What Matters Most: The Horse’s Experience of the Experience

This case study describes the development of a welfare-centred, species-appropriate model for human-horse interactions across diverse contexts using three case studies: a zoo-kept takhi (Equus ferus przewalskii), a free-living pony on a conservation reserve, and a domestic horse (the latter two were both Equus caballus). These cases demonstrate innovative approaches to enriching horse welfare by prioritising each horse’s individual subjective experience through low-stress, trust-based interactions.