Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Exploring The Use Of A Qualitative Behavioural Assessment Approach To Assess Emotional State Of Calves In Rodeos, Sally Rizzuto, Di Evans, Bethany Wilson, Paul Mcgreevy

Rodeo Competitions Collection

There are longstanding disagreements between the rodeo industry stakeholders and animal welfare advocates about the wellbeing of the animals used in events. The current study aims to determine whether qualitative behavioural assessment (QBA) is effective in identifying the emotional state of calves in so-called calf-roping events. Still images of calves captured from videos of calf-roping were shown to two groups: practitioners (n = 7) and students (n = 16). For each image, they scored (on a scale of 1–10) 12 descriptive terms—e.g., stressed, energetic, confused, frightened—based on how strongly they thought the animal was experiencing that emotion. Scores were analysed …

Battle Of The Sexes In Best Of Breed: Sex Influences Dogs’ Success In The Show Ring, Bethany J. Wilson, Alicia J. Kasbarian, Navneet Dhand, Paul D. Mcgreevy

Competitive Breed Shows Collection

Much of the research on pedigree dog breeding has been directed towards understanding the implications of reduced genetic diversity and the prevalence of inherited disorders. An example is the potential role of the popular sire effect in perpetuating genetic defects. If male dogs are more likely than bitches to be identified as examples of members of a breed that align with breed standard, they may be selected for breeding earlier. This may contribute to the influence of individual males and contribute to popular sire effect. Conversely, if breed standards are written in a sex-neutral fashion, and if dogs are entered, …

The Laterality Of The Gallop Gait In Thoroughbred Racehorses, Paulette Cully, Brian Nielsen, Bryony Lancaster, Jessica Martin, Paul Mcgreevy

Competitive Animal Racing Collection

Laterality can be observed as side biases in locomotory behaviour which, in the horse, manifest inter alia as forelimb preferences, most notably in the gallop. The current study investigated possible leading-leg preferences at the population and individual level in Thoroughbred racehorses (n = 2095) making halt-to-gallop transitions. Videos of flat races in the UK (n = 350) were studied to record, for each horse, the lead-leg preference of the initial stride into gallop from the starting stalls. Races from clockwise (C) and anti-clockwise (AC) tracks were chosen alternately at random to ensure equal representation. Course direction, horse age and sex, …

Longitudinal Trends In The Frequency Of Medium And Fast Race Winning Times In Australian Harness Racing: Relationships With Rules Moderating Whip Use, Bethany Wilson, Bidda Jones, Paul Mcgreevy

Sport and Working Animal Welfare Collection

The use of whips in racing is subject to current debate, not least because the prospect that fatigued horses cannot respond renders the practice futile and inhumane. The racing industries maintain whip use is a form of encouragement and that the rules of racing that govern whip use safeguard horse welfare. The current study examined longitudinal trends in the frequency of medium and fast race winning times in Australian harness racing between September 2007 and August 2016 to explore relationships with a series of changes that moderated whip use. The first change, introduced January 2010, moderated whip action so that …

Flogging Tired Horses: Who Wants Whipping And Who Would Walk Away If Whipping Horses Were Withheld?, Paul D. Mcgreevy, Mark D. Griffiths, Frank R. Ascione, Bethany Wilson

Sport and Working Animal Welfare Collection

Recent studies have cast doubt on the effectiveness of whipping horses during races and this has led to questions concerning its continuing justification. Furthermore, it has been argued that whipping tired horses in racing is the most televised form of violence to animals. The present study used de-identified data from a recent independent Australian poll (n = 1,533) to characterise the 26% of respondents (113 females and 271 males) who support the whipping of racehorses and the 10% of racing enthusiasts in the sample (44 females and 63 males) who would stop watching races and betting on them if whipping …

Injuries In Racing Greyhounds, Andrew Knight

Competitive Animal Racing Collection

This 25 pp. report reviews welfare problems, and particularly, injuries sustained by racing greyhounds, with a focus on the British greyhound racing industry.

Whip Rule Breaches In A Major Australian Racing Jurisdiction: Welfare And Regulatory Implications, Jennifer Hood, Carolyn Mcdonald, Bethany Wilson, Phil Mcmanus

Sport and Working Animal Welfare Collection

Whip use in horseracing is increasingly being questioned on ethical, animal welfare, social sustainability, and legal grounds. Despite this, there is weak evidence for whip use and its regulation by Stewards in Australia. To help address this, we characterised whip rule breaches recorded by Stewards using Stewards Reports and Race Diaries from 2013 and 2016 in New SouthWales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). There were more recorded breaches at Metropolitan (M) than Country (C) or Provincial (P) locations, and by riders of horses that finished first, second, or third than by riders of horses that finished in other …

Noseband Use In Equestrian Sports ± An International Study, Orla Doherty, Vincent Casey, Paul Mcgreevy, Sean Arkins

