Rider education at Swedish riding schools: Comparing teachers' and pupils' perspectives.
Authors: Nyberg Lina, Blokhuis Mari Zetterqvist, McLean Andrew, Hartmann Elke
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary Swedish riding schools represent critical touchpoints for embedding science-based equestrian practice, yet a significant misalignment exists between what teachers believe pupils want and what pupils actually desire. Researchers surveyed 199 instructors and 368 pupils across Swedish riding schools to establish current teaching approaches and perceptions around horse behaviour, welfare, and human-horse communication—areas where evidence-based practice often lags behind tradition. Whilst most teachers (83%) wove these topics into regular lessons, only 21% felt this integration was sufficient; conversely, 71% of pupils expressed genuine interest in dedicated lessons, yet just 24% of teachers recognised this demand. The study identified a critical communication gap: half of teachers cited lack of pupil interest as the barrier to standalone lessons, whereas 30% of pupils simply reported such lessons weren't available—suggesting that teachers' assumptions about engagement are driving missed educational opportunities rather than genuine disinterest among riders. For equestrian professionals invested in welfare outcomes and safety culture, these findings underscore the importance of directly consulting riders about their learning preferences and formalising behaviour and communication education, rather than assuming integration into general instruction provides adequate knowledge retention or engagement.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Riding school teachers should consider offering dedicated lessons on horse behaviour, welfare, and communication—there is far greater pupil demand (71%) than teachers perceive (24%)
- •Current integration of behaviour/welfare/communication topics into regular lessons is insufficient; dedicated instruction time may better support learning and attitude formation toward science-based practices
- •Improved two-way communication between teachers and pupils about educational preferences is needed to close the gap between what is offered and what learners want
Key Findings
- •83% of riding school teachers integrate behaviour and welfare (BW) and learning-communication (LC) topics into regular lessons, but only 21% believe pupils learn adequately from integrated teaching
- •71% of pupils want dedicated BW/LC lessons while only 24% of teachers perceive pupil interest, revealing a significant perception gap
- •Teachers cite lack of perceived pupil interest (50%) as the main barrier to separate lessons, whereas 30% of pupils report unavailability as the primary obstacle
- •Evidence-based equestrian practices remain poorly aligned with traditional teaching methods in Swedish riding schools despite teacher integration efforts