How Happy Are Equine Athletes? Stakeholder Perceptions of Equine Welfare Issues Associated with Equestrian Sport.
Authors: Furtado Tamzin, Preshaw Liane, Hockenhull Jo, Wathan Jennifer, Douglas Janet, Horseman Sue, Smith Rebecca, Pollard Danica, Pinchbeck Gina, Rogers Jan, Hall Carol
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Equine Athlete Welfare in Competition Stakeholder perceptions of welfare in equestrian sport reveal a fundamental tension between competitive demands and equine needs, according to research conducted at a workshop bringing together 38 sport professionals and 10 welfare researchers. Whilst physical health monitoring is routine amongst equestrian competitors, psychological welfare—encompassing behavioural and emotional needs—receives considerably less attention in training and competition settings. The research identifies general horse management and foundational training practices as having greater potential impact on welfare outcomes than competition rule changes alone, suggesting that professionals should direct their focus toward systemic improvements across all aspects of horsemanship. Notably, participants favoured discussing "quality of life" over "welfare," indicating that terminology itself influences how professionals engage with these issues. Although interest exists in formal welfare assessment tools, current frameworks are perceived as impractical for field application, highlighting a significant gap between research-led welfare science and the operational realities of equestrian practice—a challenge the industry must address through developing feasible, integrated assessment methods that practitioners will actually use.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Reassess your training and management protocols with equal attention to horses' psychological wellbeing alongside physical fitness and health monitoring.
- •Advocate for practical, feasible welfare assessment tools that can be integrated into real-world training and competition environments rather than relying on complex external evaluations.
- •Focus welfare improvement efforts on foundational horsemanship and daily management practices, as these may yield greater benefits than competition rule changes alone.
Key Findings
- •Conflict between competitive demands and horse welfare needs was identified as the primary welfare challenge in equestrian sport.
- •Physical health monitoring of equine athletes is prioritized while psychological needs are often overlooked by stakeholders.
- •Existing formal welfare assessment tools are rarely used in practice due to feasibility concerns despite stakeholder appreciation for their concept.
- •Improving general management and training practices may have greater welfare impact than modifying competition practices alone.