Chagrin Falls, OH- March 18, 2026: The Horses and Humans Research Foundation (HHRF) is pleased to announce the 2025 Dr. Mark Crisman $10,000 Equine Well-being Innovative Grant, sponsored by Zoetis Equine and Friends of Dr. Mark Crisman was awarded to Cristina L. Wilkins, PhD Candidate, of the University of New England (UNE) in Australia and her team. This innovative research project “Enhancing Equine Mental-State Assessment: A Pilot Evaluation of AI-Supported Feedback in the Mellorater Five Domains Welfare Monitoring App” is based on the Five Domains Model that incorporates novel techniques or applications to aid equine handlers’ daily assessment of equines, to enable better understanding of the circumstances influencing the mental state of their equines.
Horse guardians — whether owners, riders, or equine-assisted services practitioners — are deeply motivated to care for the horses in their lives, but understanding what a horse is actually experiencing on any given day is genuinely hard. Behavior is subtle, and even experienced people can miss signs of discomfort or poor welfare. The Mellorater is a free app designed to help. Built around the internationally recognized Five Domains Model of animal welfare, it guides users through a structured assessment of the factors that shape a horse’s mental state — from nutrition and health to how they experience their interactions with people. The result is a more systematic, reflective way of checking in on the horses in your care.
With support from HHRF, the team is now taking the Mellorater a step further. This pilot study will integrate an AI-generated feedback card into the app — one that responds to each user’s own assessment and draws on approved, evidence- and Five Domains-based welfare resources. The aim is to make the app clearer, more supportive, and more likely to be used regularly. That last point matters enormously: a single welfare snapshot tells you relatively little. It’s repeated monitoring over time that reveals trends in a horse’s quality of life and makes a real difference to their wellbeing.
Cristina Wilkins (on behalf of the research team) states, “We are honored that HHRF has recognized this work. Knowing that guardians find the Mellorater accessible and want to use it tells us we’re on the right track, and with this support, we can take the next step: making sure the feedback it delivers is good enough to bring people back, again and again. That’s where the real welfare gains are.”
Dr. Pebbles Turbeville, HHRF CEO, shares “We are excited to award the HHRF Innovative Grant to this accessible project that will help humans improve equine well-being; which is truly the definition of innovation.”
To view this proposal and other funded HHRF projects in their entirety visit https://www.horsesandhumans.org/funded-research
Learn More About/How to Apply for our 2026 grants:
For complete application details, including guidelines, submission requirements, educational videos about applying, and information on previously funded projects, visit horsesandhumans.org.
For inquiries, contact Dr. Pebbles Turbeville, CEO, at ceo.director@horsesandhumans.org.
Contribute to HHRF today and help ensure that important research and education on horse-human interactions continues. For more information about HHRF, past funded research and our team, visit the website horsesandhumans.org or contact Dr. Pebbles Turbeville, CEO, ceo@horsesandhumans.org.
Mission: “Through sustained investment in rigorous research and educational initiatives, Horses and Humans Research Foundation serves as a catalyst to advance global knowledge of horse-human interactions and their impact on health and well-being of people, horses and other equines.” * such as Donkeys and Mules
Media Contact:
Dr. Pebbles Turbeville, HHRF CEO
ceo@horsesandhumans.org or info@horsesandhumans.org