The presence of various tack and equipment in sale horse advertisements in Australia and North America

Abstract

Horse sale advertisements are expected to present horses at their best to entice buyers. In such adverts, the prevalence of severe bits, restrictive nosebands, spurs, and whips merits scrutiny because such devices reflect the need for strong physical cues and their prevalence may serve as an indicator of training approaches. To examine the occurrence of various types of tack (equestrian gear) 6580 horse sale advertisements from Australia and North America were inspected for horse demographics, discipline, level, price, any tack and equipment apparent on the horse, rider age, and whether the rider was wearing spurs or carrying a whip. Chi-squared analysis and a GLIMMIX procedure determined differences between countries, main factors, and their relevant interactions (with significance at a P -value < 0.05). The most commonly advertised horse was a bay performance gelding of stock breed working at a basic level and priced under $5,000. Most horses were depicted in a snaffle bit, dressage saddle, and without extra equipment. Thoroughbreds, warmbloods, and performance horses at advanced levels were more likely to be wearing more severe bits, restrictive nosebands, head control equipment, and ridden with whips and spurs. Examining trends in the range and type of equipment being used on horses can provide insight into the uptake of ethical approaches to ridden horse welfare.