Horses are social herd animals. They are meant to move in a group for approximately 16-18 hours a day, looking for forage. Horses were domesticated 6000 years ago. They have evolved from being just useful for humans to becoming companions. Additionally, horses are used in many activities and disciplines either on a hobby-level or in …
Month: October 2023
Horses are often moved back to stable conditions as the grazing season comes to an end. As a result, horses are in closer proximity to each other, and available space per horse decreases. Especially in autumn, it is not uncommon that horses infect each other, and diseases spread. Usually, infectious diseases affect the respiratory system …
How using bits affects equine welfare The use of bits in equine sports has been a long-standing topic of discussion within the equestrian community. In Finland, issues related to bits have been raised in disciplines such as harness racing (Tuomola, Mäki‐Kihniä, et al., 2021a) and eventing/cross country (Tuomola, Mäki-Kihniä, et al., 2021b). Internationally, this topic …
How bedding thickness affects the sleeping and resting behavior of horses – Master’s Thesis summary The importance of the well-being of horses has been emphasized in recent years, and various parameters are being developed to measure it. While the impact of sleep on the well-being and health of humans is well-known, there is still relatively …