Sport and Working Animal Welfare Collection

Nosebands are used by riders to prevent the horse from opening its mouth, to increase control and, in some cases, to comply with the competition rules. While equestrian texts traditionally recommend that two adult human fingers should be able to fit under a fastened noseband, noseband tightness levels are not, in general, regulated in competition. Possible detrimental consequences for the horse, of excessively tight nosebands, include discomfort, pain or tissue damage. The current study investigated noseband usage in equestrian competition. Data regarding noseband type, position, width and tightness were collected from 750 horses in eventing (n = 354), dressage (n …

The Effect Of Noseband Tightening On Horses’ Behavior, Eye Temperature, And Cardiac Responses, Kate Fenner, Samuel Yoon, Peter White, Melissa Starling, Paul Mcgreevy

Sport and Working Animal Welfare Collection

Restrictive nosebands are common in equestrian sport. This is concerning, as recent evidence suggests that very tight nosebands can cause a physiological stress response, and may compromise welfare. The objective of the current study was to investigate relationships that noseband tightness has with oral behavior and with physiological changes that indicate a stress response, such as increases in eye temperature (measured with infrared thermography) and heart rate and decreases in heart rate variability (HRV). Horses (n = 12) wearing a double bridle and crank noseband, as is common in dressage at elite levels, were randomly assigned to four treatments: unfastened …

Reconciling Horse Welfare, Worker Safety, And Public Expectations: Horse Event Incident Management Systems In Australia, Julie Fiedler, Paul D. Mcgreevy

Sport and Working Animal Welfare Collection

Human-horse interactions have a rich tradition and can be highly rewarding, particularly within sport and recreation pursuits, but they can also be dangerous or even life-threatening. In parallel, sport and recreation pursuits involving animals, including horses, are facing an increased level of public scrutiny in relation to the use of animals for these purposes. However, the challenge lies with event organisers to reconcile the expectations of the public, the need to meet legal requirements to reduce or eliminate risks to paid and volunteer workers, and address horse welfare. In this article we explore incident management at horse events as an …

A Critical Review Of Horse-Related Risk: A Research Agenda For Safer Mounts, Riders And Equestrian Cultures, Kirrilly Thompson, Paul Mcgreevy, Phil Mcmanus

Sport and Working Animal Welfare Collection

While the importance of improving horse-related safety seems self-evident, no comprehensive study into understanding or reducing horse-related risk has been undertaken. In this paper, we discuss four dimensions of horse-related risk: the risk itself, the horse, the rider and the culture in which equestrian activities takes place. We identify how the ways in which risk is constructed in each dimension affects the applicability of four basic risk management options of avoidance, transference, mitigation and acceptance. We find the acceptance and avoidance of horse-related risk is generally high, most likely due to a common construction of horses as irrevocably unpredictable, fearful …

Human Preferences For Conformation Attributes And Head-And-Neck Positions In Horses, Georgina L. Caspar, Navneet Dhand, Paul Mcgreevy

Competitive Animal Racing Collection

Human preferences for certain morphological attributes among domestic animals may be entirely individual or, more generally, may reflect evolutionary pressures that favor certain conformation. Artificial selection for attributes, such as short heads and crested necks of horses, may have functional and welfare implications because there is evidence from other species that skull shape co-varies with behaviour. Crested necks can be accentuated by flexion of the neck, a quality that is often manipulated in photographs vendors use when selling horses. Equine head-and-neck positions acquired through rein tension can compromise welfare. Our investigation was designed to identify conformations and postures that people …

Strong Selection For Behavioural Resilience In Australian Stock Working Dogs Identified By Selective Sweep Analysis, Elizabeth R. Arnott, Lincoln Peek, Jonathan B. Early, Annie Y. H. Pan, Bianca Haase, Tracy Chew, Paul D. Mcgreevy, Claire M. Wade

Sport and Working Animal Welfare Collection

Background: Working dog handlers and breeders have strong opinions on characteristics that are desirable in the breeds that they use to handle stock. Most of these characteristics are related to conformation or behaviour. This study explored whether the genetics underlying desirable working behaviour traits might be identified by selective sweep analysis; a method that identifies long regions of strong homozygosity combined with allelic divergence from a comparison group. For this analysis, we compared genomic haplotype architecture in two breeds derived from common founder stock but subjected to divergent selective pressures. The breeds studied were the Australian Kelpie, which is registered …

A Critical Analysis Of The British Horseracing Authority’S Review Of The Use Of The Whip In Horseracing, Bidda Jones, Jed Goodfellow, James Yeates, Paul Mcgreevy

Sport and Working Animal Welfare Collection

There is increasing controversy about the use of the whip as a performance aid in Thoroughbred horseracing and its impact on horse welfare. This paper offers a critical analysis of the British Horseracing Authority’s (BHA) 2011 Report Responsible Regulation: A Review of the Use of the Whip in Horseracing. It examines the BHA’s process of consultation and use of science and public opinion research through the application of current scientific literature and legal analysis. This analysis suggests that the BHA’s findings on the welfare impact and justification for whip use are insufficiently defended by the report. These findings indicate that …

