Towards Consensus: A Pilot Study in Enhancing Recognition of Equine Affective States with RaiSE (Recognizing Affective States in Equine)

The welfare of horses depends on the ability of their caretakers to accurately recognize and interpret their affective states. This study evaluates the effectiveness of RAiSE (Recognizing Affective States in Equine), an online educational course designed to enhance horse industry participants' skills in identifying equine emotions. The course content was developed using the Theory of Planned Behavior. The study involved 45 participants who completed pre- and post-surveys assessing their ability to interpret affective states from 20 video clips of horses. Results of the study showed that participants significantly improved in their interpretation of valence (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Findings also indicated a significant improvement in recognizing negative valence states post-course completion, with overall correct assessments increasing from 61% to 69% (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Participants rated the lessons "Identifying Abnormal States" and "Horse-Human Interaction" as particularly impactful. However, the course showed less effectiveness in improving recognition of positive valence states. The RAiSE course demonstrates potential for improving equine welfare through education, contributing to a more informed and humane approach to horse care. Future research should focus on improving the ability to assess positive affective states.