Edited Reflections

Initial Animal Handling Skills - Edited

The Objective Structured Practical Examinations (OSPEs) are often used to assess if a student has developed the necessary level of clinical competence for their field of study and are considered very useful in the medical and veterinary world (Chongloi et al., 2017). Nonetheless, these exams have often been met with a level of negativity due to their lack of objectivity (Frantz et al., 2013) and reliability (Eldarir et al., 2013). However, practical exams are very important for veterinary physiotherapy students as lack of competence when dealing with animals can be disastrous. The majority of animals that will be treated will be suffering from some element of pain and so can be liable to react suddenly and unpredictably (Abboud et al., 2021). Thus, knowing how to correctly and safely handle and manipulate an animal is of the upmost importance (Arhant et al., 2019). Even though I had experienced this type of examination during my undergraduate course I still felt a level of anxiety as this was nearly three years ago. We completed a 'mock' OSPE in order to prepare ourselves for the real exam and familiarise ourselves with the examination procedure and requirements. Going into the mock exam, I felt apprehensive but positive towards both my canine and equine handling skills and my anxieties were somewhat reduced, mainly due to the lesser feeling of pressure as this exam was purely for feedback. Exam anxiety has been proven to be detrimental to students and often results in poorer grades due to the extra mental strain (Daly et al., 2011), therefore I feel I may have done better in this mock OSPE than I would have in the real one as I knew that this was only for feedback. This is something I will have to consider when I do the graded OSPE, but at the same time I must ensure my nerves do not get the better of my and lead to the occurrence of small mistakes, as has been seen in Mashayekh and Hashemi (2011).

The main parts worrying me surrounding the exams were getting the dog in and out of the cage, not being able to walk the dog correctly, and making little mistakes with the horses. I have little experience getting dogs out of cages and so was unfamiliar with the correct process, however after this had been demonstrated and I had had the opportunity to practice I felt more confident regarding this element and managed to do this correctly in the mock. This then boosted my assurance in my canine handling skills as my exam had gotten off to a good start, this then allowed my apprehensions to lift slightly and potentially improving my performance (Mashayehk and Hashemi, 2011). Additionally, I had little experience walking a dog the way the exam required. During the demonstration of the exams, it was required to walk the dogs slowly in order to properly observe their gait and any small abnormalities present (Arhant et al., 2019). Although I have walked many dogs, it has always been at the dog’s own pace without much input from myself as a handler. Ensuring the dog walks slowly improves the ability to assess how the animal moves and makes it easier to pinpoint where any issue is coming from (Millis and Ciuperca, 2015), and so is an important skill for a veterinary physiotherapist. I felt that the dog I had walked a little quicker than I would have liked and will keep this in mind for the real OSPE to ensure the dogs walks at an appropriate speed. Furthermore, I had to be very conscience of my own abilities during the equine OSPE. Having my own horses and having volunteered at a riding school for many weekends during my teenage years, I hope that my equine skills will be acceptable, however, I also need to ensure I do not get overconfident and then make small mistakes due to complacency (Wood and Lynch, 2002) and carryout the tasks correctly as the examination requires. I made sure to take my time in each element of the equine OSPE and concentrated on handling the horse to the best of my abilities. This resulted in a successful completion of my equine OSPE and I received positive feedback regarding this.

I am confident that the official OSPE will go well, as the mock examinations cemented my abilities and reduced my exam related anxieties (Young et al., 2014). As exam anxiety is directly linked to poor performance (Trifoni and Shahini, 2011) I felt that the mocks were beneficial in ensuring students, including myself, achieved the best possible grades, and the feedback given from our lecturers gave specific areas that were requiring improvement. This provided the best possible chance for improvement before the real OSPEs and ensured the necessary levels of competence were attained for progression in this course. Having the OSPEs in our first year also helps prepares us for the OSCEs in our second year. I plan to use the feedback from the official OSPE to help in my preparation for the OSCE next year.

