Strong Interest in the Work of the CHIO Aachen Scientist Circle at the World Championships

500,000 people flocked to the Soers competition grounds in Aachen during the 14 days of the World Championships. They had come for the sport, but above all for the horses. According to the CHIO Aachen Scientist Circle, a panel of experts, the question of the horses’ well-being was just as much a focus of interest as the sport itself.

The spectators feel the same way as the organizers of the CHIO Aachen. That is why, several years ago, they approached Dr. Dirk Winter, professor of equine management at the University of Applied Sciences for Business and the Environment (HfWU) in Nürtingen, and presented the idea: to create a panel of experts on the topic of the welfare of sport horses. Winter was immediately on board and brought renowned scientists from various disciplines on board. An initial study was conducted at the CHIO 2023

Objectifying the Subjective

The question of how a horse is doing is something every horse owner thinks about day in and day out. And we all believe—often rightly so—that we understand the nonverbal answers our horses give us to this question. But wouldn’t it be even better if we didn’t have to rely solely on gut feelings, but instead had objective data?

That is the goal of the CHIO Aachen Scientist Circle. The fundamental aim of this research approach is to establish a scientific foundation for knowledge about the welfare of competition horses, explains Prof. Dr. Winter. “Animal welfare in equestrian sports has become a major issue,” says the dean of studies for equine management at HfWU Nürtingen. Nevertheless, he hadn’t expected such a high level of interest in the expert panel’s booth at the World Championships in Aachen.

The committee’s work focuses on research, but also on engaging the public in the process. It involves both assessing equine welfare and examining the acceptance and impact of relevant standards in equestrian sports within society. “We want to show how we go about assessing and measuring equine welfare, particularly when horses are kept at competitions compared to their home stables,” said Winter.

Research for Horses

The Scientist Circle’s work is making an impact. Many visitors to the information booth—especially younger ones—were interested in research on equine welfare, Winter reports. HfWU, with its Equine Management program, is among the pioneers in this field. Currently, several doctoral dissertations in the field of equine science are being written at the university, with a focus on animal welfare, among other topics.

The field of research on equine welfare is broad and also encompasses areas that one does not immediately associate with horses. In addition to veterinarians and experts in horse husbandry and behavior, the CHIO Aachen Scientist Circle includes specialists in neurophysiology, process control technology, AI-based camera systems, communication, and social responsibility. In addition to Dirk Winter, equine ethologist Prof. Dr. Konstanze Krueger-Farrouj from the HfWU is also a member of the committee.

Outlook

: The CHIO Aachen Scientist Circle’s first joint research project is expected to be completed next year. If everything goes as planned, the results will be presented at the next CHIO Aachen.