My thoughts on the hoof care industry and the need for objective assessment of the horses to determine welfare states
I have written about the equine industry being in crisis already, and now a new report commissioned by the RSPCA suggests there is indeed an ongoing “equine welfare crisis” which is summarised in the report as consisting of:
1) The proliferation of carers lacking in practical knowledge, skills and experience leading to an inability to provide for equines' welfare needs and detect and treat any welfare problems.
2) A mismatch of the supply and demand of certain equine types leading to the overpopulation and low value of some equines, such as thoroughbreds, a scarcity of others such as leisure equine 'all-rounders', and welfare issues arising from a mismatch of owner skills with their equine's needs.
3) The lack of equine-keeping facilities with adequate provision for turnout, grazing and socialisation leading to unfulfilled welfare needs and fewer opportunities for positive welfare.
4) The lack of provision for the lifetime welfare of all equines, including planning and careful decision making from birth to death, leading to premature euthanasia, delayed euthanasia, abandonment, or poor end of life care.
In the past, the crisis has been defined in terms of supply exceeding demand and as a result, there being a shortage of homes for equines, however the issues now centre around the Five Domains, with few equines having their needs met in England and Wales, and this preventable situation, can be described as a ‘welfare crisis’.
The report mirrors my own findings, and point 1) in particular raises questions about the hoof care industry and the number of horses I meet with poor hoof balance and welfare conditions, which I strongly feel are intimately connected and interrelated.
The report raises the question about the lack of practical knowledge, skills and experience of carers in leading to an inability to provide for equine's welfare needs and detect and treat welfare problems. This raises questions as to the quality of education provided by organisations and individuals teaching and supporting hoof care methods which completely contradict modern farriery and podiatry science and my own findings.
This report also underlines the need to lean on scientific findings, including understanding the welfare states of horses from the perspective of the 5 domains - in other words, there needs to be the inclusion of objective assessment of horses from this perspective when delivering professional services or providing interventions for domestic horses, which welfare researchers and authors suggest might include:
1. Postural parameters
2. Physiological parameters
3. Behavioural parameters.
In the hoof care industry, this is easy to implement with accurate and repeatable documentation considering all 3 parameters in the field and might include an objective assessment of the horse before and after any hoof care intervention is performed, to ascertain the most appropriate intervention as well as track changes.
This helps to promote a proactive, and preventative approach to hoof care and might assist with the prevention of negative or poor welfare states.
As a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and promoting compassionate equestrianism, we provide services and educational resources which promote the objective assessment of horses, and ideally, the manifestation of optimum welfare states in domestic horses, from an integrative, whole horse, and horse-led point of view.
We empower owners and other professionals to do the same.
Please reach out if you would like us to provide a webinar or podcast for your community or audience, or if you would like to learn with us. We also deliver services in-person and online too.
Further reading and resources:
EQUINE CRISIS- RESEARCH REPORT. Redefining the equine crisis: http://www.rspca.org.uk/.../equine-crisis-research-report
Lesimple, C. (2020). Indicators of Horse Welfare: State-of-the-Art. Animals, 10(2), 294. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10020294
To learn about up coming webinars, including Integrated Hoof Care series - #1 to wedge or not to wedge on the 7th April: https://www.holisticequine.co.uk/events
To access past webinars,podcasts and articles, (which may require VIP subscription membership) visit: https://www.holisticequine.co.uk/blog
Additional resources and assistance
We take an integrative and holistic approach to whole horse hoof and body health. We appreciate the relationship between body, limb and hoof and seek to address imbalances while positively influencing appropriate static and dynamic hoof balance and biomechanics.
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Beccy Smith BSc ADAEP EBW
Diploma in Advanced Applied Equine Podiatry and now an Independent Integrative Equine Podiatrist, Consultant and Therapist. Certified Lazaris Nerve Release TM Practitioner
CEO and Founder of 100% Non-Profit Community Interest Company Holistic Reflections CIC
Holistic Reflections CIC – a 100% non-profit organisation promoting wellbeing and resilience in people, horses and the environment - for the benefit of all.
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