Environmental Factors Associated With Success Rates Of Australian Stock Herding Dogs, Elizabeth R. Arnott, Jonathan B. Early, Claire M. Wade, Paul D. Mcgreevy

Sport and Working Animal Welfare Collection

This study investigated the current management practices associated with stock herding dogs on Australian farms. A parallel goal was to determine whether these practices and the characteristics of the dog handlers were associated with success rates. Success rate refers to the proportion of dogs acquired by the farmer that were retained as working dogs. Data on a total of 4,027 dogs were obtained through The Farm Dog Survey which gathered information from 812 herding dog owners around Australia. Using logistic regression, significant associations were identified between success rate and seven variables: dog breed, housing method, trial participation, age of the …

Estimating The Economic Value Of Australian Stock Herding Dogs, E. R. Arnott, J. B. Early, C. M. Wade, P. D. Mcgreevy

Sport and Working Animal Welfare Collection

This study aimed to estimate the value of the typical Australian herding dog in terms of predicted return on investment. This required an assessment of the costs associated with owning herding dogs and estimation of the work they typically perform. Data on a total of 4,027 dogs were acquired through The Farm Dog Survey which gathered information from 812 herding dog owners around Australia. The median cost involved in owning a herding dog was estimated to be a total of AU$7,763 over the period of its working life. The work performed by the dog throughout this time was estimated to …

Whip Use By Jockeys In A Sample Of Australian Thoroughbred Races—An Observational Study, Paul D. Mcgreevy, Robert A. Corken, Hannah Salvin, Celeste M. Black

Competitive Animal Racing Collection

The use of whips by jockeys is an issue. The current study viewed opportunistic high-speed footage of 15 race finishes frame-by-frame to examine the outcomes of arm and wrist actions (n = 350) on 40 horses viewed from the left of the field. Any actions fully or partially obscured by infrastructure or other horses were removed from the database, leaving a total of 104 non-contact sweeps and 134 strikes. For all instances of arm actions that resulted in fully visible whip strikes behind the saddle (n = 109), the outcomes noted were area struck, percentage of unpadded section making contact, …

An Investigation Of Racing Performance And Whip Use By Jockeys In Thoroughbred Races, David Evans, Paul Mcgreevy

Competitive Animal Racing Collection

Concerns have been expressed concerning animal-welfare issues associated with whip use during Thoroughbred races. However, there have been no studies of relationships between performance and use of whips in Thoroughbred racing. Our aim was to describe whip use and the horses' performance during races, and to investigate associations between whip use and racing performance. Under the Australian Racing Board (ARB) rules, only horses that are in contention can be whipped, so we expected that whippings would be associated with superior performance, and those superior performances would be explained by an effect of whipping on horse velocities in the final 400 …

Rodeo And Recollection-Applied Ethics And Western Philosophy, Bernard E. Rollin

Sports and Entertainment Collection

No abstract provided.

Horse Racing And Drug Abuse: Untangling The Issues Involved, Dana Murphy

Equines Collection

Some time during mid-january, hearings on a new bill, intended to stop the misuse of drugs in racehorses, will be held in the U.S. Senate. The Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) wholeheartedly supports the bill and, in fact, worked with the American Horse Protection Association as one of the co-authors of its specific provisions. But to many sectors of the racing industry, the bill is anathema. They believe that enactment of this legislation will surely spell financial ruin for the racetracks of America, given the costs that will be entailed in foregoing the alleged benefits of drugs, and in …

Drugs & Horse Racing

Close Up Reports

CONTENTS

• HSUS Working to End Use of Drugs at Tracks--New Bill Introduced in House & Senate
• Why Do We Need Federal Regulation?
• Some Common Track Drugs: How They Affect Horses
• Federal Bill Introduced
• The Vicious Cycle: Economics, Longer Seasons, and Drugs
• Drugs are Destroying Horse Racing!
• What You Can Do to Stop the Drugging Now!
• Support HSUS Efforts to Clean Up Horse Racing!

Special Report On Rodeo

Special Reports

As a national humane organization of prominence, The Humane Society of the United States felt compelled to launch an objective study of its own to gather facts about rodeo and the possible abuses to the animals involved during performances and behind the scenes. The president and board of H.S.U.S. felt that the facts should be gathered, as unprejudicially as possible, so the truth could have an unveiling and the public be informed of the realities of rodeo.

Robert C. Bay, D.V.M., then a member of the faculty of Colorado State University at Fort Collins, Colorado, was engaged to carry forward …

Special Report On Rodeos

Special Reports

A calf roped and busted even once suffers injury from the scientific point of view. HSUS investigators observed visible injuries to as many as 11-12°/o of the animals in some steer busting events. HSUS is determined to put an end to all cruelty at rodeos.