New Research Shows Level of Trust Horse Owners Have with Vets

Researchers at the School of Veterinary Science, University of Nottingham, have recently carried out work to examine the relationship between horse owners and their equine vets, focusing on the level of trust shown by the former in the latter. Using an anonymous online survey, horse owners were asked if they considered, on a score of 0–10, their vets to be credible, reliable, empathetic and self-orientated. Similar questions were asked in relation to the other selected professions and the results were then quantified to create a comparative trustworthiness rating. In addition, views on a number of other professionals, namely GPs, hairdressers and dentists, were included in the survey by way of comparison. The results showed that equine vets scored highest in the trust stakes, followed by hairdressers and dentists, with GPs coming in last.The attributes looked at were specifically defined:Credibility was based on vets’ professional knowledge, experience and expertise,Reliability was derived from past experiences of successful outcomes and the vet doing what they said they would do,Empathy was a measure of the bond of respect and understanding between the vet, the client and the horse,Self-orientation was an observation of how much the vet put their own interests before that of the client and the patient.As a result, a vet showing high credibility, reliability and empathy but low self-orientation would be seen as extremely trustworthy.The respondents’ answers showed that vets’ communication skills greatly influence their clients’ perceptions of all the areas considered, and that to increase credibility, vets need to develop their clinical skills and knowledge, as well as their ability to explain diagnosis and treatment clearly.Other important factors affecting perceived reliability, empathy and self-orientation were the relaying of information and test results quickly and efficiently, continuity of care, the demonstration of a clear interest in the patient, listening to the client’s concerns carefully and not rushing consultations.As a result, the research concluded that these are areas vets need to pay special attention to if they want to build good relationships with their clients. Interestingly, the size of the bill, although important, was not the most pressing concern of horse owners and didn’t materially affect trustworthiness scoring.