08/02/2024
SHE’S A CHESTNUT MARE! DUH!
Recent graphic and article by me:
Ever laughed at ‘moody mare’ videos? This humour, often at the expense of mares, perpetuates harmful stereotypes, particularly towards chestnuts. Dr. Antonia Henderson highlights the broader implications for horse welfare, owners, and the equine industry.
Inaccurate Stereotypes: The belief that mares, especially chestnuts, are more challenging lacks scientific support, contributing to gender bias and perpetuating equine behaviour myths (Larssen, 2022).
Oversimplification: Accepting these stereotypes prevents deeper understanding of a horse’s discomfort. True horse advocacy involves addressing the genuine sources of distress.
Threat to Industry Reputation: Such content jeopardises the Social License to Operate (SLO). Portrayals of distressed horses as funny fuel public scepticism about the industry’s commitment to horse welfare, risking external intervention and impacting the future of equestrian sports.
Why it Matters:
🚫 Inaccurate Stereotypes: Misleading narratives about mares influence biased views on handling equine behaviour.
🧐 Responsibility: Simplistic explanations limit owners from fully understanding their horses’ well-being, overshadowing factors contributing to their behaviour. Encouraging a deeper understanding beyond ANY stereotype helps owners interpret and address their horses’ needs.
🌐 Industry Reputation: Distressed horses threaten the Social License to Operate, impacting societal acceptance and the industry’s right to self-governance.
📊 Statistics Speak:
In a global survey of 27,000 equestrians, 78% believed that equine welfare standards needed improving.
50% believed that sport horses mostly do not enjoy what they do.
The FEI’s 2022 global survey found that 68% of the public believed equine welfare standards were inadequate.
🤝 Initiatives promoting positive horse-human interactions are crucial for safeguarding equine welfare and maintaining high standards in the industry.
It is our collective responsibility is to foster a culture that champions the well-being of horses.
Full article: https://horsesport.com/magazine/behaviour/why-moody-mare-memes-are-problem/
