Last spring I applied to become a volunteer member of the Equine Welfare Committee which operates within the larger, international organization known as PATH - Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship https://pathintl.org/ It has been very gratifying to serve on the committee, and I look forward to becoming even more involved. I've always been an advocate for equine welfare, but had not realized that this topic has really gained momentum in the past decade or so.
On the committee we discussed ways to objectively measure equine welfare. Not just a horse's physical condition, but their overall well-being. Do they have adequate space to move? Do they have the ability to socialize with their herd? Do they enjoy positive interactions with humans? I will revisit this topic periodically in upcoming blogs, but will kick off the topic with a reference to what I think is an excellent article: What we can measure, we can manage: The importance of using robust welfare indications in Equitation Science" by Natalie Waran and Hayley Randle https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2017.02.016
Great post! I am eager to read the article. Thank you-it is so important to remember to consider the wellbeing of all living creatures!