Science helps advance compassionate care, says leading working horse and donkey charity
The working horse and donkey charity Brooke works with local communities around the world, helping to improve animal welfare and health. An important component is sharing knowledge that helps answer a key question: what do the animals need to have a good life? A new book helps in an unusual way.
Last week, there was quite a lot of media attention on the article “Horses feel strongly – and scientists know what they need to be happy.” The author, Dr Helena Telkanranta, was consequently interviewed on several other media, such as Psychology Today, a website with 10.9 million readers.
A spokesperson from Brooke commented on Dr Telkanranta’s article: “The insights shared in this article on the profound importance of understanding and addressing equine emotions and welfare are truly commendable. There is growing recognition of the complex emotional lives of horses and the role that compassionate care plays in their well-being.”
Comic-book art as a bridge to in-depth knowledge
The acclaimed article was a summary of the recent book The Mind of a Horse. Science Meets Comics. The book represents a new kind of nonfiction: it is a graphic-novel story with relatable characters, doubling as a journey into scientific and practical knowledge.
“We designed the book especially for adults and teenagers”, Dr Telkanranta says. “It has got an overwhelmingly positive reception from a wide variety of readers: from experienced horse enthusiasts to those interested in animals in general.”
Dr Telkanranta has previously won multiple awards for public communication of science in her native Finland. The other two members of the book team were two experienced science communicators and artists, Maija Karala and Ville Sinkkonen.
The book was the first publication of Arador Publishing, the book department of the science communication and research company Arador Innovations. “Arador’s mission is to develop new ways to provide easy access to in-depth scientific knowledge that can help make the world a better place for animals and people”, Dr Telkanranta says.
Hope for working horses
The spokesperson from Brooke says: “Together with scientific communication innovations like Dr. Telkanranta’s book, it is possible to envisage a future where equids live without pain and fear, and where people understand what constitutes positive experiences from the animal's perspective - and strive to provide these throughout their lives.”
Brooke is working to increase understanding as well. "Brooke's Compassionate Handling for Life global programme aims to foster a scientifically informed understanding of equine animals, translating into compassionate care and positive working relationship between owners, healthcare providers and the animals they interact with,” the spokesperson said. Brooke has also launched an Academy for Working Equids, an open-access virtual learning platform offering courses on equine emotions.
"Compassion is indeed an integral component on several levels," Dr Telkanranta says. "Constructive cooperation, such as Brooke's laudable work, makes it possible for more and more caretakers to attain the quality of care they want to provide for their four-legged companions."
Contact details:
Dr Helena Telkanranta
+358 505 445 840
Captions:
Sample page – introducing new things gradually to a colt. Caption: An excerpt from the book The Mind of a Horse. Science Meets Comics. The colt is learning to feel calm in strange situations by encountering them gradually enough to prevent fear.
Sample page – training horses to communicate their wishes. Caption: An excerpt from the book The Mind of a Horse. Science Meets Comics. One of the turns of the story that has delighted many readers: the horses are trained to tell whether they feel too hot with a blanket, or too cold without. Based on an actual scientific study, this ability of horses has surprised many, including experienced horse enthusiasts.
Anmol. Brooke trains farriers like Anmol so they can provide for their community. Seeing the need for an affordable farrier in the difficult and extreme conditions in brick kilns, he decided to train and learned from Brooke. - Photo by Harish Damade
Erlinda and Az de Oro. Horses, donkeys and mules around the world are essential to providing transport of crops, building materials, and essentials like water and food. Erlinda and Az de Oro carry fresh cacao across difficult terrain to sorting centres. Through training with Brooke, Erlinda has learnt more about Az De Oro's nutrition and welfare needs. – Photo by Jose Collado
