Equestrian sport under the microscope; can science save it?
Strong reactions to photos that were posted on social media after major competitions.
Petitions to remove horses from the Olympic Games.
Angry spectators sharing years of pent-up dissatisfaction and asking for explanations about how sport horses are trained and kept.
Equestrian sports have been facing a kind of revolution; a revolution that could fundamentally overturn their very existence.
Nathalie Waran, an animal welfare scientist and consultant in New Zealand, says: "The continuation and future success of the equestrian industry is now tied to its ability to genuinely demonstrate that it prioritizes horse welfare.
" Can horse sport be saved?
Experts say yes; but only with the help of a less visible and often misunderstood ally: science.
They say that if scientists and the equestrian industry work together to improve knowledge, horse welfare, and training, the sport could have a happier, more harmonious, and fairer future.
The social license to operate exists for high-profile examples such as Charlotte Dujardin’s withdrawal from the 2024 Olympic Games after a video showed her whipping a horse from the ground.
But riders around the world and at all levels are under the scrutiny of a public that is becoming less and less tolerant by the day.
When people film sport horses with their ever-present mobile phones and upload them to social media, they spark a wave of criticism that targets not only individuals, but the sport itself.
Ever-present mobile phones have made it easy to quickly upload clips and photos of sport horses to social media, provoking a wave of criticism.
©Amy K.
Dragoo has challenged riders’ "social license to operate," or SLO; that is, the idea that people are free to do whatever they want until society says they cannot.
Riders today must defend their sport with the assurance that no harm is being done to the horses, and prove this to the world.
Sabrina Ibáñez, FEI Secretary General, admits this is not easy.
She says: "Maintaining the social license to operate is probably the most important and biggest challenge we face today.
If each of us does not take responsibility, the impact could irreparably damage our history.
" Science to the rescue?
Over the past two decades, equitation science researchers have intensified their research into training and management methods, as well as pathways for improvement.
Researchers have developed ethograms — behavioral lists — to identify signs of pain or stress; from stiff, rigid posture to stereotypic behaviors such as cribbing and weaving.
There is even a specific ethogram for horses under saddle, including signs such as pinned-back ears, constricted nostrils, an open mouth, tail swishing, and a tight jaw; because the saddle, pressure, and the rider’s cues can change body language and facial expression.
Other teams are also measuring horses’ optimism using ambiguous cues, such as buckets that may or may not contain food, to see how they interpret their surroundings.
Ethograms, or behavioral checklists, identify signs of pain or stress — such as pinned ears.
©Amy K.
Dragoo sensors now measure rein pressure, saddle pressure, and head and neck angles in real time, while heart-rate monitors also record how much pressure is being exerted on the horse.
Imaging can also identify early signs of strain on the musculoskeletal system before it leads to injury.
On the other hand, statisticians are identifying risk factors for accidents, especially in eventing and racing; a topic that could lead to safer course design.
Meanwhile, science-based trainers are putting learning theory — the science of how horses think and learn — into practice and giving horses more agency.
Andy Booth, the Australian horse behaviorist based in France, says: “We have to be able to say: I feel like I’m managing my horse, and my horse feels like it’s managing me.
” He added: “When that happens, the horse is no longer a victim of riding; it is a confident and willing participant.
” From Research to Rules: the FEI Response Ibáñez says that although change requires global consensus across different cultures and systems, FEI is listening to these findings and making changes to the regulations.
For example, from May 2025 all nosebands must be checked with a standard measuring device, not just with a finger.
This organization also announced this spring the formation of a task force to review horse welfare protocols across disciplines.
In recent years, FEI has worked with some of the leading scientists in equestrian science to draft the Equine Welfare Strategy Action Plan, and has drawn on the help of Waran and other welfare science experts.
These “critical friends” assess the ethics of the sport and provide evidence-based recommendations for improvements — with a focus on optimal welfare.
Waran says: “Welfare is not a restriction; it is an enabler.
” Andrew McLean, BSc, PhD, Dipl.
Ed, director of the Australian Equine Behaviour Centre, has also been invited to speak to representatives at the organization’s annual Sports Forum.
McLean — one of the pioneers of equestrian science — explained the scientific principles of training and their vital importance for horse sports.
McLean told them: “I am a strong supporter of using horses in sport — as long as we do better whenever we know better.
” Human Behavior Change A large part of equestrian science focuses on horses — but as we move forward, researchers are also examining human behavior and how to change it.
Studies look both at how people can be encouraged to accept scientific findings that improve horse welfare and at why they resist them.
Research shows that tradition plays an important role: horse people and enthusiasts usually do things the way they have always been done.
Roly Owers, MRCVS, CEO of World Horse Welfare in the UK, says: “You are asking people to give up things that are deeply rooted in the culture of the sport — from the way we judge to the equipment we use.
This is not just a technical change; it is an emotional one.
» However, this is not only a problem for the horse community; the general public also often does not properly understand horse behavior, and this leads to criticisms that are well-intentioned but incorrect.
For example, the Dujardin video evoked images of physical violence, but according to Marc Pierard, PhD, from University of Lancashire in U.
K.
, the psychological harm may have been even more important.
According to him, the horse was experiencing frustration, confusion, and an inability to find the right response.
Pierard says: «He was losing his temper — as if he were saying: ‘I have to do something; how do I stop this whip?’
» Research shows that people in the horse world usually do things the way they have always been done.
©Amy K.
Dragoo researchers say this places a heavy burden on science communicators.
Journalists, federations, and trainers must translate research findings into language that people can understand and use.
Booth says: «Most of us in the arena do not know much about science, and scientists do not always make it easy.
If you want to make a change in the horse world, you have to make it accessible to people and show how it works in practice and on horses, not just in PowerPoints.
» Angelo Telatin, PhD, at Delaware Valley University, says even top riders like Dujardin can be a catalyst for such change.
Instead of retreating with a sense of shame, they can take a different approach—align themselves with science-based training and support better methods.
He says: «The idea is to say, ‘Yes, I made a mistake,’ but now I understand—and I will do better because of it.
» Knowledge in practice Can science save horse sport from the increasingly harsh scrutiny of public opinion?
Maybe—but only if riders, scientists, and science communicators work together to turn knowledge into action.
The result of this cooperation will determine whether horse sport fades under the pressure of public opinion, or emerges from this test stronger and more ethical than before.
Source: Practical Horseman – Health