Health and behavioral alterations of hippoterapy horses

Authors

  • Cely Marini Melo e Oña UFMT
  • Luis Carlos Oña Magalhães Federal University of Mato Grosso
  • Lisiane Pereira de Jesus Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso
  • Juliana Caobianco Instituição Fasipe Cuiabá
  • Janaina Lúcia Rodrigues
  • Antonio Raphael Teixeira Neto Fórum de Dirigentes de Hospitais Veterinários das Instituições Federais do Ensino Superior

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35172/rvz.2019.v26.216

Keywords:

equine-assisted therapy, sanity, equine

Abstract

The animal welfare has become a huge social concern and it is a must to identify the factors that might display some influence on it. Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate the aspects related to handling, sanity, and behavior of animals destined to equine-assisted therapy. A questionnaire was fashioned and distributed to various equine-assisted therapy centers (n=127), which were affiliates of ANDE-BRASIL (the institution that rules such activity, throughout Brazil). Only 27 of them answered it. Within the studied factors that were taken into consideration, we must mention the incidence of diseases, veterinary assistance, sanitary control (vermifuge and vaccines), control of animal entrance, incidence of colic and behavioural issues. Then, it was observed that there was a low incidence of disorders since 14.28% got sick once every three months. In 40.74% of the equine-assisted therapy centers, the veterinarian would pay a monthly-visit resulting in low incidence of diseases (14.81%). It was observed and efficient sanitary contro, since 85.18% of animals were annually vaccined and 70.27% were vermifuged within proper intervals. Some premises worked as equestrian centers and the equine-assisted therapy was a parallel activity. It is therefore important to have control of animal entrance through obligatory notification trials. A good number of equine-assisted therapy centers presented this control by requiring examinations and vaccinations (40.74%). It was checked the oral health (74.07%) aiding the digestion of feed and reducing the cases of colic (59.26%). Hooves were cleaned and hoofing occured into proper intervals. As for behavior analysis, the animals had at least a two-hour interval of physical contact with one another (74.07%), which favoured the lack of stereotypes and aggressiveness. Results show that forming a team with knowledge regarding horses, as well as the veterinarian assiduity contributed to the good sanitary management within the assessed centers.

Author Biography

Luis Carlos Oña Magalhães, Federal University of Mato Grosso

Possui graduação em Medicina Veterinária pela Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho (1996), especialização em letras pela University of Cambridge (2000) Certificado COTE (Certificate for Overseas teachers of English) (Atual ICELT), especialização em tradutor-interprete de língua inglesa pela Pontifícia Universidade Católica (2000) e graduação técnica em Hotelaria pelo SENAC São Paulo (2006). Obteve título de Mestre em Medicina Veterinária (Reprodução Animal) em 2010 e Doutorado em Medicina Veterinária em 2013. Exerce a função de examinador da University of Cambridge para os exames orais de inglês como língua estrangeira desde 1999. Tem experiência em metodologia de ensino participando do projeto COGESP (PUC -Cultura Inglesa SP). Aprovado em 4o Lugar em concurso público para Tecnologia na Produção de Rações Animais, Universidade Federal de Goiás (2013). Foi coordenador pedagógico do Instituto da Lingua Inglesa (Cuiabá - MT) em 2014. Atualmente leciona no Colégio Ibero Americano para o Ensino Fundamental e exerce a função de professor no curso de Extensão de do Instituto de Linguagens da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT) Campus de Cuiabá. Aprovado em 1o Lugar no concurso publico para professor substituto de Microbiologia e Parasitologia em 2016 (UFMT-Cuiabá)

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Published

2019-12-18

How to Cite

1.
Melo e Oña CM, Magalhães LCO, de Jesus LP, Caobianco J, Rodrigues JL, Neto ART. Health and behavioral alterations of hippoterapy horses. RVZ [Internet]. 2019 Dec. 18 [cited 2024 Jul. 3];26:1-9. Available from: https://rvz.emnuvens.com.br/rvz/article/view/216

Issue

Vol. 26 (2019)

Section

Original Articles

License

Licença Creative Commons
Este obra está licenciado com uma Licença Creative Commons Atribuição-NãoComercial 4.0 Internacional.

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