Ain’t Misbehavin’: Researchers Find Link Between Pony Behavior Problems and Obesity

An equine study, Misbehavior in Pony Club Horses: Incidence and risk factors, was published last month by The Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) and is the first of its kind to quantify the incidence of misbehavior in a population of horses. The research, conducted by Petra Buckley, Senior Lecturer in Equine Science at Charles Sturt University, New South Wales, involved 84 Pony Club horses from seven different Clubs in rural Australia. Over the period of a year, owners kept daily records of horse management including nutrition, healthcare and exercise; they also recorded any misbehavior.