Quantifying the cumulative impact of use in teaching and research: An initial assessment of an objective tool developed to safeguard working horse welfare in a university setting

Universities offering veterinary and equine science education typically keep horses to support teaching and research activities. The Australian Code requires approval of horse use by an independent Animal Ethics Committee and that cumulative use over an individual’s working lifetime is considered to safeguard wellbeing. Following concerns about individual horse welfare a multidisciplinary group of horse users at Charles Sturt University co-developed a Standard Operating Procedure that would allow impacts to be monitored using a points-based system. Work activities were categorised from minimal (1 point, e.g., being observed in the paddock) to major intervention (5 points allocated, e.g., general anaesthesia). On accruing 60 points (adults) or 40 points (<1-year olds) a six-week break was to be mandated. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of cumulative use monitoring on the frequency and distribution of horse use in an educational institution and resulting welfare. Data comprised 12,281 interactions-with-humans experienced by 139 horses between 2019-2023, 74% of which related to work (54% teaching, 20% research). Work-related use increased significantly between 2019 and 2022 (t =72.47, P <0.001). The introduction of the Standard Operating Procedure in 2023 led to a meaningful decrease in the frequency of horse use, clear demarcation of involvement in teaching and research work and provision of appropriately timed six-week breaks during the academic year. A proactive approach to monitoring and managing the cumulative impact of horse use is critical to safeguarding welfare and maintaining public trust in the educational institution’s ability to protect its animals from harm. • Live horses are essential to the delivery of horse handling education. • Horses experience multiple challenges when involved in student education. • Cumulative effects of horse use must be monitored to safeguard horse welfare. • Quantification of the effects horse use on the horse led to enhanced workload scheduling. • Objective horse-use monitoring can be applied to other working and service horses.