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The power of the RHpE has been demonstrated by its


application to horses during warm-up for the dressage phase at 5-star three-day events (Dyson 2019; Dyson and Ellis 2022). There was a significant positive correlation between dressage penalty scores and the RHpE score. Fifty-nine percent of horses with a RHpE score ≥7 failed to complete cross-country, compared with 33% with a score <7 (Dyson and Ellis 2022). Horses that failed to complete the cross-country phase had significantly higher RHpE scores compared with those that completed. There was a significant relationship between total RHpE score and final horse placings, with higher scores being associated with lower placings. Horses with lameness or gait abnormalities in canter had significantly higher RHpE scores compared with other horses. It was concluded that the RHpE should facilitate earlier identification of horses competing at 5-star three-day events which may benefit from diagnosis and treatment, resulting in improvement in both equine performance and welfare, and potentially also the safety of both the horse and the rider.


Conclusions


The RHpE is a powerful tool for the assessment of ridden horses and for the identification of likely musculoskeletal pain that merits further investigation and treatment, to improve equine welfare and performance. It provides an additional means of evaluating the response to diagnostic anaesthesia. It provides a mechanism for client education and a diplomatic way of communicating with clients about equine discomfort related to rider size, their position in the saddle and their ability to ride in balance.


Author’s declarations of interest No conflicts of interest have been declared.


Ethical animal research Not applicable.


Sources of funding


World Horse Welfare provided financial support for many parts of the studies that led to this article. The Saddle Research Trust also supported the preliminary studies.


Acknowledgements


Jeannine Berger, Anne Bondi, Andrea Ellis, Jessica Mullard, Danica Pollard, Laura Quiney, Katy Thomson and Jan Van Dijk contributed to studies for either the development and/ or validation of the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram.


Authorship The review was the sole work of the author.


Manufacturer’s address


1How to recognize the 24 behaviors indicating pain in the ridden horse. Equitopia. www.EquitopiaCenter.com


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