Unravel Equine Health & Performance - a conversation with Sue Dyson

Sue Dyson is a renowned veterinarian and researcher specializing in
equine orthopaedics and welfare. She is particularly well known for
her work in the field of equine lameness diagnostics. Her research
has shown that many behavioral problems in horses are often due to
physical pain that is difficult to identify. She developed the
Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE), a systematic scoring system that
identifies 24 specific behavioral traits that may indicate pain in
ridden horses. This tool helps to detect pain at an early stage
that might otherwise be overlooked. The characteristics include,
for example, teeth grinding, frequent tail slapping and
asymmetrical movements. In her studies, she has shown that horses
that show pain signals are more likely to exhibit behavioral
problems such as bucking, mounting or refusing to jump. By
understanding this connection, she promotes an approach that
interprets horse behavior from the perspective of their physical
health.