308. Turnout Management Practices and Associations with Body Condition and Stereotypic Behaviour in Horses Across North America.

Abstract Turnout management is central to equine health and welfare, yet large-scale data characterizing practices among North American horses remain limited. The objectives of this study were to 1) describe turnout management practices among horses in Canada and the United States and 2) evaluate associations between turnout management, body condition score (BCS) and stereotypic behaviours. A cross-sectional online survey was distributed to horse owners and caretakers across North America via social media and online equine platforms. Respondents provided management and health information for up to five horses, with each horse treated as an independent observational unit. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS (v9.4). Associations between categorical variables were assessed using Pearson’s chi-square tests with Monte Carlo exact p-values, and effect sizes were evaluated using Cramer’s V. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Data were collected on 32,687 horses from 19,411 respondents across the United States (65.7%) and Canada (34.3%). Mean (±SD) turnout duration was 18.4 ± 7.5 h/day, with 56.0% of horses receiving 24-h turnout. Turnout duration varied by geographic region (P < 0.001;Cramer’s V = 0.112), with horses located in the Prairies and British Columbia more commonly managed with 24-h turnout, whereas horses in the Northeast US, Ontario and Maritimes were reported to more frequently receive moderate turnout durations (10–19 h/day). The most common turnout environments were large pastures (65.5%), either alone or in combination with other turnout types. Turnout environments differed by region (P < 0.001;Cramer’s V = 0.141), with large pasture turnout more frequently reported in the Southern regions, and dry-lot turnout in the Western regions. Additionally, 44.4% of horses had access to a built shelter in their turnout area. Continuous forage availability during turnout was common, with 89.0% of horses having unlimited forage access (hay, pasture, or both), and 53.2% having access to both pasture and hay. Despite widespread forage access, only 5.3% of horses were reported to wear a grazing muzzle regularly. Most horses had a BCS of 5 or 6 (53.0% and 29.2%, respectively). Horses receiving no turnout showed a greater proportion of elevated BCS (≥7) (P < 0.001; Cramer’s V = 0.029). Stereotypic behaviours were reported in 10.2% of horses, including oral (6.5%), locomotor (3.3%), and other behaviours (0.5%). Horses receiving 24-h turnout were less reported to exhibit stereotypic behaviours (P < 0.001;Cramer’s V = 0.043). Additionally, horses turned out alone but with visual contact of other horses were more often reported to display stereotypic behaviours compared with horses turned out with one or more companions (P < 0.001;Cramer’s V = 0.039). Although effect sizes were small, these findings provide a large-scale characterization of turnout management practices across North America and highlight associations between turnout duration, forage availability, social housing, and behavioural indicators of welfare, reinforcing turnout management as an important modifiable factor influencing equine health and welfare.