@article{Clough_Burford_Roshier_England_Freeman_2019, title={A scoping review of the current literature exploring the nature of the horse-human relationship}, volume={4}, url={https://veterinaryevidence.org/index.php/ve/article/view/240}, DOI={10.18849/ve.v4i4.240}, abstractNote={<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To perform a scoping review of the current evidence on the horse-human relationship.</p> <p><strong>Background:</strong> The horse-human relationship has a significant impact on how horse owners care for and make decisions for their horse.</p> <p><strong>Evidentiary value:</strong> Identification of consensus and gaps in current evidence.</p> <p><strong>Methods: </strong>A literature search was performed in CAB Abstracts and Medline using search terms relating to the nature of the horse-human relationship in horses used for pleasure riding. Publications were reviewed against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Original qualitative or observational research studies relating to the relationship between a horse and owner were analysed. Data were extracted on study method and population characteristics.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> There were 4,481 studies identified; 27 studies were included in the final data extraction. The studies covered 11 different areas, the most frequent were effect of humans on equine behaviour (5/27), equine training methods and behaviour (4/27) and horses within sport and leisure (4/27). A range of methodologies were used, with the most frequent being thematic analysis (6/27 studies), use of an instrument, tool or scale (3/27) and behavioural scoring (4/27). The majority of studies considered the human’s perspective (20/27), six considered the horse perspective and one considered both the horse and human perspective. No studies investigated the same or similar aims or objectives.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The current evidence on the horse-human relationship is diverse and heterogenous, which limits the strength of evidence for any particular area.</p> <p class="Default"><strong>Application:</strong> Future research should focus on developing reliable and repeatable tools to assess owner motivations and horse-human relationship, to develop a body of evidence.</p> <p> </p> <p><img src="https://www.veterinaryevidence.org/rcvskmod/icons/oa-icon.jpg" alt="Open Access"> <img src="https://www.veterinaryevidence.org/rcvskmod/icons/pr-icon.jpg" alt="Peer Reviewed"></p>}, number={4}, journal={Veterinary Evidence}, author={Clough, H. G. R. and Burford, John and Roshier, Amanda and England, Gary and Freeman, Sarah Louise}, year={2019}, month={Nov.} }