Quality of Life
Our commitment to horses
Project: "Quality of Life"
Our commitment to horses
Around 700 horses live on the farms of Gut Aiderbichl. They were rejected, discarded from breeding stables, taken to the horse slaughterhouse, given away because they were no longer able to perform athletically or because the veterinary costs were no longer affordable. No use, no performance, not valuable enough.
Many of the 700 animals are already at an advanced age. They should enjoy their twilight years at Gut Aiderbichl. But what makes life worth living for a horse in old age? As there are currently few answers to this question, the topic is of particular concern to the animal welfare community. With this in mind, the “Quality of Life” project was created in collaboration with the Sandgrueb Foundation, the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna and the Vetsuisse Faculty in Zurich.
Our project at a glance
"Quality of Life"
Initial situation:
- Over 700 horses live at Gut Aiderbichl. Soon over 50% of them will be seniors (over 20 years old).
- Little is still known about the needs of old and chronically ill horses
- Many pastures have been sown specifically for cattle feed. Little is currently known about the ideal hay composition for horses.
Target:
- Scientifically based impulses for improving the living conditions of horses, especially in old age and in case of illness.
- Conversion to environmentally friendly and near-natural hay management.
- Passing on the knowledge generated.
Our work:
- Supporting studies on the topics of: Equine health and welfare as well as natural horsekeeping and sustainable grassland ecosystems (knowledge enhancement).
Outlook:
- Application of the knowledge generated on our own farms (use of knowledge).
- Passing on the knowledge through public relations work and our Gut Aiderbichl Academy (knowledge transfer).
Our project - the whole story
Horses' needs change with age or illness
Gut Aiderbichl has been committed to animal welfare for over 20 years. At Gut Aiderbichl, animals find a forever home until the end of their natural lives. Around 700 horses also enjoy their twilight years here. Currently, over 150 horses at Gut Aiderbichl have reached the advanced age of 25. In just a few years, over 50 per cent of the horses at Gut Aiderbichl will be senior horses. Like the animal welfare organisation itself, many horse owners are also confronted with the ageing of their horses. As with ageing humans, the needs and requirements of the animal often change fundamentally.
The problem here, however, is the lack of data. What information can a horse owner rely on if he wants his animal to have everything it needs as it gets older?
With this in mind, the “Quality of Life” project was created in collaboration with the Sandgrueb Foundation, the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna and the Vetsuisse Faculty in Zurich.
Our co-operations
Since 2018, Gut Aiderbichl has therefore also been cooperating with the animal care school at the VetMeduni Vienna. One reason for the cooperation, which began at that time, was the newly developed curriculum of the animal care school, namely to teach animal welfare and the human-animal relationship as a focus of content. The aim of the co-operation is to raise awareness of animal welfare in our society.
Since 2020, VetMeduni Vienna has also been working on the major joint project “Quality of Life” in cooperation with Gut Aiderbichl.
Since 2020, Gut Aiderbichl has also been cooperating with the Sandgrueb Foundation in Egg, near Zurich. In the same year, a horse health centre with a parasitology laboratory was built. This centre makes it possible to carry out special treatments for equines with hoof problems – an incredible improvement for the welfare of the horses.
Our study specialisations
Gut Aiderbichl and its partners work intensively on the quality of life of horses. The project is divided into two main axes with several focal points:</strong
- Health and well-being of the horse
- PhD: Quality of life in old and chronically ill horses
- PhD: Social contact and access to resources as indicators of well-being and quality of life in horses
- PhD: Quality of life of horses: Ethics of end-of-life decisions in old and/or chronically ill horses
- Doctoral thesis (Dr.Med.Vet.): Treatment of equine skin tumours with betulinic acid using transcutaneous application methods
- PhD: Age-related changes in the gut microbiota – through feed management. Promoting healthy ageing
- Parasite monitoring of equidae
- Natural horse husbandry and sustainable grassland ecosystems
Exploring the biodiversity of pastures and meadows as a basis for:
- the combination of animal welfare and nature conservation
- sustainable grazing/hay quality monitoring
- Optimisation of hay quality from our own production
- Recognition of hazards (toxic endophytes)
- Ecological upgrading measures for pastures
- Production of wild seed from suitable own donor areas
- PhD: Soil-conserving reinforcement of running surfaces on paddock trails for horses