References

Abboud, C., Duveau, A., Bouali-Benazzouz, R., Massé, K., Mattar, J., Brochoire, L., Fossat, P., Boué-Grabot, E., Hleihel, W., & Landry, M. (2021). Animal models of pain: Diversity and benefits. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 348(November 2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.108997

Arhant, C., Hörschläger, N., & Troxler, J. (2019). Attitudes of veterinarians and veterinary students to recommendations on how to improve dog and cat welfare in veterinary practice. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 31, 10–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2019.01.004

Chongloi, N., Thomas, P., Hansaram, Ara, M., & Deepak, K. K. (2017). Attitudes of undergraduate nursing students toward Objective Structure Practical Examination: An Exploratory study. International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 4(1), 68–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2016.12.003

Daly, A. L. Chamberlain, S. & Spalding, V. (2010). Test anxiety, heart rate and performance in A-level French speaking mock exams: an exploratory study. Educational Research, 53(3), https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2011.598660

Eldarir, A. S. (2013). Objective Structured Clinical Evaluation (OSCE) versus Traditional Clinical Students Achievement at Maternity Nursing: A Comparative Approach. IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences, 4(3), 63–68. https://doi.org/10.9790/0853-0436368

Frantz, J. M., Rowe, M., Hess, D. A., Rhoda, A. J., Sauls, B. L., & Wegner, L. (2013). Student and staff perceptions and experiences of the introduction of Objective Structured Practical Examinations: A pilot study. African Journal of Health Professions Education, 5(2), 72. https://doi.org/10.7196/ajhpe.218

Mashayekh, M., & Hashemi, M. (2011). Recognizing, reducing and copying with test anxiety: Causes, solutions and recommendations. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 30, 2149–2155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.10.417

Millis, D. L., & Ciuperca, I. A. (2015). Evidence for Canine Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy. In Veterinary Clinics of North America - Small Animal Practice (Vol. 45, Issue 1, pp. 1–27). W.B.

Trifoni, A. & Shahini, M. (2011). How Does Exam Anxiety Affect the Performance of University Students? Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 02(May 2011), 93–100. http://dundee.summon.serialssolutions.com/link/0/eLvHCXMwQ7QykcsDY8LlgRFoclLXEHz6BuIcaKTC3k2Uwc3NNcTZQxe0cCy-AHIaQzzofGSwAGwlWbyFoXkysOZNBlZPyYnmSaaJycB6DdhbMkkxMk41STEw5GNWtbXZv8116cYyUa6dm_T1ATe4NoA

Wood, S.L. & Lynch, J.G Jr (2002). Prior Knowledge and Complacency in New Product Learning. In Journal of Consumer Research (Vol. 29, Issue 23, pp. 416-426). https://doi.org/10.1086/344425

Young, I., Montgomery, K., Medical, W., Kearns, P., Hayward, S., & Mellanby, E. (2020). The bene fi ts of a peer ‐ assisted mock OSCE. 11(3), 1–14.

This page is dedicated to the rewriting and editing of my reflective writing pieces found here, based on the feedback I have received from both my peers and my tutors. I chose to do this as I have always struggled with critical writing as highlighted in my SWOT, and therefore thought this practice would be useful.

Academic Writing - Critical Review of Weaving as an Indicator of Poor Welfare in Horses - Edited

The behaviour of horses in their natural habitat is often used as an assessor of the welfare of the domestic horse (Rivera et al., 2002). This is based on the notion that the restriction of natural behaviours such as socialising and foraging are impacted due to up to 90% of horses living in individual boxes, and this can be a welfare concern (Yarnell et al., 2015; Ruet et al., 2020). Stereotypical behaviours have been found to develop as a result of an animal adapting to an abnormal or unnatural situation, or by the state of the animal being bored, frustrated, or stressed due to suboptimal housing conditions (Cooper and Albentosa, 2005; Hanis et al., 2020).

Stereotypical behaviour patterns are repetitive, unchanging and apparently functionless and have often been suggested to indicate welfare issues (Roberts et al., 2017). In a comprehensive meta-analysis, Mason and Latham (2004) observed significant patterns of increased stereotypical behaviours associated with other indicators of poor welfare. Visser et al., (2008) stated that the most likely pathogenesis for stereotypical behaviours in the horse is that these behaviours generally develop in times of trauma, however the behaviour does not always discontinue once the trauma has passed or been resolved. It is also due to this assumption that stereotypies are often used as an indicator of poor animal welfare (Young et al., 2012), although cannot be solely used to assess an animal’s welfare standard (Roberts et al., 2017). Locomotor stereotypies are mostly seen as frustrated attempts to move towards a desired goal, be that other horses, food, or an outdoor space with an example of a locomotor stereotype being weaving (Henderson, 2007).

