At last year’s World Equestrian Games, Denmark won no less than ten medals, cementing the country’s position as one of the world’s best equestrian nations. This is an impressive achievement for a small country like Denmark, and the many medals have increased interest in equestrian sports in Denmark. But the success should also be an opportunity to take a closer look at the sport. It’s a sport where the welfare of the horses can potentially come under a lot of pressure due to the high level of ambition and money involved.
Is the horse a “happy athlete”?
Equestrian sport has traditionally portrayed the horse as a ‘happy athlete’, but in reality its participation is all about human ambition. Unlike humans, horses don’t choose to participate in elite sport and they can’t say no. Therefore, both riders and organizations have a great responsibility to ensure that the sport does not compromise the welfare of the horses. Although the Danish Equestrian Federation has ethical guidelines that prioritize the welfare of the horse over the interests of the owner and trainer, the rules are only as good as their implementation – and unfortunately this is often lacking in practice.
Control, behavioral understanding and equipment
There is a great need for more control of injuries and the use of physical and psychological pressure in equestrian sport. In addition, riders and judges should have a better understanding of the horse’s natural behavior – especially its conflict behavior, which shows when the horse is experiencing discomfort. Only performances where the horse shows no signs of pain or stress should be awarded, no matter how technically proficient or fast it completes a competition.
At the same time, there should be an increased focus on the use of equipment. Bites, spurs and whips should only be used for guidance and correction – never as punishment. While this principle is recognized in theory, the reality is often different when the pressure to perform sets in. Therefore, control before, during and after competitions should be strengthened.
New thinking is needed for the future of equestrian sport
In its Opinion on the use of horses for sport, the Danish Council on Animal Ethics has presented a number of recommendations to improve horse welfare in equestrian sports. If the sport is to remain widely accepted and if it is to live up to the ethical ideals formulated by the Danish Equestrian Federation itself, it requires innovative thinking and consistent implementation of the rules. This applies not only to equestrian sport, but also to other forms of equestrian sport where animal welfare should be a top priority.
Post originally published at Animal Ethics Council
