I attended a virtual conference presented by PATH International that focused on Equine Welfare, both for the general equine population and for horses who are used in Equine Assisted Therapy and Equine Assisted Activities programs. Presenters covered a wide variety of topics, including how to use data about weight-carrying capacity, training guidelines for therapy horses, and the more general " five domains of equine wellbeing. Those domains are "nutrition, physical environment, health, behavioral interactions, and mental state". The recommendation is that horse owners consistently monitor these five domains for each individual horse, and for the herd overall. Though this advice may seem obvious, I think it's easy to be so focused on the running of an operation, that we are not intentional about monitoring the health and wellbeing of our 4-legged therapists.
The closing session for the day was "Partnering with Adoption and Safety Net Programs through ASPCA Right Horse". The goal of My Right Horse is to increase the number of horses who are adopted, as a means of providing better homes for horses in need. The presenters also outlined the benefits of the Vet Direct Safety Net program which sounds like a terrific way for horse owners to get help for their horses that they may otherwise not be able to afford.
It's gratifying to know that so many equine professionals are working to establish programs and networks, to do research, and to provide education and resources aimed at improving the quality of life for all horses.
What great resources to share! I had not heard of the five domains of equine welfare, but they make a lot of sense! Thank you for this post....it's always good t be aware of what we can do to improve the lives around us!