This study aims to investigate how value is constructed in horse business, in order to increase knowledge and contribute to development of theory in this field. This is important since the horse plays a significant role in the rural development in Sweden. The study assumes that value is something created through relationships in the social network. Therefore theories of sensemaking are combined with a discourse analytic method. By interviewing customers to two companies, one with orientation on trotting horses and one with orientation on showjumping horses, it was found that value is constructed through retrospective stories.

During the time of membership in The European Union Swedish domestic policy has gone through many changes. A lot more political areas are being influenced by the EU policy. Today every ministry has got some sort of EU office. Swedish politicians are functioning on two arenas, domestic and European. At the same time Swedish membership has gone from being highly discussed to being a state of normality.

In Sweden the breeding organization for the Swedish Warmblood horse uses a traditional scoring system when evaluating horses. The horse is scored subjectively in relation to how good each trait is in relation to the breeding objective. Other countries, for example the Netherlands, instead use a linear scoring system. The linear scoring system evaluates the horse on a scale between two, for the breed, biological extremes which makes the evaluation more objective since the judges personal values does not influence as much. The breeding organization for the Swedish Warmblood is today planning a change towards a linear scoring system.

The horse has been domesticated for several thousand years. It has gone from being used primarily for food and transportation, to become one of the most popular pets in Sweden. With over 150,000 practitioners, horseback riding is one of the biggest sports in Sweden and there is a variety of specializations to choose from. One orientation is western riding which is a broad sport with several disciplines where most originate in cattle work and other ranch tasks. Western riding is a growing sport in Sweden with an increasing number of practitioners and with many different organizations and associations, it is important that the correct knowledge of the equipment used is disseminated. Artificial aids are available in a variety of designs and the most common variants used by western riders in Sweden is draw reins or some forms of martingale.

Horse keeping is gaining an increasing interest in Sweden. During 2004 to 2010 the number of horses increased with 10 - 20 %, and was estimated to be 362 700 in 2010. Julmyra Horse Center (JHC), situated in Heby municipality, is a gated community for people sharing a large interest for horses and a vision of a sustainable horse management has been formulated. This study evaluates how the horse keeping of today at JHC, and how an expansion of the horse keeping may affect the risk of enhanced phosphorus load to the nearby lake system Vansjön ? Nordsjön.

The Swedish Warmblood riding horse is a popular horse for sport in Sweden, and the breeding goal is to produce competitive horses in both show jumping and dressage. The breed has its origin in native Swedish cavalry horses but has been highly influenced by foreign stallions throughout the years. Breeding values are estimated based on the results from young horse field test, which are held for 3- or 4-year old horses, and competition data. The young horse field tests are highly correlated with later performances in competition. The total proportion of horses with own observations to include in the genetic evaluation are slightly under 50 %, and in most cases their pedigrees are known.

Elitskon? is a new type of horseshoe for trotters. It is supposed to give the horse a trot that mimics the movement pattern of a horse trotting unshod. Many horses show a better trot unshod but this can only be used to a limited extent due to the great wear and tear of the hoof. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the qualities of Elitskon? are similar to the unshod horse or the traditional aluminium horseshoe.

The use of a bit in the mouth of a horse is being increasingly questioned with respect to its actual function, and is sometimes judged an obsolete instrument of control with potential to injure the horse. The objective of the research presented herein was twofold; firstly, to investigate the actual pressure load in the mouth of the horse with regard to oral health issues, and, secondly, to investigate whether this could be a viable method to objectively measure strength exerted by a rider/driver to the mouth of the horse especially with regard to training regimes. From the results, it is evident that these newly developed sensors have a future in equine research, although they are still under development. They can be useful both as a pedagogic teaching instrument, providing instructor and pupil with instantaneous, objective feedback on the contact between hand and mouth, as well as an aid in measuring pressure loads from our common bits. .

