance, and quantify asymmetric gaits and lameness.

Dr Russell MacKechnie-Guire presented on the topic of saddle fitting and whether an objective approach is useful or misleading. He pointed out that thermography is not a reliable tool for assessment of saddle fit for the horse. He explained that a horse’s back dimensions can change during the day and that although more pressure mapping devices are becoming available, they are not necessarily accurate or validated.

Dr Marie Dittmann looked at the high prevalence of ill-fitting saddles in Swiss riding horses and the subsequent potential for compromised performance. She highlighted the association between the presence of back pain and ill-fitting saddles but emphasised that horses have varying pain thresholds and therefore react differently in the face of discomfort. With her work showing that 95% horse owners thought their saddle was an ideal fit, yet only 10% of those assessed had no saddle-fit issues, her take home message was that there should be more regular checking for changes in back shape and saddle fit accordingly.

The horse as a stakeholder

In this third session of the day, Dr Sue Dyson presented the keynote on the application of the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE) which comprises 24 behaviours (facial, body and gait) the majority of which are at least 10 times more likely to be seen in a lame horse compared with a non-lame horse. Dr Dyson explained that more skilled riders can improve gait quality and can in some cases obscure lameness, but in a small number of cases can exacerbate it. Dr Dyson pointed out that horses with lower RHpE scores were placed higher in competitions compared to those with higher RHpE scores. This demonstrates that competitors are likely to have greater competition success with comfortable/sound horses and that we have a moral responsibility to improve welfare and performance by recognising a problem, identifying the cause and treating it.

Dr Rachel Murray looked at the importance of bridle fit, stating that while there is much discussion on bit and noseband issues there is little research on bridle fit for optimal welfare and performance. She explained that the huge variability between horses in head shape, size and symmetry means that bridles should be individually fitted, taking account of facial asymmetry, and that bridle stability is important; without a noseband the bridle is less stable, which can allow the bit to move excessively, causing injury in the mouth.

However, a tight noseband places pressure on the nose, jaw and headpiece and limits movement. She raised the importance of routine dental care; many lesions in the mouth are not the result of the bit or noseband but secondary to teeth problems that could and should be managed.