Words matter: the prevalence and impact of negative emotive language in the equine industry

Background: Evidence from both human and veterinary medicine suggests a link between how patients are described and how they are treated, but the prevalence and consequences of negative emotive language (NEL) in the equine industry has received no systematic attention. Objectives: To provide quantitative data on the prevalence of NEL within the equine industry and to determine whether the language used to describe equine behaviour affects human decision-making. Study design: Online survey asking participants to self-report NEL they have used and heard others use. Paired vignettes which, unbeknownst to participants, described a horse’s undesired behaviour either with neutral language or NEL. Participants were then asked to propose a course of action. Results: All 355 participants had heard NEL being used to describe equine behaviour, and the vast majority (97%) admitted to using such language themselves. The use of NEL in vignettes led to a significant increase in participants suggesting sedation and, in some scenarios, positive punishment. Those who self-reported using NEL more frequently were more likely to suggest using positive punishment to deal with undesirable behaviour and less likely to suggest giving the horse time, to consider the horse’s emotional state and/or physical discomfort, or to attempt desensitisation. Conclusion: The language used to describe unwanted behaviours in horses affects the approaches that handlers propose. Use of NEL may therefore have a negative impact on the welfare of the horse and be detrimental to the horse-human relationship.