Hantering och kundsyn av stereotypier på ridskolor : en enkätundersökning

Sammanfattning: A stereotypical behaviour is an unnatural behaviour that is relatively lasting, repetitive and lacks function. Stereotypical behaviour is something that only the domesticated horses develop. The most common behaviours are cribbing, weaving and box walking. Horse owners should be aware of the measures that can be taken with the help of feeding and handling routines to reduce stereotypic behaviour. The aim of this study was to find out how different feeding and handling routines can affect stereotyped behaviour in horses. Also how riding schools' customers and staff look upon a horse with stereotypical behaviour in their operations. The research issues were- “How can feeding and handling routines be used at equestrian schools to improve the lives of horses with stereotypes? and "What are the customers’ view on horses with stereotypes?". The study was conducted as a survey where the questions were developed according to the aim of the study. The questions were divided into four groups (social contact, feeding routines, customers' views and bedding) in the results and the discussion. The questionnaire was sent out to 100 riding schools and the response rate was 51%. The results showed that 43% of riding schools had some form of stereotypical behaviour among their horses. The most common stereotype was crib biting. Most riding schools tried to access the horse's natural needs. Some of the riding schools did not consider it a problem to recruit a new school horse with a stereotypical behaviour. Customers' views of the stereotypical behaviour differed depending on the behaviour of the individuals. Usually the riding schools had explained beforehand what the behaviour was and what it meant to the horse. The significant difference comparing results from riding schools with stereotypical behaviour versus without was calculated in all of the four groups (social contact, feeding routines, customers' views and bedding). The results showed that there was no significant difference for social contact, customer’s views and beddings. In the feeding group there was a significant difference where the p value was 0.03. The parameters that were included in the significance value was stereotypic behavior or not compared to numbers of feeding, nutritional intake and straw as a compliment to the ordinary roughage. It was found that the risk of stereotyped behaviour was less when each horse had an individually adjusted feed ration. In conclusion the management and handling routines have a large role for the frequency of stereotypes. A system developed for each individual can be of great benefit to decrease the behaviour which improves the welfare of the horse. The staff of riding schools explained to customers what it is and how it affects the individual in question, since the customers at the riding schools largely lack the knowledge to know what stereotypical behaviour is.