Cortisol Levels in Horses in Selected Biological Samples

This master's thesis investigates cortisol levels in horses using various biological samples, focusing on hair as a measure of long-term stress. The study involved 36 healthy warmblood geldings, aged 5-19, divided into six groups based on their management and use, including recreational, sport, and police horses. Cortisol was extracted from hair samples and analyzed using ELISA. Results showed the highest cortisol levels in municipal police horses and the lowest in sport horses. Recreational horses had lower cortisol levels regardless of housing type. The study suggests that horse management and use significantly impact cortisol levels, making hair cortisol analysis a valuable tool for assessing horse welfare.