Caleigh Copelin wins Best Presentation award at ISES Conference

Congratulations to Caleigh Copelin for receiving the Best Student Research Presentation award at the 2024 International Society of Equitation Science (ISES) conference in New Zealand on March 16.  The award includes free- registration for a future ISES conference and will be giving a presentation at the 2024 ISES annual meeting.

Caleigh is working on her PhD with Dr. Katrina Merkies, with research focusing on equine behaviour and welfare. Her research projects are primarily related to equitation science – the study of the relationship between horses and humans, and how our management and training decisions can impact them. “One unique aspect of her work is the sheer size of the number of horses and facilities involved in Caleigh’s studies. 153 facilities representing over 1500 horses responded to the on-line survey, adding strength to the research”, says Merkies.  

She presented her research on Understanding the Welfare Challenges of Lesson Riding Horses at the conference. Following a practice session back at U of G during regular lunch-hour meetings with her peers at the Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare (CCSAW) which helped shape and improve her presentation, and after a long flight, Caleigh went on to deliver the top student talk of the conference.  

Prof. Dr. Uta König von Borstel, Chair Animal Husbandry, Behaviour and Welfare at the Justus-Liebig University of Giessen in Germany, and herself a CCSAW graduate, headed up the judging committee. “We judge the presentations on novelty, content (including relevance to ISES aims and potential to enhance equine welfare), delivery (talks only) and layout/design. Caleigh’s talk was delivered in a very free and lively manner, that was easy to follow; and in terms of content it certainly has great potential to improve equine welfare by minimizing or removing the identified risk factors.”

With the theme of ‘ A Good Life for Horses’,the conference provided opportunities for a gathering of equine researchers, veterinarians and practitioners involved in different disciplines including racing, show jumping, eventing, dressage, pony club, equine therapy and many others to examine the latest science on equine welfare. The conference welcomed around 175 ‘In person’ and 150 ‘Virtual’ delegates.

Caleigh is a life-long horse-fan and as part of her graduate research she says she “really wanted to be able to give back to these animals that have given me so much. I am a recipient of a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Canada Graduate Scholarship for this work, which has given me the ability to create a thesis project on a subject that is very near to my heart – the welfare of riding lesson horses.”

Caleigh believes that lesson horses are the foundation of the Canadian equine industry, serving as the entry point for many beginner riders. However, most equine behaviour and welfare research does not focus on the unique stressors that lesson horses face. Research indicates lesson horses can have poorer welfare compared to other types of horses in the industry and tend to have more pessimistic outlooks towards life. These horses do not have an easy job, as they are constantly adapting to new riders and handlers, many of whom may be beginners who give conflicting cues that can be uncomfortable for the horses.

She hopes her project will create a better understanding of the state of lesson horse welfare in Canada.

“There has been very little research done previously in this area,” Caleigh says. “My project will serve to create a baseline understanding of the specific challenges that lesson horses are facing. In turn, this data can be used to target areas for further research and improved education. I will be using a combination of survey data and in-barn assessments of working lesson horses to identify husbandry practices (such as housing style, feeding regime, equipment used, workload) that may reduce the level of stress that these horses experience during riding lessons.”