Changing Hearts and Minds in the Equestrian World One Behaviour at a Time.
Authors: Wolframm Inga A, Douglas Janet, Pearson Gemma
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
Equestrianism faces mounting pressure from public scrutiny of welfare practices and evolving ethical standards that threaten the sport's social licence to operate; the challenge extends beyond simply updating protocols to fundamentally shifting how equestrian professionals think and act. Wolframm, Douglas and Pearson applied established behaviour change science—particularly Michie et al.'s COM-B model and Behaviour Change Wheel—to develop a systematic framework for designing welfare interventions, drawing on a retrospective case study of an initiative that successfully embedded learning theory principles into veterinary education and practice. The authors argue that human behaviour, not equipment or regulations alone, represents the key variable in advancing equine welfare, and demonstrate that behaviour change frameworks, when properly implemented through structured stages of analysis and intervention design, provide a practical toolkit for creating lasting change rather than temporary compliance. Their approach moves beyond exhorting professionals to "do better" by identifying the specific capabilities, opportunities and motivations that either support or hinder adoption of better practices—recognising that resistance often reflects genuine barriers rather than wilful negligence. For farriers, vets, physiotherapists and coaches seeking to implement welfare improvements within their sphere of influence, this framework offers a replicable methodology: map what needs to change, understand *why* current behaviour persists, then design targeted interventions addressing the psychological, social and structural factors that shape professional decisions.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Use structured behavior change frameworks (COM-B model) when designing welfare improvement initiatives to increase effectiveness and adoption rates among stakeholders
- •Recognize that equine welfare challenges are fundamentally human behavior problems requiring systematic intervention design, not just policy announcements
- •Implement evidence-based behavior change strategies across your organization or practice to build credibility with the public and improve equine welfare outcomes
Key Findings
- •Equestrianism faces pressing challenges rooted in evolving attitudes toward ethics and equine wellbeing that threaten the sport's social license to operate
- •Behavior change frameworks, particularly Michie et al.'s COM-B model and Behaviour Change Wheel, provide scientifically validated tools for developing equine welfare improvement strategies
- •Effective behavior change interventions require systematic, step-by-step design approaches grounded in established theoretical frameworks
- •Addressing human behavior and attitudes is essential for equestrianism to flourish and maintain social acceptance