Reading the signs

HAVE you asked yourself, during competition or training, whether your horse is feeling “happy”? Our research suggests that competitors and trainers focus predominantly on health-based concerns; questions such as “Is my horse moving correctly; is he eating and drinking; is he comfortable?” are more common than thinking about positive mood. However, the FEI states that “happy athletes” should be the norm.

A CRUCIAL QUESTION

THE question “Can horses actually be happy?” is critical to any discussion about happy equine athletes. Scientifically, animals can certainly experience positive and negative mood (known as “affect”), just as humans do. However, “happiness” is a hard thing to measure in animals,