
03/15/2025
๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐
๐๐โ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐ง๐ฒ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ?
Another initiative. Another promise. Another well-meaning attempt to address equine welfare in horse sports. But will it actually work? Or will this, like so many before it, be reduced to nothing more than pretty words on a forgotten press release?
Dr. Andrew McLeanโs partnership with the FEI is a major stepbone that brings equitation science to the forefront. But for those of us who have spent years fighting for better treatment of horses in sport, skepticism is warranted. How many times have we seen committees form, reports get published, and yet, behind the scenes, nothing really changes?
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ต ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐: ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐. ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ
The biggest obstacle? Tradition. The equestrian world is steeped in it. Riders, trainers, and judges have spent their lives operating on โwhatโs always been done.โ Some are open to change, but many see modern science-based training as a threat rather than a solution.
We already know that the evidence is there. The ISES First Principles of Training are backed by research that proves they improve welfare and performance simultaneously. We know that horses learn better when they are trained with clarity and reinforcement rather than force and coercion. Yet, despite this, the resistance to change is fierce.
And letโs be honest, the FEI itself has been painfully slow to act on welfare concerns in the past. Rollkur? Years of outcry before they took action. Tight nosebands? Still rampant, despite growing evidence of their harm. Hyperflexion, excessive pressure, questionable training methods, these things still show up in warm-up rings at the highest levels of sport.
Will ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ?
Hereโs where the real test lies. Itโs not enough to introduce principles. They have to be enforced.
โข ๐๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐ช๐๐๐๐จ ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ง๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ค ๐๐๐ฃ๐ค๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฅ๐ก๐๐จ?
โข ๐๐๐ก๐ก ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐๐จ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ค๐ฌ๐๐ง (๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐) ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎ ๐จ๐๐ ๐๐๐ช๐จ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐?
โข ๐๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฉ๐ค๐ฅ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ง๐จ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐๐ก๐, ๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎโ๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐จ๐ฅ๐ค๐ฃ๐จ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ค๐ก๐ก๐๐ง๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐ก๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐ก๐จ?
If the answer to these questions is no, then this collaboration, despite all its potential, will be nothing more than another empty gesture.
๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ ๐๐. ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐
For those of us fighting for equine welfare, this partnership is both exciting and frustrating. Exciting, because Dr. McLeanโs influence could push real, science-backed change into mainstream training. Frustrating, because we know change in equestrian sport is slow, and itโs up against deeply ingrained resistance.
So will this work? It depends. If riders, trainers, judges, and governing bodies actually listen, if they embrace what equitation science is telling us, then yes, this could be the shift weโve been waiting for.
But if the FEI fails to enforce its own welfare commitments? If it continues to protect top riders at the expense of horses? Then this will be just another disappointment in a long line of missed opportunities.
The horses donโt get a say in this. Itโs up to us to make sure this isnโt just another failed promise.
Good Luck Dr. Andrew McLean, youโll need it and donโt be influenced by brown envelopes. ๐ฐ