The purpose of this study has been to look how pedagogic process interacts in horse riding lessons. In order to research this problem I have used an ethnographic approach and during a week I observed ten riding lessons in two separate Riding house in the south of Sweden. In my theoretical frame I have used Michel Foucault ?Discipline and punish? as a toll to make clear how dominance and submission is present and active in the horse riding education. The conclusion shows how dominant power rules by its presence and creates submission, stability and feeling of security. The discipline is used to create a feeling that will bring the riders to new experience and develop their talent.

In this study we have examined in which way the horse is used in Equine Assisted Therapy, and what effects the treatment staff experience and describes that the interaction with horses has on girls who self-harms. Our Empirical data was collected through qualitative methods such as interviews, participant observation and informal interviews with a total of six different informants, from five different activities with Equine Assisted Therapy for girls who self-harms. In the analysis we have assumed symbolic interactionism, a theory focusing on the human as a social being, where the self-image alters in the social interaction with other human beings. We interwove this theory with the Biophilia hypothesis, an explanatory model concerning human?s relationship to animals and nature.The conclusions we have found in the results are:Equine Assisted Therapy is a complementary treatment comprises both horseback riding and exercises which is not based on the horsebackEquine Assisted Therapy almost always involves three parts, the therapist, the client and the horse.

Every year, the horse industry in Sweden is growing. Because of this growth, it wouldbe most beneficial for the people involved in the agricultural business in Sweden toimprove their horse skills.I have assembled a form that includes basic guidelines for professional horse care.History tells us that Swedish horses have had a huge impact on the agricultural business.Before the arrival of the tractor, the horse played a very important role for the farmer.Today, horses are kept primarily for pleasure, mostly as a hobby for non-professionalpeople. In Sweden, we are seeing the small horse farms become more and morepopular, which is keeping the countryside open and alive.I feel it is very important to improve the knowledge among farmers and others who willwork in close proximity to horses. This will enable us to raise the standard of care ofhorses today and reduce the number of people who market themselves as professionalhorse specialists, even though they have no education or experience in the fieldIn this essay you will find information about the most common horse breeds in Sweden,including basic anatomy of the horse, feeding directions, hoof and dental care, commondiseases and their treatment. There is information relative to the safe transportation of ahorse as well as the rules pertaining to horses in traffic.

Social workers ideas about what domestic violence is influence their ability to recognize vio-lence in cases where this occurs. Social workers awareness and understanding of domestic violence can also influence the handling of these cases. Education on the subject domestic violence can increase social workers knowledge about, awareness and handling of violence. The present study aims to investigate how social workers in child protection investigations understand, recognize and interpret domestic violence and which interventions the social workers suggest. This is a qualitative vignette study in which semi-structured interviews was carried out with social workers working with child protection investigations.

This review paper summaries scientific research about horse thermoregulation and the consequences of using a blanket. Horse owners put blankets on their horses to protect them when they are clipped, to protect them from bugs, to keep them clean and so on. This can have consequences for the horse which their owners might be unaware of. I have tried to answer following questions by searching the available scientific literature; ? How can the horse maintain thermoregulation? ? Is there a risk of suffering when horses wear a blanket? ? Is there a risk of suffering when horses do not wear a blanket? ? How can animal inspectors estimate the welfare of horses when they wear or do not wear a blanket? My result shows that horses who wear a blanket have an increased risk of becoming overheated, develop a chafing, have an increased exposure hazard and have a restrained natural behaviour.

As the number of inhabitants increases, the cities expand into the former rural landscape. The urbanization causes changes to the functioning of the peri-urban fringe. Land that previously was used for agricultural production is now used for alternative enterprises, as for example horse keeping and recreation. 75 % of all horses (approx. 200 000) are situated in the peri-urban fringe.

The aim of this study was, that from a view of professional's understand the meanings of including horses in therapy. In order to achieve the aim of the study, qualitative method was used and therewith interviews was performed with professionals who work with equine- assisted therapy. The professionals did also have an education which allowed them to independently treat clients and besides that at least five years of experience of equine- assisted therapy. The issues of the study was to understand the professionals? view of the horses role in equine-assisted therapy, which opportunities and constraints professionals consider that equine-assisted therapy entails and also if the horse could bring something unique to therapy.