185 Effects of COVID-19 on horses in-transition: Industry perspectives through survey analysis

Abstract

Equines currently in transition from one home or vocation to another, known as horses in-transition, present a significant welfare concern for the equine industry. However, there is a lack of research on how major crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, affect equine ownership and management strategies which could contribute to the number of horses in this at-risk population. Objectives of this study were to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on equine ownership, management practices and time spent engaged in equine activities. A 23-question online survey was disseminated through QualtricsTM to adults in the United States via email, digital newsletter, and social media (n = 346). Frequency analysis combined with Chi-squared analyses and analyses of variance, identified the impacts of COVID-19 on horse owners, non-horse owners, and equine professionals, with a response rate of 75%, 8%, and 17%, respectively. From survey results, equine ownership remained relatively stable throughout the pandemic with the majority of respondents (68%) reporting they owned the same number of horses as they did before March 2020. The response of “no impact” to changes in equine management was most prevalent across all groups; however, equine professionals did indicate experiencing a larger impact than that of horse owners (P = 0.047). Similarly for the effect on time spent with horses, “no impact” wasthe largest recorded response. For horse owners, a negative correlation between time spent with horses and age was discovered (P < 0.001). The ability to participate in equine events was the only category for which “no impact” was not the most prevalent response. Horse owners and equine professionals reported slight to significant decreases in their ability to participate in equine events due to the pandemic at 67% and 60%, respectively. Type of primary horse use was an influential factor in determining the extent of impact on ability to participate with respondents involved in recreation with horses indicating less impact than those involved in showing and breeding (P = 0.006 and 0.034, respectively). For horse owners, age was shown to have a negative correlation (P = 0.017) with ability to participate in equine events. Based on study results, the COVID-19 pandemic had little impact on equine ownership and management practices; however pandemic quarantine procedures decreased engagement in equine activities in the United States for the parameters measured. Long-term effects of COVID-19 on equine ownership and management decisions should be considered to provide a deeper base of knowledge for how major crises may impact horses in-transition.