Perceived relevance of selected behavioural traits in horses – A survey conducted in Sweden

AbstractIn the present study, a web-based questionnaire was used with the aim to investigate perceived relevance of 14 behavioural traits in horses regarding quality of match between horse and rider. The responses of approximately 2800 participants indicate a high interest in the topic. All traits were considered relevant by at least 50% of the respondents. ‘Easy to bring to new environments’ was the trait indicated as relevant by the highest proportion (85%) of respondents, followed by ‘spirited and forward’ (84%) and ‘tolerant towards humans’ (80%). Respondents’ age as well as preferred equitation discipline was shown to have a profound influence on perception of relevance (P < 0.05). The results suggest a need for methods to objectively evaluate individual differences in behavioural traits to enable selection of horses to optimize horse–rider match.