New project to develop practical tools for sustainable horse keeping

The Dutch equine sector faces the challenge of further improving horse welfare while supporting businesses and horse owners with practical, applicable knowledge. Societal expectations regarding animal welfare are increasing, while there is also a growing need for more accessible and practical knowledge about the daily care, nutrition and management of horses. Although extensive knowledge is available on both topics, it is not always easy to access or readily applicable in practice. This project therefore focuses on translating existing knowledge into practical tools and making it accessible for everyday use.

The project consists of two independent subprojects, each addressing a specific knowledge need and being carried out by its own consortium of knowledge institutions, industry partners and representatives from the sector. The first subproject, the Quickscan Sustainable Horse Keeping, will focus on developing a practical and accessible horse welfare assessment tool based on the ‘Gids voor goede praktijken, leidraad voor het houden van en de omgang met paarden’. The quickscan can help equestrian business owners and students assess the welfare of horses across different types of equestrian businesses and identify areas for improvement. The tool is being developed in collaboration with business owners, educational institutions and researchers.

In addition, the quickscan subproject will build on the PPP project Behouden Paard: Genetic Management Programme for a Sustainable Horse-Breeding Industry (LWV23102 / BO-68-001-072). While that project focuses on sustainable and healthy horse breeding, the current sub-project translates available knowledge into a practical self-assessment tool for different types of equine businesses. ‘The added value of the tool lies in making existing knowledge more accessible and gathering practical insights into the applicability of welfare criteria,’ says Mira Schoon, researcher at the Animal Breeding and Genomics department of WUR. ‘Lessons learned and information shared through the Behouden Paard project will be incorporated into the quickscan wherever possible.’ Mira is the project leader for the quickscan subproject, while Eline de Kool from the Animal Farming Systems department will be in charge of the second subproject which focuses on the development of a practical handbook for the production of high-quality horse hay.  

What makes the quickscan subproject particularly valuable is the active involvement of its target audience. Mira explains: ‘Business owners will visit one another’s businesses in study groups and jointly apply the preliminary quickscan. Students will conduct similar assessments during internships or at practical training schools. Consequently, practical experiences will be collected through questionnaires, group discussions and joint evaluation sessions, and used to further develop and validate the quickscan.’

Het project Praktische hulpmiddelen voor duurzame paardenhouderij wordt uitgevoerd binnen het programma Kennis op Maat en ontvangt financiële steun vanuit de Kennis- en Innovatieagenda Landbouw, Water, Voedsel. Binnen de KIA werken bedrijfsleven, kennisinstellingen en overheid samen aan innovaties voor veilig en gezond voedsel en een groene leefomgeving voor 9 miljard mensen in een veerkrachtige wereld.