Anyone involved with horses knows how valuable that connection is in many aspects of their lives. But those who aren’t lucky enough to have experienced such a relationship have no idea of its benefits, or how important they can be to so many people.
Quantifying the value of that link isn’t so easy. But British Equestrian has undertaken the challenge, researching the social value of equestrian activities, going on to highlight those benefits in a variety of areas, among them health, mental well-being, personal development, community engagement and social cohesion.
Why is this so important? Social license to operate. Public opinion can affect the way equestrians interact with horses and in a worst-case scenario, result in limits on equestrian activity. It’s the reason the equestrian portion of modern pentathlon was dropped from the Olympics after a coach punched a horse and the video made headlines around the world. Since many people today have never even touched a horse, they can’t decide for themselves if horses are being treated properly.
A case in point about social license involves the Danish Council on Animal Ethics, which states there are signs that the “welfare of horses is still under pressure,” despite equestrian groups’ efforts to improve the situation.
The council cites examples of sport horses showing “signs of discomfort, pain and conflict behavior.” Its recommendations on new legislative initiatives for sport horses will be considered by Denmark’s government. So the council has to be taken seriously. Its recommendations could include a ban on use of the double bridle, and dealing with issues such as riding behind the vertical, as well as other tack and training matters. And if the Danish government acts, you can expect governments elsewhere to consider following suit.
So it’s important that the public knows the positives of equestrian activities and involvement. The British study, being done In partnership with Sheffield Hallam University and the Sport and Recreation Alliance, involved a systematic search of academic databases, supplemented by a call for evidence that yielded 856 pieces of published literature and case studies. Now 290 of these have undergone the final analysis. Much of that focused on equine-assisted therapy and its transformative effects on participants.
it’s one of only a few types of physical activity to have the therapeutic benefits of animal-assisted therapy.
Mandana Mehran-Pour, head of Participation and Development at British Equestrian, commented, “These findings highlight the transformative impact equestrian activities have on individuals and communities across the UK, contributing to physical health, mental well-being and social development. The wealth of research we’ve gathered demonstrates the vital role equestrianism plays in enhancing quality of life.”
Professor Simon Shibli, director of the Sport Industry Research Center at Sheffield Hallam University said, “The volume and quality of literature we found were staggering and now provide a sound basis for deriving the social value of equestrianism.”
The work continues, with more progress expected in 2025.