Sarah Andersen, a Utah State University Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science(ADVS) lecturerand recent graduate of USU’s agricultural extension and education master’s degree program, was recently honored with the Outstanding Manuscript Award by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) Ergonomics, Safety, and Health Division. She received the award during the ASABE Conference in late July.
Andersen’s winning manuscript, “Equine Assessment Procedures in Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship Unmounted Programs,” focuses on creating an objective way to assess horses in equine-assisted services to ensure safety in the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH). After completing her research, Andersen found there is no industry standard, highlighting the need for a method to prove horses are safe for PATH patrons.
“Just 36.7% of respondents use an objectively defined method, which left 63% who didn’t use something that was objective,” said Andersen. She explained that this gap is significant because many programs lack an objective way to assess the horses they use with individuals. This raises concerns about equine liability laws and the responsibility of horse owners to ensure their animals behave safely. This underscores the need for an objective assessment measure to ensure safety.
In response, Andersen created and validated a rubric to objectively assess each horse for safety. This rubric graded horses on a scale from zero to three: zero indicating unsafe; one indicating not suitable for beginner lessons; two indicatingmost likely suitable for beginner lessons; and three indicating absolute suitability for beginner lessons.
She used heart rate monitors to evaluate horses by measuring their response to the assessment procedure, conducting each assessment in the same way. Her results demonstratedthat horses scoring higher on the rubric had lower stress levels, based on heart rate, during the procedure.
“A moderate to high level of reliability shows this is a significant step toward providing an objective assessment to fill the gap in programs that lack an objective evaluation procedure,” Andersen said.
This study aimed to enhance safety for individuals involved in equine-assisted services. Andersen said, “If the horse can pass certain behaviors, then they can be used for individuals with disabilities.”
Michael Pate, a USU applied sciences and technology education professor, served as Andersen’s faculty mentor chair. He advised and guided Andersen through her research, helping with cost analysis and writing aspects. Pate specializes in agricultural safety and connected Andersen’s research to risk reduction and injury prevention.
“This removes a lot of the hazard if we’re able to assess these animals before they interact with humans, reducing the risk of injuring both humans and horses,” Pate said. He commended Andersen’s research as a quality project.
Rose Judd-Murray, USU associate professor and program leader, also guided Andersen. “The quality of her work and research is steeped in solid methodology and relevance beyond our field,” Judd-Murray said.
Andersen’s research mentors had no doubt about the potential of her work and applauded her as she prepared to accept the award for her manuscript. Andersen was a little surprised, to say the least.
“It was very unexpected but really cool,” Anderson said. “It was validating to know that the work I put out there was high quality. So, I am very honored to have been selected for it and flattered that people like my work.”