The influence of rider skill on ridden horse behaviour, assessed using the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram, and gait quality

Abstract

Summary Background The Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE) was developed to facilitate identification of musculoskeletal pain. Objectives To determine the influence of rider skill on ridden horse performance and behaviour, the latter using the RHpE. It was hypothesised that gait quality at trot and canter would improve with a more skilled rider compared with a less skilled rider, but the RHpE scores would be similar. Study design Repeated measures investigation. Methods Forty horses, in regular work and presumed by their riders to be nonlame, were ridden by their normal rider (N) and a skilled professional rider (P), performing a dressage‐type test over 8.5 min. Twenty horses were ridden first by rider P, and 20 were ridden first by rider N. The presence of lameness or gait abnormalities in canter was recorded. Standardised video recordings were acquired. All videos were anonymised and presented in random order to the assessors. Rider skill and horse gait quality were graded (Fédération Equestre Internationale scale, 1–10), and the RHpE was applied to each horse using the video recordings. Results Rider P had a higher median skill score (6/10) compared with the N riders (4.5/10) (P<0.001). There was a correlation between rider skill scores and gait quality scores (P<0.001). The presence of lameness or gait abnormalities in canter, when ridden by riders N and P, varied among horses. The median RHpE score for all horses was 9/24 (range 3–14). There was no difference in mean or median RHpE scores between the N riders and rider P. There was some variance in the frequency of occurrence of specific behaviours between the N riders and rider P. Main limitations The identity of rider P could not be concealed. Conclusions There was no direct relationship between rider skill level and the RHpE score, but riders did alter the manifestations of some behaviours.

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