BY ELIZABETH UPCHURCH
This industry is built on the bond between horse and humans. We describe our horses as our partners, teammates, or even family. But even so, we equine welfare debates are commonplace. If riders care so deeply about their horses, why are there so many welfare concerns for sport horses?
In a recent peer-reviewed study, ‘But my horse is well cared for’: A qualitative exploration of cognitive dissonance and enculturation in equestrian attitudes toward performance horses and their welfare,” researchers Erica Cheung, Daniel Mills, and Beth Ventura investigated how equestrians understand welfare and why some practices in the sport can be difficult to challenge or change.
Their findings suggest that the issue is not simply about individual behavior. Instead, psychological and cultural forces within equestrian sport may play a significant role in shaping how riders think about horse welfare.
Studying Attitudes in the Horse World
The study used semi-structured interviews with 22 participants involved in classical equestrian disciplines in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Participants included riders, trainers, and others involved in using horses for performance. Through these interviews, researchers explored how equestrians perceive welfare issues, justify practices, and navigate conflicts between their values and the realities of competitive sport.
One of the central ideas explored in the study is cognitive dissonance, a psychological phenomenon that occurs when people experience tension between their beliefs and their actions. When this happens, individuals often try to resolve the discomfort by adjusting how they interpret or justify a situation.
With sport horses, that tension can emerge when riders believe they deeply care about their horses while also participating in practices that may raise welfare concerns.
The study’s title phrase reflects a common response the researchers observed. As the authors explain, participants often emphasized their own standards of care when discussing welfare concerns, summarizing the sentiment as “but my horse is well cared for.”
Recognizing Problems (But Often Somewhere Else)
This perspective does not necessarily mean riders ignore welfare issues entirely. In fact, many participants acknowledged that welfare concerns exist within the industry. During interviews, participants mentioned problems such as social isolation, limited turnout, and harsh training methods.
However, these concerns were often framed as problems caused by others rather than practices within a participant’s own environment. The researchers found that riders sometimes defended practices they knew might be questionable by downplaying the concerns or reinterpreting them in a more positive light. This process may help individuals reconcile their identity as caring horse owners with the realities of competitive sport.
Another key factor highlighted in the research is enculturation. In equestrian sport, riders often learn practices and attitudes through years of mentorship and participation within barn communities. Trainers, coaches, and experienced riders pass down knowledge and traditions that shape how younger riders understand horsemanship. “The way people get enculturated into a sport, there’s certainly people who will carry on the traditions,” one participant explained.
Over time, this process can normalize practices that might appear questionable to outsiders. Riders may adopt routines or training approaches simply because they are widely accepted within their discipline. Many participants described entering the horse world as children and learning from trainers and role models within the sport. Because these experiences shape attitudes toward horses over many years, the study suggests that cultural traditions can become deeply ingrained.
When Competition Shapes Welfare Decisions
Success in competition often requires meeting expectations from judges, trainers, and clients. Within that environment, riders may feel pressure to follow established norms rather than challenge them.
Participants frequently described having a job as an important part of a horse’s well-being. As one interviewee explained, horses that enjoy their work may thrive in structured environments, saying, “They like doing things. If they don’t, they would actually not thrive.”
However, the study notes that prioritizing a horse’s job can sometimes lead to compromises in other aspects of welfare, such as turnout or social interaction with other horses. These trade-offs can create internal conflicts for riders who care deeply about their horses but also operate within the demands of competitive sport.
Moving the Conversation Forward
The researchers do not conclude that equestrians intentionally harm their horses. Instead, the study suggests that many riders genuinely care about horse welfare while simultaneously navigating a system shaped by tradition, competition, and cultural expectations.
Understanding these dynamics may be essential for improving welfare conversations in the equestrian world. Rather than viewing welfare debates as conflicts between people who care about horses and those who do not, the research suggests that deeper psychological and cultural factors may be at play.
Recognizing how cognitive dissonance and enculturation influence attitudes could help the industry have more productive discussions about change. In a sport built on partnership with horses, those conversations may be an important step toward ensuring that tradition, competition, and welfare continue to evolve together.
Source
Cheung, E., Mills, D., & Ventura, B. (2025).
“But my horse is well cared for”: A qualitative exploration of cognitive dissonance and enculturation in equestrian attitudes toward performance horses and their welfare. Animal Welfare, 34, e50. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40735428/
