24 Behaviours of the Ridden Horse in Pain - Part 2: Body Markers

Every horse owner needs to know this. ‘Naughty’ behaviours can be pain signs in the ridden horse. ‘Through a six-phase study, spanning three years, and over 400 horses, Dr. Sue Dyson and colleagues developed The Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE). A tool to reliably predict lameness before the condition worsens into limping and other obvious signs of injuries’ (Train with Trust Project, 2022).

So if you’re unsure if your horses behaviour is a training issue versus a pain issue, use the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram as a screening tool. ‘There can be many reasons why each individual behavior may occur. However, a total Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram score of 8 or more indicates the presence of musculoskeletal pain. Some lame horses may have a score of less than 8’ (Dyson, et al. 2018). This Field Guide does not constitute diagnosis, nor suggest specific treatment. If you suspect that your horse is experiencing discomfort or pain, seek help from a veterinarian.

How to use it:

Horses should be assessed performing their full repertoire of movements for approximately 10 minutes after a period of warm up.

When applying the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram the horse should be assessed from the side, from behind and from the front.

* White of the Eye: Some horses have a blue eye or a small iris in one or both eyes, so the sclera (white of the eye) is visible at rest. The criteria for this behavior cannot be applied to these horses.

* Bit Pulled Through: If the canons (mouthpieces) of the bit are too wide for the horse’s mouth, it will be difficult to evaluate this behavior.

View the full field guide: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/630264eadd08da74c4f27a5a/t/6407456c640c094aa88d00a0/1678198132343/TWTP_24+Behaviours_mobile+version_v2+3.06.23.pdf

Get the full checklist: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/630264eadd08da74c4f27a5a/t/654d2db62db8fa2032d7e327/1699556791332/RHpE_Checklist_Checklist_final.pdf

References:

Dyson, S., Berger, J., Ellis, A., Mullard, J. Development of an ethogram for a pain scoring system in ridden horses and its application to determine the presence of musculoskeletal pain. J. Vet. Behav.: Clin. Appl. Res. 2018, 23: 47-57

Train with Trust Project (2022) 24 Behaviors of the Ridden Horse in Pain, 24 Behaviors of the Ridden Horse in Pain. Available at: https://www.24horsebehaviors.org/ (Accessed: 28 August 2024).