How tack and equipment design can help improve horses lives

Experts consider what each of us can do to promote and improve welfare and ensure ethical treatment of horses

- By ELEANOR JONES

WHAT message do we send out when we treat whips as fashion accessories?

This was a question posed at the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) bits, bridling and saddlery conference (28-29 October), as experts looked into how to give horses truly good lives.

World Horse Welfare CEO Roly Owers spoke about “Welfare in riding - our role in influencing change”.

“We'd all like a harmonious relationship with our horses, and that’s what the public wants to see. But we need to acknowledge there's an imbalance of power in the relationship,” said Mr Owers.

“We control all the horse does, but horses are way stronger than us, and that’s where tack and equipment come in. They're key in how we exercise our power, so it’s vital we choose equipment that respects that imbalance and doesn’t take advantage of it.”

AVOIDING CONFLICT

MR OWERS said that all equipment must be considered from the horse's perspective.