Abstract
Simple SummaryThe road transport of horses poses a significant welfare issue. This study describes the injuries sustained by horses during road transport in New Zealand in general alongside factors associated with injury while in a moving vehicle. More than 1100 New Zealand horse industry participants were surveyed on their horse transport experiences and equine industry activities. Of the survey participants, approximately a fifth reported at least one horse injured during road transport during the two years covered by the survey. Most injuries (81%) occurred in transit when transported with one (39%) or more than one (21%) other horse. Most commonly, the hindlimbs, the head, or the forelimbs were injured (59% of horses). Injuries ranged from bruises to severe trauma. Factors associated with injury included horses used for eventing, not always checking the fitness of horses for transport, the use of a tail guard or bandage, a stallion guard in the vehicle, loose bedding on the floor, and behavioural problems. Overall, this survey identified a significant number of injuries and related euthanasia in horses transported by road in New Zealand and key factors associated with these injuries.Negative outcomes associated with the road transport of horses are a significant welfare issue. This study aimed to describe the injuries sustained by horses during road transport in New Zealand and factors associated with trauma while in transit. New Zealand horse industry participants were surveyed on their horse transport experiences and equine industry involvement. Participants were solicited through horse organisations. The data were tabulated, and a logistic regression was performed to identify significant (p < 0.05) factors associated with transport-related injury. In total, 201/1133 (17.7%/2 years) eligible surveys reported at least one horse injured during road transport. Most incidents occurred in transit (137/169; 81%), or when transported with one (76/193; 39.4%) or more (41/193; 21.2%) other horses. Most commonly, the hindlimbs, the head, or the forelimbs were injured (59.1%; 110/186 horses), ranging in severity from bruises to catastrophic orthopaedic trauma necessitating euthanasia. Eventing, not always checking horses’ fitness for transport, using a tail guard or bandage, a stallion guard in the vehicle, bedding type on the floor, and behavioural problems were associated with injuries. This survey identified a significant incidence of injury and related death when horses are transported by road in New Zealand, and the key risk factors associated with the odds of injury.
Highlights
Stressful stimuli, such as those associated with road transport, can lead to homeostasis disruption with direct and indirect effects on the health status and physical performance of horses [1]
201 horse injuries had occurred within the two years before the survey (2015–2017), resulting in an injury incidence over two years of 17.7%; those that occurred before this time were excluded from further analysis
Of the 201 respondents, provided details of incidents and the injuries sustained. This included 189 single events involving injury to one horse, two Animals 2022, 12, x separate events that occurred with the same horse, and two events that resulted in injury to three horses on each occasion (Figure 1)
Summary
Stressful stimuli, such as those associated with road transport, can lead to homeostasis disruption with direct and indirect effects on the health status and physical performance of horses [1]. These stressors may be influenced by factors associated with the reasons for which transport is deemed necessary, such as competition, breeding, pleasure activities, sales, and slaughter. The predominant adverse welfare outcomes associated with the road transport of horses have been characterised as behavioural [12,13,15,16] and physical (trauma) [6,9,11,13]. One Swedish study has identified the horse trailer (float) as the second most common location for an injury to a horse to occur, second only to those sustained in the paddock [20]
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