Equine involvement in sport does not compromise their welfare - making the case?

The equestrian world seems to have been relatively quiet recently on the subject of social license to operate. We are told that the FEI Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission have reported, and have made 30 recommendations under the heading "A Good Life for Horses".

Central to the FEI's strategy is the assertion that "equine involvement in sport does not compromise their welfare"; but at present everyone knows that this statement is blatantly untrue. Can we make a case, or is the FEI strategy doomed to fail, even before it's entered at A?

Progress so far

Horse and Hound tell us that the report sets out to provide a vision for ensuring the future involvement of horses in sport, comprises 30 recommendations, asks the FEI to define what a good life for competition horses looks like and calls on everyone in the horse world to take accountability.

As we saw with the initial 24 draft recommendations they fall under the headings of: be a leader, be accountable, be trusted, be transparent and be proactive.

When I interrogated the Equine Ethics and Wellbeing website I couldn't find an actual "final report" telling us what the 30 recommendations are. But there are some graphics from the presentations so you get a flavour. Horse and Hound gave us a soundbite from the presentation:

"Social acceptability isn’t something that you can market your way out of. It’s not something that nice pictures, or talking about partnerships and so on, is going to solve"

Professor Natalie Waran, Mexico, November 2023

Ouch!

Unfortunately, as it appears that all the Commissions good work was simply to make recommendations to the FEI, we now have to wait for the 2024 FEI Sport forum to come up with "a larger strategy and concrete measures". This may sound like so many balls being kicked into the long grass; and while I couldn't possibly comment you might be forgiven for thinking they're simply trying to get past the Paris Olympics before taking any further action.

E is for Enabler

It is perhaps time to pick up a few threads. I think that if we are involved in equestrian sport and want it to continue, then we all have a part to play. I definitely believe horses deserve a good life and I also believe that their involvement in equestrian sport is not necessarily contrary to them having a good life. I understand that not everyone agrees with me hence we are involved in a struggle for hearts and minds. 

Part of the story is telling the story well, but [public acceptance] isn’t able to be self-rewarded just on that basis

Professor Natalie Waran, Mexico, November 2023

The strategy is built on six areas of focus, or enablers. These are the Six Es which are: Evidence, Education, Engagement, Effective Regulation, Enforcement and Empowerment. (We know what they spent their first four meetings agreeing!) While we may feel we do all this already we have to remember the overarching goal is to ensure a good life for horses and thereby maintain social license for the involvement of horses in sport.

Unfortunately this is where the strategy starts to fall apart. It is too easy to provide the counter argument that if we truly want to make equine welfare paramount and ensure a good life for horses then we should start by not involving them in sport at all. The case for their involvement is not black and white. To argue "equine involvement in sport does not compromise their welfare" is not valid because we know it does.

When I worked in the ESI one of our key annual targets was "Zero Harm"; we were not going to tolerate injuries in the workplace. People kind of knew there would be some but that wasn't the point, the point was the target was zero and as long as we were learning from any injuries that did occur and the number was trending down then we were doing the right thing.

Making the case

Do we need to think of the claim "equine involvement in sport does not compromise their welfare" in the same way? Is this in fact an aspirational goal? Everything else serves this, this is how we are ensuring the good life of horses in sport.

Laying this out in claims, argument and evidence format, I think I would start with one claim, The future involvement of horses in sport will not compromise their welfare and will ensure a good life for horses

This claim would be based on six  supportive arguments, the arguments ultimately being underwritten by evidence. My arguments would be 

Argument 1 Equine welfare is paramount and is always prioritised in decision making

Argument 2 Equine sport employs an open reporting culture, involving input from both insiders and those outside the sport. Corrective action and continuous improvement programmes put equine welfare first and as a result lessons learned are acted upon in a demonstrable and timely fashion.

Argument 3 Human and equine athletes are suitably qualified and experienced for the level they wish to compete at. Judges and officials are similarly demonstrably qualified for the roles they are to undertake. All training stresses the need to prioritise equine welfare

Argument 4 Effective standards exist for the care, medication and development of equine athletes from "cradle to grave", focused on the concept of a good life for horses and all involved are aware of these standards and demonstrably implement them. Standards exist for equine equipment and practices and anything identified as likely to compromise the welfare of equine athletes is identified and outlawed

Argument 5 The risks involved with equine participation in sport are known and managed to be as low as reasonably practicable. The societal benefits of equine involvement in sport are demonstrated to be consistent with the principles of a good life for horses

Argument 6 Internal and external regulation exists and takes effective action to ensure equine welfare is not compromised

The hard work comes from gathering the evidence to underwrite the arguments, and where evidence exists that current practice is contrary to the case being made then undertaking the necessary action to correct this. Hopefully the FEI Strategy can provide this. 

Making the case
©Harveywetdog

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Author - David Robinson CEng FIET  

David spent approaching 50 years in Her Majesty's Electricity Supply Industry before retiring

He was part of the highly successful design team on the Sizewell B Nuclear Power Station Project before spending 25 years producing safety cases to keep our aging AGR fleet generating for the good of the nation

He is responsible for the Harveywetdog YouTube Channel which he maintains as an outlet for his creative talents

David has recently recovered from blood cancer but refuses to be a victim

All views are his own but might be influenced by the medication he's had to take