The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) Sports Forum held in Lausanne at the end of April featured a major focus on welfare of the competition horse through the presentation of the findings of the Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission’s final report (EEWC). This came hot on the heels of the 19th International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) annual conference held in New Zealand in March 2024. Three of the external members of the EEWC are long-standing members and Honorary Fellows of ISES. At the ISES annual conference, 60 research presentations covered topics of direct relevance to the FEI’s action plan to ensure a Good Life for Horses in sport. Thanks to the many sponsors, including the FEI as the technology sponsor, these presentations were made available to delegates around the world.

At the Sports Forum, the FEI provided an overview of their proposed action plan to address six priority areas of focus raised in the EEWC’s final report. Much of the research addressing concerns in the six priority areas – specifically Priority Area 1 (Tack, equipment, riding and training) and Priority Areas 2 and 4 (physical and emotional stress in horses and the other 23 hours of the horse’s life) – has been carried out over the past 20 years by researchers who are members of ISES.

[ISES] urges the FEI to make good use of the existing evidence in making rigorous decisions in favor of the horse, and adopting the precautionary principle...

ISES commends the FEI for adopting the 5 domains as the underpinning framework for their welfare strategy and is pleased to learn of the evidence-based approach being taken to examine the impact of tack and equipment and training methods on horses. We urge the FEI to make good use of the existing evidence in making rigorous decisions in favor of the horse, and adopting the precautionary principle to ensure that welfare risks to horses are minimized where the research is not conclusive. We suggest that to make good decisions regarding equine wellbeing it is important to involve independent researchers with equine behavior and welfare expertise, such as that provided by behavioral scientists about hyperflexion. In addition, we urge the FEI to remember that knowledge gained through scientific research is always progressing – what was normal and accepted previously may not be the case now. ISES has provided feedback on noseband tightness based on extensive research carried out by qualified experts, and we hope that this information will be taken into account in deliberations regarding measurement of noseband pressure. In the same vein, there have been many studies on bit design, bit use and most importantly horse behavior and welfare – we urge the FEI to pay attention to these when considering Priority Focus Area 1.

We remind the FEI that maintaining a social license to operate relies on establishing and maintaining trust. A key recommendation of the EEWC’s to ensure horse welfare is ongoing transparency and accountability. In support of the EEWC, ISES believes that an independent ‘voice for the horse’ must be prioritized in all FEI decision making. This, alongside acceptance and actioning of the EEWC’s recommendation for ensuring ongoing independent review via the establishment of a permanent equine ethics and welfare advisory committee, will help reassure equestrians and the public of the FEI’s commitment to equine welfare going forward.

ISES looks forward to hearing about further actions from the FEI to address an ‘equine centric design approach’ for all events and how horse interests will be placed before those of the human when involved in sport.

The International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) is a not-for-profit organization that aims to promote and encourage the application of objective research and advanced practice which will ultimately improve the welfare of horses in their associations with humans. https://www.equitationscience.com/