HORSE WELFARE SURVEY REPORT
Dr. Nancy López Umaña. WSPA Advisor for Cart Horses in Bogota Project- Metropolitan Police of Bogota
The survey aimed at the evaluation of the most important aspects of animal
welfare, in this specific case cart horses, was carried out as a complement to the
second phase in the ”Alternative Comprehensive Model of community work with
cart horse owners in the city of Bogota, through intervention in their daily
practices.” (Modelo Integral alternativo de trabajo comunitario con dueños de
caballos carreteros en la ciudad de Bogotá, mediante la intervención en sus
prácticas cotidianas) Project.
To carry out this investigation a survey was applied to cart horse owners in the city
of Bogota, as part of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA)
assistance program and in this way we obtained data which would corroborate and
explain the results obtained in the year 2007.
DATE: February to October of 2008.
TOTAL SURVEYS APPLIED: 186
GENERAL OBJECTIVE: To determine and analyze the main aspects which are
involved in the welfare of the cart horse in the city of Bogota.
METHODOLOGY: Apply a survey with simple and detailed questions and which
inquires about four fundamental aspects of cart horse welfare (the horse cart driver,
dwelling, medical and nutritional aspects) in different localities of Bogota (See Annex
1. Survey)
The sample for the survey considers the horse cart driver population in the city of
Bogota, divided in 5 localities which include the four cardinal points (See map 1).
DATA COLLECTION: The survey was applied to horse cart drivers which attended
several brigades carried out between February and October of 2008. Said brigades were
carried out in localities of Bogota such as: Ciudad Bolivar, Suba, Fontibon, Santa Fe
and Bosa; in the Meissen, Pation Bonito, Las Cruces, Lisboa, Quirigua, Fontibon and
Bosa neighborhoods. (See chart 1).
Chart 1. Brigade and number of surveys applied
NUMBER OF SURVEYS
BRIGADE
MEISSEN
46
LISBOA
26
BOSA
23
CRUCES
21
FONTIBON
20
MONSERRATE
4
PATIO BONITO
31
QUIRIGUA
15
DATE APPLIED
24.02.08
06.04.08
22.06.08
27.04.08
15.06.08
18.02.08
26.10.08
24.08.08
TOTAL
186
Map of Bogota and its localities. Location of the areas surveyed.
BOSA
CIUDAD BOLIVAR
FONTIBÓN
SUBA
SANTAFÉ
ASPECTS TO BE EVALUATED: A survey to evaluate equine welfare was applied,
covering 5 fundamental aspects such as: horse cart driver, dwelling, medical and
sanitary aspects, nutrition, work carried out. (See annex 1).





