A landmark new study has delivered the first validated instrument designed specifically to measure how humans bond with their horses. The Human–Equine Attachment Scale (HEAS), published on 16 December 2025 in Equine Veterinary Journal, represents a major step forward for equine welfare, behaviour and veterinary decision-making research.
The scale was developed by a team of leading equine scientists and psychologists, including Animalweb’s own Dr David Marlin and Professor Jane Williams, alongside Dr Richard Corrigan, Marc Pierard, Emma Davies and Stephanie Evans. Together, they created and tested a psychometrically robust questionnaire to capture the many different ways people form attachments to their horses.
More than 3,600 UK horse owners and caregivers completed the survey, making it one of the largest studies of its kind. Statistical analysis revealed six core components of human–horse attachment: Companionship, Personal Wellbeing, Dependence, Status, Growth, and a newly identified factor, Sacrifice, reflecting the personal and financial commitment often involved in horse ownership. The final 22-item scale showed strong reliability and explained 60% of the variance in attachment scores.
Dr David Marlin, who contributed to study design, data handling and review, highlighted the significance of the findings: “Understanding why and how owners attach to their horses is fundamental to improving welfare, communication, training and veterinary decision-making.”
As equestrianism faces increasing scrutiny over welfare and social licence to operate, tools like the HEAS can help researchers and professionals better understand the motivations behind owner behaviour, a key factor in improving outcomes for horses.
The authors note that the HEAS has broad potential applications, from veterinary–client communication and welfare education to behaviour change initiatives and further international research. Future work will focus on validating the scale across different cultures and equestrian communities, as well as adapting it for non-owners such as riders, grooms and equine-assisted therapy participants.
The full paper, Development of the Human–Equine Attachment Scale, is available in Equine Veterinary Journal.
Authors: Richard H. Corrigan, Marc Pierard, Emma Davies, David Marlin, Stephanie Evans and Jane M. Williams.
