Young Equine Innovators Academic Journals

A genome-wide study of what gives the Icelandic horse its famous gaits. The ability to perform the gait pace is largely shaped by a single mutation in the DMRT3 gene, but the researchers genotyped 372 Icelandic horses and identified two further candidate genes, RELN and STAU2, linked to pacing ability. A clear example of how genetics underpins one of the breed's defining traits.

Sigurðardóttir et al., Genetics Selection Evolution, 2023. Open access.

A study working towards a DNA-ancestry test to help preserve the Traditional Irish Horse, the original Irish Sport Horse developed over 200 years from the Irish Draught, Thoroughbred, and Connemara Pony. It looks at how to protect these traditional bloodlines as the rare Irish Draught population declines. Relevant reading for anyone interested in Irish breeds and conservation.

Genetic Resources journal. Open access.

A study of the Swedish Warmblood, whose breeding goal is to produce internationally competitive dressage and show jumping horses. It found that whether a horse goes on to start in competition is itself a heritable trait, strongly linked to jumping and gait scores in young horse tests, and could be included in genetic evaluation. A window into how sport horse breeding decisions are made.

Gelinder Viklund et al., Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics, 2025. Open access.

A review of how horses interact with one another, drawing together 27 studies covering 851 horses. It found that most described social behaviours were agonistic, but a meaningful share were affiliative, and argues for including social behaviour in how we assess horse welfare. A useful read for understanding why horses need each other's company.

Hartmann et al., Animals, 2023. Open access.

A study comparing track grazing systems with traditional paddocks at a UK horse charity. Horses on track systems lost more bodyweight, with no negative effects on hoof health, behaviour, or welfare, suggesting tracks may help horses needing weight management. A practical look at a topic that matters for many native and easy-keeper breeds.

Animals, 2025. Open access.

A review of how a rider's position, balance, and fitness affect both their performance and the horse's wellbeing. Correct pelvic orientation, trunk control, and even weight were linked to better saddle pressure and better gait, while rider asymmetry led to uneven loading. Helpful for young riders wanting to understand their own role in the partnership.

Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2025. Open access.

A meta-analysis pulling together 16 controlled studies and over 1,000 young participants. It found a statistically significant, medium-sized benefit of equine interventions for young people's psychosocial outcomes, including internalising and externalising problems and self-esteem. Strong evidence for the value of horses in supporting young people's mental health.

Adolescent Research Review, 2023.

A study from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences hunting for the genes behind the conformation, gait, and jumping traits scored in young horse tests. The Swedish Warmblood is bred for show jumping and dressage, with young horse test scores used as indicator traits. A deeper look at how breeders use science to shape sport horses.

Nazari-Ghadikolaei et al., Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics, 2025. Open access.

A Swiss study testing a "social box" stable design that lets neighbouring stallions touch through a barred opening. Stallions showed far more social interaction in the social box than in conventional boxes, with only minor injuries during the first days of contact. A practical, hopeful example of welfare-friendly stable design.

Zollinger et al., Animals, 2023. Open access

A study of 36 two-year-old Dutch Warmbloods comparing individual stabling with pair housing when stabled for the first time. It looks at how housing affects the behaviour and welfare of young, naive horses entering training, a stage many young riders will recognise. A useful read on giving young horses the best start.

Applied Animal Behaviour Science.

A chapter from a peer-reviewed European collection describing Ireland's vibrant equine sector. It covers the industry's two main parts, Thoroughbred racing and sport and leisure, looking at governance, education and training in welfare, and data on horse numbers, identification, and traceability. A useful read for understanding how a national horse industry actually works.

In: The New Equine Economy in the 21st Century, Wageningen Academic. Peer-reviewed.

A study exploring how children and adolescents in southern Sweden experienced equine-assisted interventions for anxiety-related mental ill health. The young people described developing a shared "newfound experience of being good enough," with the horses supporting their wellbeing. A warm, relatable read on what time with horses can mean for young people.

Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 2026. Open access.

A Portuguese study following three institutionalised children through 17 weekly equine-assisted sessions. It found improvements in their socio-emotional skills, with a marked improvement in self-regulation and self-control. A clear, case-based look at how working with horses can support children who have had difficult starts.

Matias et al., International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2023. Open access.