Introduction: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two working equid regions of western-central Morocco (Oulad Frej and Echemmaia) to characterize the equine population, harness and cart design, and to evaluate their impact on the occurrence of injuries.
Methods: A total of 155 randomly selected working equids were included in the study. Animal characteristics (species, sex, and age) were recorded, and body condition score (BCS) was assessed. Harnesses were evaluated for their condition, padding, fit, and assembly, while carts were assessed based on their structural design. Injuries were recorded using anatomical location and depth. Statistical analyses (chi-square tests and Multiple Correspondence Analysis—MCA) were performed to assess associations between equipment characteristics and wound occurrence.
Results: The population consisted of 66% horses, 21% donkeys, and 14% mules, with a mean age of 7.5 ± 3.2 years and an average BCS of 2.5 ± 0.85 (five-point scale). Wounds were observed in 89.7% of equids, mainly superficial, while 19.4% presented deeper lesions. The most affected areas were the prescapular region (52.3%), withers (42.6%), and gluteal region (27.1%). A significant association was found between low BCS and wound presence (χ² = 13.89, p = 0.003).
MCA revealed a significant association between wounds and poor harness quality: 22% of harnesses were in poor structural condition, 30% were poorly adjusted, 40% were poorly padded, and 30% were poorly assembled. Key defects included absence of saddle padding (40%), poor breeching strap adjustment (30%), and improper assembly of neck straps and breast collars (30%). The draft collar was completely absent in 100% of cases. Vehicle assessment showed that none of the carts were equipped with singletrees. Structural defects included underinflated wheels (57%), protruding parts (56%), and excessive tilt (41%).
Conclusions: This study highlights the prevalence of injuries in working equids and identifies critical deficiencies in harness condition and cart design in western-central Morocco.
