What the public really thinks and how horse sport can gain trust

Emphasising the value of horses in society, and engaging more people with them, will be key to equestrianism’s thriving in future, with equine welfare always at its heart.

The results of “groundbreaking” research into the UK public’s view of riding horses have been released. It’s the culmination of a cross-industry project, designed to “understand the current state of public sentiment towards equestrianism in the UK and the drivers behind public trust and acceptance of our activities”. The results show that we are on the right track – but that there is still much work to do on equine safety and welfare.

The study, facilitated by World Horse Welfare and conducted by engagement science specialists Voconiq last spring, involved questionnaires completed by 5,000 people representative of the UK public. It was backed by British Equestrian and some of its member bodies, racing and polo organisations and the British Equine Veterinary Association, in the “first major collaboration of the leading equestrian bodies and organisations working together to ensure a sustainable future for the equine sector”.

It investigated not only what people think of horse sport but why they think it, and that trust is the main influencer of acceptance.

The results showed that social importance of horses is the main driver of public trust, followed by procedural fairness – the extent to which the public feels as if horse sport listens to and respects their concerns – and transparency about horse welfare. Regulation is also key, as is distributional fairness – the extent to which people feel they get a fair share of the benefits that horse sport generates.

World Horse Welfare CEO Roly Owers said understanding these drivers of trust are key to being able to influence them.

“I think that’s a really exciting part; that there are actions to take but they’re interconnected,” he told H&H. “So if you work in one action, for example, around procedural fairness, if you’re listening to concerns from within and outside the sport more effectively, that’s going to improve that outcome, but improve other areas as well. The fact there is this solid framework on which to base activity, I think is really encouraging.”

On an acceptance scale of zero to five, the report rated equestrianism at three, a solid foundation but one that could be rocked.

“But headwinds will inevitably come down the track,” Mr Owers said. “You do need  greater insurance for those risks. I think there’s a real call to action, but at the same time, there is confidence that actually you’re starting in a pretty good place.”

There are public concerns about euthanasia that should be addressed, as many struggle to see that this is often the best welfare option for horses. Other key findings are that horses’ mental wellbeing is as important as physical, and that making competitions safer for horses must be prioritised.

And the results show the “vital importance of equestrian organisations clearly showing competence, humanity and integrity, and that has to drive all decision-making,” Mr Owers said. “We know public trust is driven by actions, not words, and we’ve got an opportunity here and a clear pathway, a real willingness to go on that journey together, which is brilliant.

“The  public needs to see those steps being taken and that’s the exciting opportunity.”

British Horse Society (BHS) CEO James Hick told H&H it is key the report sets out how the industry can work together towards a common goal.

“You remove the anecdotal sense and feeling that we all have our own drivers and beliefs, and this helps us to be very structured about how we can support public trust and acceptance,” he said. “Protecting horses in society is the number one thing in our three-year plan that the BHS will be focused on, but it’s the structured elements I think this report gives us – such good foundations to work on.

“And this is not purely how the public feels about welfare, which has been really useful in the past. Welfare is the stick of rock that runs through everything and we all get that. But this, for me, is so much more powerful, because it’s about trust and acceptance. And why do people feel the way they do and how will it influence how we work with horses?

“For me, the most important thing really is that anybody who comes into contact with horses is 50% more likely to advocate for horses. So if we do nothing else, focusing our attention on sharing the good and the great of horses with more people is going to safeguard horses for the future.

“If you remove all the complexity of the report and all the stats and all the methodology, it’s all about more people, more engagement with horses, and we’re going to be safeguarding horses forever.”

Mr Hick also emphasised the fact that this report will not just stand – there will be frequent following up of its recommendations, which include embracing welfare, highlighting horses’ social and economic value, increasing public engagement and addressing perceptions of elitism.

“We know what is important to society and people more broadly,” he said. “So now’s the time for us to be accountable for that. This allows us to move from the theory of reports into actionable outcomes, to change the way people are actually perceiving what we do.”

James Given, director of equine regulation, safety and welfare at the British Horseracing Authority and member of racing’s Horse Welfare Board, said: “There is real strength in coming together as a horse sports sector to share best practice and to address what matters most for the horse and to the public.

“This research shows that British racing is on the right track with the work it is undertaking, but there is always more to be done. Our investment in equine welfare will only increase as we move forward.”

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