Social License to Operate-Why Public Perception Matters for Horse Sport-Some Personal Reflections.

What is a social license to operate (SLO)? Why would this concept matter for horse sport? In perhaps its simplest form, "social license to operate" is the public's perception of an industry or activity. It is a challenging concept to fully grasp because it does not arrive as a document given by a government agency. Yet it is every bit as important-perhaps more so.

Effects of a therapeutic riding program on at-risk and special education children.

Objective: To determine the effects of a therapeutic riding program on psychosocial measurements among children considered at risk for poor performance or failure in school or life and among children in special education programs.

Design: Observational study.

Population: 17 at-risk children (6 boys and 11 girls) and 14 special education children (7 boys and 7 girls).

Stress-related behaviors among horses used in a therapeutic riding program.

Objective: To determine whether therapeutic riding resulted in higher levels of stress or frustration for horses than did recreational riding and whether therapeutic riding with at-risk individuals was more stressful for the horses than was therapeutic riding with individuals with physical or emotional handicaps.

Design: Observational study.

Animals: 14 horses in a therapeutic riding program.

Results of a national survey of US veterinary college faculty regarding attitudes toward farm animal welfare.

Objective: To examine attitudes toward farm animal welfare among veterinary college faculty.

Design: E-mail survey.

Study Population: 157 US veterinary college faculty with large animal or food animal emphasis.