Weaving behaviour of the horse involves the repetitive lateral swaying motion of the head, neck, forequarters, and on occasion, hindquarters and is considered a stereotypical behaviour (Nicol, 1999). Visser et al., (2008) found that weaving may be a behaviour derived from frustration as a horse attempts to gain social contact with other horses or in an attempt to reach a desired place (Sarrafchi and Blokhuis, 2013). Additionally, Cooper et al., (2000) observed increased incidence of weaving when horses were denied social interaction with neighbouring stabled horses. However, it is worth noting that the horses in this study were feral before being stabled and therefore had no experience in a confined stable prior to this investigation that horses bred in domestication would have had, and this experience may have caused a different reaction to the isolation. Despite this, horses are naturally social animals who thrive in heard environments, therefore stabling them, away from social contact, can negatively impact their welfare and so contribute to the development of stereotypical behaviours (Yarnell et al., 2015). A similar study conducted by Clegg et al. (2008) found that weaving behaviour was most concentrated in the hour before turnout or before an evening feed. This furthers the assumption that weaving can be related to frustration-based behaviour and may not always be a direct indicator of poor welfare as being given an evening feed or getting regularly turned out into a field would be considered aspects of good welfare (Hanis et al., 2020).

Much of the published research related to weaving behaviour as an indicator of poor welfare is somewhat conflicting. Some studies find that weaving is more a frustration-based behaviour which is only performed in anticipation of an event (Clegg et al., 2008). Whereas other studies saw weaving to be indicative of boredom or lack of social contact and stimulation, which when considering horses are roaming herd animals by nature, should be seen as a sign of a suboptimal welfare state (Sarrafchi and Blokhuis, 2013). However, modern day ownership practices often require horses to be stabled for some part of the day (Visser et al., 2008), frequently due to adverse weather that would be considered to be more of a negative impact on a horses welfare than stabling and the subsequent potential stereotypies that could occur (Arena et al., 2021). Considering all of this, it can be said that while behavioural stereotypies such as weaving can be suggestive of reduced welfare, they should not be solely used to assess an animal’s welfare.

References

Arena, I., Marliani, G., Sabioni, S., Gabai, G., Bucci, D., & Accorsi, P. A. (2021). Assessment of horses’ welfare: Behavioral, hormonal, and husbandry aspects. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 41, 82–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2021.01.006

Clegg, H. A., Buckley, P., Friend, M. A., & McGreevy, P. D. (2008). The ethological and physiological characteristics of cribbing and weaving horses. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 109(1), 68–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2007.02.001

Cooper, J. J., McDonald, L., & Mills, D. S. (2000). The effect of increasing visual horizons on stereotypic weaving: Implications for the social housing of stabled horses. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 69(1), 67–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1591(00)00115-5

Cooper, J. J., & Albentosa, M. J. (2005). Behavioural adaptation in the domestic horse: Potential role of apparently abnormal responses including stereotypic behaviour. Livestock Production Science, 92(2 SPEC. ISS.), 177–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livprodsci.2004.11.017

Hanis, F., Chung, E. L. T., Kamalludin, M. H., & Idrus, Z. (2020). The Influence of Stable Management and Feeding Practices on the Abnormal Behaviors Among Stabled Horses in Malaysia. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2020.103230

Henderson, A. J. Z. (2007). Don’t fence me in: Managing psychological well being for elite performance horses. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 10(4), 309–329. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888700701555576

Mason, G., & Latham, N. (2004). Can’t stop, won’t stop: is stereotypy a reliable welfare indicator. Animal Welfare, 13(S57-69), 57–69. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org

Rivera, E., Benjamin, S., Nielsen, B., Shelle, J., & Zanella, A. J. (2002). Behavioral and physiological responses of horses to initial training: The comparison between pastured versus stalled horses. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 78(2–4), 235–252. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1591(02)00091-6

Roberts, K., Hemmings, A. J., McBride, S. D., & Parker, M. O. (2017). Causal factors of oral versus locomotor stereotypy in the horse. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 20, 37–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2017.05.003

Ruet, A., Arnould, C., Levray, J., Lemarchand, J., Mach, N., Moisan, M. P., … Lansade, L. (2020). Effects of a temporary period on pasture on the welfare state of horses housed in individual boxes. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105027

Sarrafchi, A., & Blokhuis, H. J. (2013). Equine stereotypic behaviors: Causation, occurrence, and prevention. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 8(5), 386–394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2013.04.068

Visser, E. K., Ellis, A. D., & Van Reenen, C. G. (2008). The effect of two different housing conditions on the welfare of young horses stabled for the first time. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 114(3–4), 521–533. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2008.03.003

Young, T., Creighton, E., Smith, T., & Hosie, C. (2012). A novel scale of behavioural indicators of stress for use with domestic horses. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 140(1–2), 33–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2012.05.008

Yarnell, K., Hall, C., Royle, C., & Walker, S. L. (2015). Domesticated horses differ in their behavioural and physiological responses to isolated and group housing. Physiology and Behavior, 143, 51–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.02.040