Horses have evolved as prey animals, and that means some of them are resistant to showing outward signs of pain. For many, the subtle signs that a horse may be dealing with discomfort are especially difficult to spot.
According to The Horse, Dutch researchers recently completed a project to make it easier for owners to objectively assess whether a horse is in pain. Dr. Thijas van loon, faculty of Veterinary Medicine Utrecht University, and his colleagues engineered a smartphone app for processing facial expressions ad body language, instructing an owner on what to look for and how to measure the signs they see.
The Equine Pain and Welfare App works for both horses and donkeys, and provides guidance for both facial and body expressions of discomfort. Users are instructed to observe facial expressions for two minutes and body language for five, making note of behaviors or expressions as they occur during that time. Ear position, head position, and eye appearance are all elements in a horse's pain score.
App users are advised to consult a veterinarian for horses scoring over a five on a scale of 0 to 18. It will also store information, allowing users to pinpoint changes to a horse's comfort level over time.
Read more at The Horse
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