HORSE CART DRIVER: Investigate information on gender, age and place of
residence.
ASPECTS ON DWELLING: Investigate aspects in reference to the place where
the horse sleeps, construction material (floor, roof, pen), dimensions,
temperature and humidity and the presence or lack of a feeding and drinking
troughs, as well as their handling.
MEDICAL AND SANITARY ASPECTS: Investigate fundamental aspects
which include preventive practices such as a bath, applying insecticides, hoof
and tack cleaning, as well as the coexistence with other horses and other species.
Within the medical handling in veterinarian assistance, the use of medication or
home remedies and their administration.
NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS: Questions were asked on the food offered for horse
nutrition, frequency and the provision of water and the amount offered.
WORK CARRIED OUT: Questions were asked on the main work activity
carried out with the horse.
RESULTS
1. ASPECTS OF THE HORSE CART DRIVER
We found that 77.6% of horse cart owners were men and 20.4% were women. The
average age of horse cart drivers was 31.1 years, minimum age 12 years and maximum
age 76 years, with a standard deviation of 13.4 years. 75% of the population surveyed is
concentrated between 16 to 41 years, which is a highly productive age.
We found a concentration of the population in the Lisboa neighborhood (Suba locality)
to the north of the city and Porvenir neighborhood (Ciudad Bolivar locality) to the south
of the city.
Chart 2. Horse cart driver neighborhoods of residence. Bogota. 2008
NEIGHBORHOOD OF
RESIDENCE
PERCENTAGE
Lisboa
Porvenir
Ciudad Bolivar
Cruces
Independencia
12.9%
10.2%
7.5%
3.8%
3.8%
The work or labor which the horse cart drivers carried out the most was recycling
(47.3%) and in second place scrap transport. (See chart 3 and Diagram 1).
50
40
30
20
Per centag e
WORK ACTIVITY
PERCENTAGE
Recycling
Scrap transport
47.3
32.8
Rubble transport
Grocery transport
11.3
5.9
various
TOTAL
2.7
100
10
0
Collect
Rubble
Grocery
Transport
Scrap
Transport
Recycling
Various
2. HORSE DWELLING ASPECTS
Horse dwellings can generally be described as:
Where it sleeps: Parking lot (58.6%) - House (24.7%) – Field (16.1%)
Size: Measurements of 3-6 square meters were found in 43.5% of the cases and over 6
square meters (43.5%), which is enough space considering the animal’s height and
weight.
Temperature: The perception of horse dwelling temperature was a warm temperature in
52.5% of the cases and cold in 36% of those surveyed, which would justify a
predisposed factor of respiratory diseases in cold and rainy seasons.
Humidity: Dry (75.3%), although 17.7% consider the area semi-humid and humid in
6.5% of the cases.
Construction Material: the material mostly used is wood in 56.1% of the cases, which
would coincide with the temperature, and in 21.5% of the cases tin.
Floor: saw dust was mainly used on the floors (41.9%), a factor which could contribute
to the temperature and reduce humidity. Cement floors were found in 29.6% of the
cases. Use of carpets or wood to cover dirt floors, despite problems of humidity,
difficulty in cleaning and bad smell.
Roof: Spaces Intended for the horse to sleep had tile in 47.8% of the cases and tin roofs
in 24.2%, although 22.9% did not have any since they slept in a field.
Feeding trough: yes (97.3%)
Drinking trough: yes (81.7%)
Frequency the feeding trough is washed: daily 37.1% and every three days 32.8%.
There is still 9.7% of the horse cart driver population that do not wash it.
The lack of a drinking trough is high (18.3%), considering that those who do have a
drinking trough only wash it every three days (14%) and only 52.7% of those surveyed
wash the drinking trough daily.
3. MEDICAL AND SANITARY ASPECTS.
We obtained the following results from the aspects investigated:

Bath: Bathing the horse is a common practice among horse cart drivers (92.5%),
with a weekly frequency (52.7%), although the use of insecticides was low
(9.7%), taking into account that they only use these products when the animal
has insects (7.5%) and not as a preventive ectoparasite practice, which is a
frequent problem in places where horses sleep, causing them discomfort and
injuries.

Tacks: tack washing is not a common practice (39.2%) among horse cart drivers,
and of those who do, only 16.1% do it every week and 10.2% every month.

Leg washing: This routine is carried out in 76.3% of the cases, taking into
account that only 24.7% of this percentage of horse cart drivers did it daily.

Coexistence: Coexistence with other horses was high (73.1%) taking into
consideration that 26.3% of them live with 5 horses; which is a factor to
consider when making sanitary, infectious disease prevention and/or treatment
plans. Living with other species occurred in 45.7% of the cases and canines were
the species cart horses lived with the most.

Medical Assistance: A significant percentage of horse cart drivers (76.3&)
sought a veterinarian when their horse got sick, although many reported buying
medication (12.9%) without clinical assistance from a professional, added to the
use of medication (80.6%) with an aggravating circumstance which was
administration via injection (76.3%).
4. NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS.
Considering nutrition as a relevant cart horse welfare factor as well as a determining
factor in the animal’s corporal condition, we asked about the food source, frequency
food was administered, as well as freshness and frequency and the amount of water
offered to the animal.
The results were:

Food source: Upon asking what food was most given to the horse, we found
that 54.3% of horse cart drivers give carrots and grass as the main food source,
although 10.8% give them whatever they have and in only 8.6% of the cases
grass was the only thing given. The use of fruit peelings was low (2.7%), and a
mix of carrots and corn husks is reported as the main food source. It is
important to stress that a significant percentage of horse cart drivers give food
2-3 times a day (36.6%); and in 12.9% of the cases it was more than 4 times a
day. All of them reported giving fresh food. Water was provided in 41.4% of
cases and once a night and 39.9% offered it twice a day. 2.1% never offered the
horse water or gave it every three days. The amount offered is a bucket (12
liters) in 79.6% of the cases.
What do they eat the most?
70
-
50
Percentage
40
and carrots
Grasspasto-
60
30
What is available
20
carrots
grass
10
0
Fruit
peelings
carrotCorn
husks
CONCLUSIONS

The results obtained in reference to horse cart drivers’ description is in
accordance with the results obtained in the 2007 study, where most of the
population were men, with an average age of 31.1 years and located mainly in
the Suba and Ciudad Bolivar localities.

