06/19/2025
It was lovely to have such a discussion with a room full of likeminded humans but it sadly does remind us that the wonderful conversations we had, are unfortunately not the norm.
I had the exact same feeling coming out of this conversation and felt exactly the same about what the âanswerâ is.
And it also reminds us to not take these conversations and connections for granted because us being able to connect with likeminded humans helps us keep going against the grain when there is pushback and bullying.
But for now, we just continue to be the change we want to see in the horse world â¤ď¸
Recently, I sat with a University professor managing a small research program involving equine behaviour, welfare and management and several of her masters and PhD candidates to discuss the state of the horse industry as a whole.
It was a rich, layered conversation, one thatâs still sitting with me days later.
Iâve always believed that education is the key to change.
That if we could just share evidence-based information, raise awareness, and teach better practices, we could shift the paradigm.
That once people know better, theyâll do better.
But during this conversation, a difficult question circulated: Maybe education alone isnât enough?
Because the reality is, people donât always change just because theyâve been given better information. Sometimes, they knowingly ignore what theyâve learned.
Not because they donât care. But because implementing knowledge is hard.
It requires looking in the mirror and admitting:
âMaybe I was wrongâ
âMaybe I missed the signsâ
âMaybe thereâs a better way and I havenât been doing itâ
Thatâs uncomfortable. Itâs vulnerable.
So instead of making changes, many people stay stuck in cognitive dissonance. Rather than changing behaviour, the mind often tries to resolve this discomfort by justifying or denying the evidence.
âHeâs just being difficultâ
âIt worked for my last horseâ
âThis is how weâve always done itâ
And so, despite the abundance of credible information, the suffering continues.
Our industry has deep-rooted problems.
Affording the care horses truly need can be overwhelming. The cost of adequate nutrition, bodywork, appropriate tack, responsible training, and appropriate living environments is high. As we raise standards, we also risk making the sport less accessible, particularly for newcomers. So people compromise. They rationalize. They do what they can afford or what feels easiest or most familiar.
So if education isn't enough ⌠What is?
This question keeps me up at night.
Donât get me wrong, weâve seen incredible change through education. In our student community, in our graduates, in our clients and followers on social media, there are countless people who have welcomed the information and implemented it with courage.
Theyâve done the hard work. Theyâve looked in the mirror. Theyâve stepped out of their comfort zones. And theyâve made things better for their horses.
But for those who resist, who know better but donât do better, what will it take?
Maybe itâs not just education we need.
But where do we start?
Do we start by making space for discomfort and showing people theyâre not alone in it?
By highlighting the why, not just the how, because transformation is always rooted in purpose, not pressure?
To those whoâve leaned in: we see you. Weâre proud of you.
To those who are still resisting: weâre not giving up on you either.
For now, I donât have the answers.
But I do know this: Change doesnât start with perfection. It starts with awareness.
And the willingness to keep asking the hard questions.