It's all about the sex, or is it? Humans, horses and temperament.
Authors: Fenner Kate, Caspar Georgina, Hyde Michelle, Henshall Cathrynne, Dhand Navneet, Probyn-Rapsey Fiona, Dashper Katherine, McLean Andrew, McGreevy Paul
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Sex stereotyping in horse suitability judgements Researchers investigating whether gender stereotyping influences equine professionals' perceptions of horse temperament surveyed 1,233 riders (predominantly female, 75% with 8+ years' experience) about allocating hypothetical mares, geldings and stallions to riders of different ages and sexes. Using logistic regression analysis, the team found girls were 2.5 times more likely to be matched with geldings than boys, whilst nearly 50% of respondents failed to assign any horse to a boy rider despite rating rider gender as unimportant—a striking contradiction that reveals unconscious bias. Geldings received significantly higher ratings on positive temperament descriptors (calm, trainable, reliable, predictable), whilst mares were consistently rated least suitable for dressage and show-jumping, with geldings overwhelmingly preferred for trail-riding across all disciplines. The findings suggest equestrian professionals project human gender stereotypes onto horses regardless of actual suitability, which may lead to biased training approaches, inappropriate discipline matching and potential welfare consequences for mares. This cognitive bias warrants reflection among coaches, farriers and veterinary professionals about whether mare-specific training or management decisions rest on genuine physical differences or entrenched assumptions that could disadvantage individual animals.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Be aware that unconscious gender bias may be driving your horse selection and training expectations; mares and stallions may be unfairly stereotyped as less suitable when properly matched to capable riders
- •Question assumptions about which sex horse is best for which rider or discipline—this study shows these preferences are socially constructed rather than evidence-based
- •Consider how gendered expectations might affect training methods, patience, and welfare outcomes, particularly for mares being overlooked for advanced disciplines
Key Findings
- •Girls were 2.5 times more likely to be allocated geldings compared to boys, despite respondents ranking rider gender as least important (p < 0.001)
- •Geldings received significantly more positive temperament descriptors (calm, trainable, reliable, predictable) compared to mares and stallions
- •Mares were least preferred for dressage and show-jumping, while geldings were overwhelmingly chosen for trail-riding
- •94% of respondents were female riders, suggesting gendered stereotypes about horse temperament influence horse-human matching decisions with potential welfare implications