Previous scientific studies have shown that horses have negative physiological responses and abnormal gait symmetry when they carry what are deemed “heavier” riders, which are those where the horse:rider weight ratio increases from 25 to 30 percent.
New research spearheaded by Janne Winther Christensen, from Aarhus University in Denmark, was presented at the 2019 International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) conference, held at the University of Guelph.
Christensen prefaced her presentation with the observation that the effect of rider weight on equine welfare is highly contested and that it is affected by many factors, including work intensity, type of horse, level of horse’s training and rider skill.
Her research team used 20 horse-and-rider combinations and looked at a horse’s behavior, gait symmetry and physiological response s rider weight increased. Each rider was asked to complete a dressage test wearing no additional weight or wearing a vest that added 15 or 25 percent of their body weight.
The researchers studied the horses’ heart rate, salivary cortisol, gait symmetry and behaviors like head tossing, tail swishing or gaping their mouth against the bit. They discovered that rider weight did not significantly affect the heart rate, salivary cortisol, behavior or gait symmetry of horses during this low-intensity trial.
Read more at Equine Guelph.
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