Prevention practices such as bathing, tack cleaning and leg cleaning are carried
out in a high percentage, it is just necessary to reinforce daily leg washing as it
obligates the horse cart driver to check the feet, detecting any problems in
hooves as well as checking the shoeing.

No insecticide baths, which would help counteract the presence of
ectoparasites, especially flies, were given.

We found cart horses living in groups of over 15 horses and in closed areas
(parking lots). This factor should be taken into account when carrying out
sanitary, infectious disease prevention or treatment plans.

The data obtained in reference to dwelling coincides with parking lots, making
it important to work on those which report cold temperatures with a humid
environment and no roofs, since these factors, which are susceptible to being
corrected, allow the presence of respiratory diseases, which are the most
frequently reported.

It is necessary to work with the horse cart driver community on the purchasing
of medication without the animal being clinically evaluated by a veterinarian
and even more so when the most common way to administer the medication is
via injection.

Giving carrots as the main food source causes cavities and injuries to teeth,
especially incisors. This food source is used due to the easiness of giving it and
cost, although very few cut it into smaller chunks. The frequency it is given is
2-3 times a day. We would perceive it as an important handling practice, except
for giving the necessary amount and proportion of each of these foods
according to the animal’s weight, and the fact that grass is an indispensable
food for the horse’s health.

Despite finding that horse cart drivers administer water, there are still people
who don’t give the necessary importance to this element, even more so when
some don’t have a drinking trough for their horses and they don’t clean it daily.
ANNEX 1.
HORSE WELFARE SURVEY
Date: _____________
PLACE OF SURVEY ________________________________
HORSE CART DRIVER: Man ______ Woman _____ Age: __________
Place where he/she lives ______________
ASPECTS ON HABITAT
1. Where does your horse sleep?
Parking lot
2. How big is the place where your horse
sleeps?
3. What is the temperature of this place?
Hot
4. The area your horse is kept is:
Dry
Field
Humid
5. The area is made of what Tin
Cement
material
6. The floor is
Cement
Sawdust
7. The roof is
Tin
Tile
8. Does it have a feeding YES NO
trough?
9. Do you was it?
YES NO Daily
10. Does it have a drinking YES NO
trough?
11. Do you wash it?
YES NO Daily
MEDICAL AND SANITARY ASPECTS
12. Do you bathe YES NO
How often?
your horse?
13. Do you apply any product for lice, flies or ticks?
14. How often? Every
8 days
15 days
15. Do you wash tacks?
YES
NO
16. How often? Every
8 days
15 days
17. Do you wash your horse’s YES
NO
legs?
18. Does your horse live with YES N How
O
other horses?
many?
19. Does your horse live with YES N Dog
O
any other animals? How
many?
Cat
Ducks
Bricks
House Street
Warm
Cold
SemiVery
Humid
Humid
Wood
Grass
Plastic
Dirt
None
Rubber
Every 3 days
Every 8 days
Every 3 days
Every 8 days
8 days
30 days
30 days
Daily
5
Cow
10
Every
Every 30
15 days days
YES
NO
When they have any
Never
Every 3 Every 8
days
days
15 More than 15
Pig
Chicken
Sheep
gets Buy medication in a Home
20. What do you do when your Go to the It
veterinari better on veterinary store
remedy
horse gets sick?
an
its own
Other
21. What do you give your Medicati Herbs
on
horse when it gets sick?
22. Which is the most common way to administer Taken
Grease
Injected
Gasoline
Applied
medication
NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS
23. What do you Carrots
feed your horse the
most?
24. How many times a
day does your horse
eat?
Corn
husks
Once a day
25. Your horse eats what king of food
Fruit
peelings
Grass
Animal feed
2-3 times a day
4 times a day
Fresh
Settled
Salt
Molasses
More
1 in the 2 times More
26. How many times a day do you give 1 at night
morning
a day
than 2
your horse water?
Bucket
½ bucket
¼ bucket
27. How much water do you give?
WORK CARRIED OUT (WORK)
28. The work you mainly do with your horse is :
Collect rubble
Transport groceries
Transport scraps
Recycle
Sell plants
BOSA
CIUDAD BOLIVAR
FONTIBÓN
SUBA
SANTAFÉ