Traditional Values, Better Horse Welfare
Wherever you look these days, the horse world seems to be full of messages from welfare scientists, welfare charities, equitation scientists, equine professionals, and many others about everything we should be doing to care for our horses properly.
Undoubtedly, excellent progress is being made, as many people put into practice all that they are learning. These calls to do better can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming and it's not uncommon for organisations or individuals to push back against new recommendations. In many cases, this is as it should be: healthy, constructive debate and in-depth examination of concepts is the right approach, and it would be wrong for equestrians to unthinkingly take on board every recommendation that comes their way.
There are times, however, when the pushback seems driven by reluctance to change or a desire to preserve the status quo.
In this article, vet and Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare Roly Owers MA MSc VetMB MRCVS, examines whether the views of scientists and welfare charities align with equestrianism’s underlying principles and traditional values, handed down through generations. His conclusion is that they align remarkably well.
It's About The Horse-Human Relationship
Classical equestrianism has always placed a strong emphasis on the quality of the horse-human relationship. We only need to think back to the teachings of historical masters of equitation such as Xenophon and Antoine de Pluvinel to realise that harmony between horse and rider, with the horse responding willingly to light, almost imperceptible aids, is an age-old goal. But how can we achieve this?
The good news is that we have it much easier than our predecessors because scientists have discovered a lot about how horses learn and this information is freely available to all of us. If we take the time to understand what is known as ‘learning theory’, to truly understand how to use negative and positive reinforcement well, to optimise the timing of our release or reward, and to work towards using the lightest of aids,
harmony between horse and rider should be the result.
We don’t necessarily need to use the terminology of learning theory, which can be confusing, but we should take the time to understand the principles. Without that understanding, we are likely to have a horse that's either somewhat confused by all the input they are receiving from the rider, or who has switched off altogether until the messages become really ‘loud’ (and therefore far from subtle).
Evolving Our Practice While Staying True To Our Values
When done well, training using learning theory should result in a horse who can move in self-carriage. In other words, they are able to maintain the current gait, tempo, rhythm, stride length, line, and outline without continuous pressure or nagging from the rider. Learning theory-based training therefore underpins all the principles of classical horsemanship and is central to one of equestrianism’s most important and enduring values. In my book, this means that there should be no question that we should all embrace it. Competitive sport should prioritise rewarding the harmonious picture that results from understanding and using it empathetically. This may mean de-emphasising its current focus on rewarding spectacular movement.
It’s About Horse-centric Management
Moving on from training and riding, equestrianism has always, quite rightly, put great emphasis on the care and management of horses. This includes recognising what they need to remain physically healthy and providing them with an environment and management regime that allows them to thrive mentally. When I was growing up, here in the UK, this was all about giving them a lovely stable with a big straw bed, ideally with banks, rugging them up, and keeping them warm and dry. That stable might well have had solid walls so that the only way they had any chance of seeing another horse was by looking over the door, but no-one I interacted with seemed to worry about that.
Nowadays, we recognise that, as herd animals that evolved to roam, horses are healthier and happier if they can move at will, with the ability to see and touch other equines, for as much of the day as possible. Yes, our horses should have rugs as appropriate, and shelter from the elements, but the muddy creatures who now roam my paddocks in the winter look very different from the tidy ponies of my youth. For those horses who have to live in individual stables, the social interaction that's an integral part of group turnout can be provided by modifying the stable walls so that horses can see, touch, and preferably groom each other. Even better, it's thought, is for them to be able to see each other when they are lying down through the installation of floor-to-ceiling vertical bars.
There is growing evidence that draws on a combination of research in horses, research involving other species, and anecdotal evidence. The evidence supports the idea that this style of management benefits horses in terms of sleep quality, relaxation, courage, learning performance, and trainability. What's also becoming clear is something that equestrians have long known: horses are individuals and there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution.
There is therefore no substitute for careful observation of each animal’s behaviour, modifying their environment or management if it doesn't seem to be providing them with positive experiences.
Advising people to turn their horses out in groups and modify stables may feel like a move away from tradition: from keeping horses in warm, cosy, single stables to keeping them outside when facilities and logistics permit and ‘socialising’ their stables when they must be housed. I don't think it is. I think it's adhering to the same principle that horsemen and women have followed since time immemorial: doing right by their horses, considering the horse’s experience, and putting them first. It's just that our understanding of what horses need in order to live good lives has changed, based on the growing body of research carried out by vets and welfare scientists.
By the same token, we could, and in my opinion should examine all current practices to decide whether they align with both current knowledge and the core values of equestrianism, retaining those that do and updating those that do not.
The Cost of Change
There are many examples of recommendations made by welfare and equitation scientists that may, at first glance, appear to fly in the face of tradition but that, on closer examination, support equestrianism’s core principles.
Some of the practices that we now know to be beneficial can be expensive to put in place. Others are not, for example; creating ‘chat hatches’ between stables is almost always better than doing nothing and is relatively inexpensive.
Even cheaper is accessing the high quality information that's now available online for free and which we can use to bring ourselves up to speed with the changes that many people are already making. For example, there are numerous good sources on learning theory, including World Horse Welfare’s learning theory-based guide to whip use.
There are a myriad of online resources covering horse-centric management and assessment of horses’ welfare, including another from World Horse Welfare “Horses’ Experience on Yards” welfare assessment which puts horses and their caregivers at the centre of the process.
Looking to The Future
So where does this leave us when considering how change aligns with tradition? My own take on it, is that both horses and people benefit when equestrianism’s traditional value of putting the horse first is embraced, whatever that looks like in this era of rapidly expanding knowledge. To those who would criticise the horse world for being hidebound by tradition, I would say that equestrianism’s traditional values may actually represent the best of it. There is a distinction between traditional practices and traditional values. If we stick to the latter, we are far more likely to stay on the right path in the future.
This topic will be covered in more detail at our 2027 Conference: Wellness and Welfare. Roly Owers will be giving a presentation titled Equine Welfare: 24/7/52 - Who Cares?
The conference, which takes place on 20 - 21 February 2027 will be held at Loughborough University. It will be jam-packed with the science, research and theory behind Wellness and Welfare.
With world class speakers, exhibition, up to date, scientific research posters, and informative presentation stands, this is a fabulous networking opportunity. If you can't make it in person, don't worry, there's an online option available too!
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