Abstract :
[en] Racing preparation in young racehorses is a pivotal phase marked by intense physical, psychological, and environmental adaptation. Monitoring welfare during this period is essential to protect animal well-being, as well as to support performance and public acceptability of the sport. Structured protocols for assessing the welfare of racehorses have recently been developed, but their use in field conditions remains limited.
This study aimed (1) to evaluate the feasibility of implementing a welfare assessment protocol in a professional French jump racing yard and (2) to monitor longitudinal changes in physical and behavioural welfare indicators during the training of young racehorses preparing for the jump racing season.
Sixteen two- to three-year-old racehorses (50% Thoroughbreds, 50% French Non-Thoroughbred racehorses) were assessed at three time points over a four-month period: October 2023 (T0), November 2023 (T1), and February 2024 (T2), prior to the start of the jump racing season. Horses were housed in the same yard, trained and managed consistently by the same staff, and observed in their usual environment without altering their routine or workload. Each welfare parameter was consistently assessed by the same trained, non-blinded equine veterinarian across visits. Environmental assessment, physical health parameters, facial expression using the horse grimace scale (HGS), and human–horse relationship tests (approach tests) were systematically performed in the afternoon, during calmer periods after training and outside feeding times, while behavioural time budgets via instantaneous scan sampling were always observed across full days (6a.m. - 6p.m.). Repeated measures were analysed using linear and logistic mixed-effects models.
All horses had access to high-quality forage ad libitum, clean water, and appropriate bedding. However, turnout was absent, and most horses had only visual social contact (67.5%). Body condition score declined significantly at T1and T2, particularly in horses with shorter prior training duration, suggesting physiological adaptation to conditioning. External and internal lip commissure lesions were present in 65% and 75% of observations, respectively, raising concerns about potential equipment-related discomfort. Horse grimace scores increased significantly from T0 to T2, suggesting a rise in discomfort or fatigue. Approach test responses did not vary significantly over time. While behavioural time budgets remained globally stable at group level, notable inter-individual variation was observed. Horses with physical social contact had significantly lower HGS, suggesting a potential beneficial effect of social interaction on discomfort or pain expression. However, paradoxically, these horses also exhibited significantly more stereotypic behaviours.
This longitudinal field-based study confirms the feasibility and relevance of structured assessments to monitor welfare during racehorse training. The protocol enabled repeated, individualised monitoring under real-life conditions and highlighted several welfare indicators evolving between the early training phase and the start of the racing season. While causal inference is limited, these findings illustrate how structured welfare assessments can be integrated into routine veterinary visits, offering practical tools for trainers and veterinarians to monitor horses’ adaptation during training and to strengthen welfare standards across the racing sector.
