Horse welfare is a shared responsibility, but not everyone plays their part. Whether intentionally or due to a lack of knowledge, certain behaviours negatively impact the wellbeing of horses across all disciplines. To truly improve equine welfare, we need to focus on three key groups: Sporting bodies and the government Those who know better but don’t do better Those who don’t know better Let’s take a closer look at how each group influences horse welfare—and what must change to create a more ethical equestrian culture. 1. Sporting bodies and the government must lead the way Governing organisations set the standards for horse care, competition, and training. However, if the system rewards winning at all costs and fails to enforce ethical treatment, horse welfare suffers. Reforming the system to reward responsible horsemanship and penalise harmful practices is essential. When ethical behaviour becomes the expectation rather than the exception, the entire culture of horse sports will impr...