The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), which governs international horse sport, has created an Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission (EEWC) focused on improving equine welfare for horses. This committee has made science-backed recommendations that the FEI encompasses as a “zero-tolerance” policy that punishes wrongdoing toward horses both inside and outside the show ring. It also recommended engaging with the public and educating them about equine welfare to safeguard the public image of equestrian sport, reports The Horse.
Additional EEWC recommendations include eliminating the requirement for spurs and double bridles in any discipline, as well as establishing noseband-tightness checks based on scientific evaluation.
These recommendations come on the heels of a survey seeking ethical opinions about competition horses from 42,000 people from 14 countries; 28,000 of these responses were equestrians of varying levels. The remaining responses were from people with no connection to the equine world.
Overall, the EEWC found that:
- 67 percent of the general public and 50 percent of equestrians surveyed felt that horses probably don't enjoy participating in competition.
- 67 percent of non-equestrians felt that horse welfare standards were not adequate or could not be provided for within equestrian sport.
- The public was more concerned with equine safety and welfare than human safety and welfare.
- 75 percent of equestrians were concerned about public opinion of horse sport. Interestingly, this varied by response: 87 percent of equine vets were concerned about public opinion while just 53 percent of FEI board members were.
Six focus areas were made by the EEWC from these responses:
- Training, riding, tack and equipment
- Signs of physical and emotional stress
- Accountability, enforcement and knowledge of equine welfare
- The horse's life beyond the competition ring
- People's competitive drive and treating the horse as a means to an end
- Health problems that could render the horse unfit to compete that might get masked with medications and modalities
The EEWC believes that addressing these areas will help ensure adequate equine welfare and protect horse sport's social license to operate, meaning that the public feels that there is an “ethical right” to ride and compete horses.
Read more at The Horse.
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