Written by Katrina Per-Carruthers, an EC Licensed Coach and Animal Behaviour Enthusiast.
WARNING:
There are a number of fashion-flavoured puns in this blog post and I expect at least one eye-roll per reader.
Just as each era in fashion (arguably) promotes a new 'style,' equine training has been shaped by trends, traditions, and influential figures throughout history. This tendency, however, risks sidelining science and welfare in favour of appearances and outdated traditions.
The Fashionable Illusion of Good Training
Training horses, like choosing clothing, often prioritizes appearance within a certain social construct. Take for example the ever-changing "correct" breech colour for that hunter class you signed up for (is rust still in?). What is rewarded in the competition ring or on social media is celebrated and touted as "right," even if it fails to meet certain ethics or previously determined criteria of "rightness." [1]
A clear example of this phenomenon can be seen in the fashion of head-and-neck positions in upper-level dressage. Over the years, what is considered "beautiful" or "correct" has shifted to reflect the more modern "desirable" outline. While it may, on the surface, seem relatively harmless to follow aesthetic trends (unless you, like me, wore the wrong coloured breeches and still suffer from embarrassment), head and neck positioning is not just a matter of aesthetics—it directly reflects and influences the horse’s welfare and training. A thoughtful study by Kenapfel et al. (2024) highlights how current "fashionable" (read: winning) positions correlate with increased presence of conflict behaviours in horses [2]. The presence of conflict behaviours signals that a horse is experiencing pain, stress, and discomfort... [3] Yikes.
It’s not just dressage caught in this trend-driven whirlwind; this phenomenon spans all disciplines, breeds, breeding and training styles with various levels of impact on welfare outcomes.
Much like how fast fashion hides its environmental impact behind a shiny exterior, equine training trends often conceal welfare concerns, prioritizing current trendiness over the well-being of the horse.
Weaving in a Fresh Perspective
While trendiness certainly plays a role in horse training, we are also curiously bound by longstanding traditions [4]. While we might decide we like a certain look, breed, position, or movement style on a whim, we tend to be much more rigid in our application of training methods [5]. Let’s step into another field—metaphorically speaking, of course: the field of dog training.
Despite having a long tradition and also falling victim to the whims of fashion trends, dog training has managed to weave in a more scientific approach [6]. A growing number of certifying programs for dog trainers now integrate behavioural science to establish best practices. Trainers are taught about learning theory, species-specific behaviour, and ethical frameworks, which create a solid foundation for humane and effective training [7]. This approach has helped buffer the dog training industry from harmful fads, fostering growth in a more dog-friendly and humane direction. The changes in dog training today, compared to 20 or 30 years ago, show a dramatic improvement in both animal welfare and the effectiveness of training methods. [8]
Equestrian certification programs, by contrast, remain heavily focused on traditional riding skills and discipline-specific expectations and parameters. These programs do not currently promote an understanding of equine behaviour (For an exception see Footnote 12). Instead, coaching programs choose to focus on the application of discipline-specific techniques without a grasp of the learning theory or science behind those choices and/or how they influence or affect horse behaviour or welfare. [9] This gap leaves equestrians ill-equipped to address welfare concerns or critically evaluate the practices they inherit or adopt. It also leads us to be vulnerable to the influences of charismatic individuals who prioritize economic gain over evidence-based welfare practices - even if done without malice or ill-intent.
Imagine if equestrian coaching embraced behaviour science in the same way dog training programs have. How might that reshape the way we train, ride, and care for our horses?
How Can We Ditch Fast Fashion For Science?
The equestrian world needs more than a surface-level makeover—it requires systemic change (a complete stripping down if you will). Here’s how we can start weaving science into the fabric of horse training*:
Close the Research Gaps: More studies like those conducted by Bartlett (2024) [10] are needed to explore how owner attributes and traditions impact training choices. Additionally, research on the cultural barriers inhibiting the adoption of behaviour science could provide a roadmap for change. We are also in desperate need of more studies on the effects of training choices on animal welfare outcomes.
Promote Behaviour Science: Integrating behaviour principles into equestrian certification programs, as seen in dog training, would empower trainers to use evidence-based techniques.
Challenge Tradition: Tradition should be respected but not held sacred. Trainers and riders must critically evaluate whether their methods serve the horse or merely reflect outdated ideals - even if these outdated ideals help them win ribbons.
*Sorry! I did warn you.
The Grassroots Opportunity - Threads of Change
Recent public outcry and ongoing discussions about the “social license to operate” show that equestrians at all levels are questioning the status quo. While high-level riders, owners, breeders, and competitors are often constrained by politics and economic pressures, there is a unique opportunity for a certain very special group of riders and owners... Those riders are YOU—the grassroots riders, the amateurs, the lower-to-mid level coaches, and trainers, the trail riders, the horse lovers, and the local pony clubbers. Yes, YOU!
