Understanding autonomic nervous system indicators helps horse owners and vets assess pain and stress states that affect welfare, complementing behavioral observation.
Objective autonomic measures complement subjective behavioral assessment in horses, helping identify pain and stress that may not be obvious to observers. Many horses are stoic, suppressing obvious pain behaviors in ways that can mislead observers. Autonomic indicators - elevated heart rate, reduced HRV, altered thermographic patterns - provide additional evidence of internal states. As these technologies become more accessible, they will enable earlier, more accurate welfare assessment, particularly for chronic pain conditions where behavioral compensation has developed.