Cooperative care: is your horse an active participant in their husbandry?
with Barbara Dreyer and Samantha Couper
As our knowledge of animal welfare and ethical training develops, there are lessons we can learn from other animal care sectors. Zoos have incorporated cooperative care principles into the management and husbandry of captive wild animal species for decades. We were delighted to be joined by equine behaviourist and trainer Barbara Dreyer who explored how we could apply these principles to horses. In her role as a zookeeper, Barbara trained Eastern Bongo to be weighed, Eastern Black rhinos to accept conscious blood draws and Grevy zebras to accept worming treatments. Barbara was joined by equine behaviourist Samantha Couper who regularly observes feral horses in the USA, using her observations to improve the lives of domesticated horses.
