3 Country Corner
Class Description
(Select one major related course you have taken for Global Option and summarize the course. Refer to your Global Option guide for further instructions.) I took the Equine Studies in Europe Animal Science Course 2400.01. This course allows students to learn about the husbandry, training, breeding, and utility of equines in different European countries compared to the United States while gaining an appreciation for European culture. I had the opportunity to travel to Germany and The Netherlands. (https://ansci.osu.edu/courses/animsci-240001)
Class Reflection
Friesian Stud in training
The equine industry throughout Holland and Germany is immense and plays a large role in the agricultural industry of Europe. This study abroad trip allowed me to gain different perspectives on the equine industry in Europe and learn how different ways of working with horses are acceptable with advantages and disadvantages to each approach.
Group Housing example
The major take away points from this study abroad trip include how horse enthusiasts in Europe house horses, train horses, and address the healthcare of horses. Housing practices for horses in Europe vary based on each farms available resources and perspectives. VDL Stud has the resources to use group housing practices and turn horses out on pasture for long periods of time while some of the other farms lack adequate pasture for long term turnout. VDL Stud has the ability to have such a high capacity of horses because of their management choices. A farm of the capacity of VDL Stud would have much higher operating costs in the United States because of the use of box stalls in the United States. The different housing options expressed in Europe also created successful niche markets, like Basselbacher Hof which uses active stalls in a more natural herd environment. Part of the reason group housing practices seen in Europe are not observed in the United States is because horses are not looked at as livestock but as companion animals that need to be kept from injury. The liability of turning horses out together at a boarding facility deters many farms from letting horses out to pasture. The group housing practices are beneficial when compared to the box stalls used in the United States because there is more enrichment with the environment and other herd members to increase the welfare of the horses. The negative connotations that result from group housing include injuries from horses when establishing a dominance order and the risk of disease spreading. None of the European horse farms seem to have problems with any of these issues.
Group Housing
The way that horses are trained in Europe varies a little based on each farm, but overall there are some techniques that most places use. Many of the farms that have a training focus hold similar philosophies about waiting to work horses hard under saddle until they are almost 5. All of the work up until the age of 5 is flatwork at most. Until they are 5, the horses are either turned out on pasture or are given fun playtime in place of training. The bone density and soundness of the horses appeared to be increased in Europe and it may be partly because of the waiting to work the horses. Horses in the United States are usually started at around 2 ½ or 3 years old under saddle and worked extensively. Our competitions in the United States have classes for horses that are 2 ½ while the competitions in Europe seem to start at 4 or 5 years old. This social norm of showing horses at such a young age is part of the reason for training horses so young in the United States.
From looking at bridles at Westphalian to scanning the bits at the Kramer Tack Store, it became obvious that snaffle bits are the most commonly used bits with little use of curbs, shanks, and ports. Any problems when riding a horse are fixed by returning to the basics instead of trying to use a bit to fix the problem. This shows how when a horse is trained, Europe methods put a lot of emphasize on the fundamentals so each horse will have a good foundation to work from. In the United States it is not uncommon to see professional trainers using harsh bits incorrectly to fix fundamental riding issues in horses. These harsh bits can cause damage to a horse’s mouth. The United States is very time oriented culturally which can lead to cutting corners in training when there is a client waiting for results. The farms in Europe do a great job of making sure the training is consistent and they give the horses a comprehensive knowledge without resorting to harsher methods. Riding is described as more of a partnership instead of an ownership between the horse and rider in Europe compared to the United States.
Many of the healthcare needs that come with having horses are addressed differently in Europe compared to the United States. Both vaccinate their horses, but because of the environmental factors, different vaccines are used in each respective country. Only influenza and tetanus vaccines are usually used in Europe while the United States tends to vaccinate with a 5-way, tetanus, and West Nile Virus vaccine. The Laher Weisen farm does also vaccinate for herpes virus. The prevalence of disease within the country will influence the amount of vaccinations horses are given, but one opinion is that the United States is more prone to use vaccines compared to Europe regardless of disease prevalence. For example, show horses in the United States are required to have more vaccines depending on what shows they participate in even though the shows may be located in or near the same area. Europe is still using the conventional rotational deworming for horses. This is an outdated practice that is not being taught to veterinary students in the United States at this time, although with dewormers on the open market, there are probably a lot of owners who still use the rotational deworming in the United States because it is viewed as the norm. This has a negative impact on parasite resistance issues in both countries. The use of fecal egg count tests would be more efficient to determine if deworming a herd is necessary. VDL Stud is the only farm that mentioned fecal egg count testing within the herd. Although there are many interesting topics about the equine industry in Europe that are not mentioned here, the most important personal views regarding the industry are the housing, training, and care of the horses. The equine industry is greatly affected by the different practices in Europe because of their large impact on the industry and the vast number of horses present. These are important topics for all horse enthusiasts to address and knowing how these practices are carried out in Europe can help other countries like the United States share perspectives and learn from each other to better the equine industry.
Amsterdam at Dusk