By challenging outdated norms and embracing evidence-based practices, the grassroots community (ahem, you) can redefine what it means to train horses ethically. [11] This bottom-up approach, fuelled by curiosity and openness, can disrupt the top-down influence of these problematic fads. We are in a very special position whereby our choices to do things against the current fashion have very little downside - we can still go to shows, ride, teach, coach and have fun with our horses but in a way that is very different than what we see in the "elite" world. Best of all, your horses will be happier, you will be safer and you'll likely end up a better rider, coach and/or trainer in the process.
Unbuttoning The Future of Ethical Training
If we want horse training to move from trend-driven to welfare-focused, we must balance tradition with evidence, aesthetics with ethics. By blending the best of the old with the fabric of modern science we have a unique opportunity to shape the future of horses in sport. When equestrians prioritize the horse’s experience over trends to (try and) win ribbons, we create a training model that is ethical and sustainable.
Let’s make sustainable horse welfare the next long-standing trend.
BIBLIOGRAPHY//FOOTNOTES
[1]NOTE: The changes to FEI Dressage Rules, Article 401, are an example of trends and contradictions between "rules" and "fashion." To read through some rules and apply your own judgments see as an example: Equestrian Canada. 2024 Section E Changes (Visible). Equestrian Canada, 2024. https://equestrian.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024_section-e_changesvisible_english1.pdf.
[2] To read more about the full study see: K. Kienapfel, L. Piccolo, M. Cockburn, A. Gmel, D. Rueß, I. Bachmann,
Comparison of head–neck positions and conflict behaviour in ridden elite dressage horses between warm-up and competition, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Volume 272, 2024, 106202, ISSN 0168-1591, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2024.106202 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159124000509)
[3] For a more thorough understanding of conflict behaviours and what they mean, read: Górecka-Bruzda, Aleksandra & Kosińska, Izabela & Jaworski, Zbigniew & Jezierski, Tadeusz & Murphy, Jack. (2014). Conflict behavior in elite show jumping and dressage horses. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research. 10. 10.1016/j.jveb.2014.10.004.
[4] For those interested in the traditional history of horsemanship, this is an option: Oppenheim, Jean-Marc Ran. "From Artistic Endeavor to Economic Enterprise; Horsemanship from the 18th to the 20th Centuries." _Views from the Edge, Essays in Honor of Richard W Bulliet. Ed Neguin Yavari, Lawrence G Potter, and Jean-Marc Ran Oppenheim_ (2004): 141-153.
[5] An excellent textbook: Mcgreevy, P. (2012) Equine behavior : a guide for veterinarians and equine scientists. Edinburgh: Elsevier.
[6] A very comprehensive history of dog training in North America. Wlodarczyk, J. (2018). Genealogy of obedience: Reading North American Dog Training Literature, 1850s-2000s. BRILL.
[7] For examples of standardized testing for dog-trainers including what areas of knowledge they are testing, see https://www.ccpdt.org/
[8] A quick, easy read! Ross, W. (2020, August 25). How Science is Revolutionizing the World of Dog Training. TIME. https://time.com/5880219/science-of-dog-training/
[9] I invite you to read through the Pony Club Manuals, Equestrian Canada Rider Levels, CANTRA manuals, USDF Para-Dressage Manuals, the NCCP Coaching Modules for Equestrians and the CHA Manuals. Unfortunately there is very little mention on horse behaviour, managing horse behaviour or referring out to a behavioural professional in instances of "disobedience." Some organizations state that escalating pressure, using aversive tools or restraints are appropriate first steps in addressing a "training problem" within a coaching context. Not only is this incorrect, it poses a risk to the human as well (see: Hawson, Lesley A., et al. “The Roles of Equine Ethology and Applied Learning Theory in Horse-Related Human Injuries.” Journal of Veterinary Behavior, vol. 5, no. 6, Nov. 2010, pp. 324–338, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2010.06.001.)
[10] To see an example of some new research coming out about the human side of horse behaviour outcomes see the research of: Bartlett, E., Blackwell, E. J., Cameron, L. J., & Hockenhull, J. (2024). Exploring the relationship between horse-owner attributes and their approach to horse training. _Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science_, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2024.2365675
[11] For futher reading into how we can change the horse world for the better. Discuss a slew of issues related to horse welfare and some suggestions on improving it from a human behaviour change lens. Wolframm, I. A., Douglas, J., & Pearson, G. (2023). Changing Hearts and Minds in the Equestrian World One Behaviour at a Time. Animals, 13(4), 748. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13040748
[12] For an example of a certifying course from the UK that does address behaviour and species-specific needs see below. Please note I am not affiliate or associated with understand horses but am good friends with Trudi Dempsey who created the program. I do not receive monetary or other gains by sharing this. https://courses.understandhorses.com/courses/horse-trainer-foundation-certificate
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