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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / An Ethical Framework for the Use of Horses in Competitive Sp...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2021; 11(6); 1725; doi: 10.3390/ani11061725

An Ethical Framework for the Use of Horses in Competitive Sport: Theory and Function.

Abstract: Growing ethical concern about equestrian sport is reflected in publications by regulatory authorities, animal charities, and the lay press; and in government debate and social media. However, attempts by regulators and stakeholders to address ethical issues in equine sport have been discipline specific and ad hoc. Ethical frameworks can help stakeholders to make contextual decisions about what should or should not be done in a particular situation. However, when existing animal welfare frameworks and existing sports ethics frameworks are reviewed in this paper, it becomes clear that none provide us with a suitable or sufficient tool for considering ethical issues which can arise in situations where the athlete is a non-human, non-consenting participant. This paper presents the theoretical development of a novel ethical framework, with the aim of providing stakeholders with a tool which they might apply to the consideration of the ethical questions which inevitably arise in relation to (equestrian) sport. The derivation and limitations of the ethical framework are explained. The use of the framework will serve both to underwrite the continuation of the social license to use horses in sport and also to enable those within equestrian sport to critically assess existing and proposed practices and to make welfare-improving adjustments to practice if/where necessary. The theoretical framework as presented here is currently being practically tested and refined in consultation with industry stakeholders, and that research will be submitted for publication in due course.
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Publication Date: 2021-06-09 PubMed ID: 34207809PubMed Central: PMC8230307DOI: 10.3390/ani11061725Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research paper provides a novel ethical framework aimed at addressing ethical issues involved in equestrian sports, where horses are non-consenting participants. The framework is meant to aid stakeholders in making ethical decisions related to these sports, and is currently under testing within the industry.

Understanding the Issue

  • The paper begins by acknowledging the rising ethical concerns in the equestrian sport industry, as observed by regulators, animal charities, governmental debates, and social media discussions.
  • While there have been attempts to address these ethical issues, the authors suggest that these efforts have been specific to certain disciplines and considered ad hoc, lacking a unifying framework.

Limitations of Existing Frameworks

  • The authors then outline the limitations of both existing animal welfare and sports ethics frameworks.
  • These frameworks, they argue, do not provide sufficient tools for managing ethical issues that stem from situations where the participating athlete is non-human and non-consenting, such as in equestrian sports.

Proposed Ethical Framework

  • The researchers then present a novel theoretical ethical framework aimed at filling this gap.
  • The goal of this framework is to offer stakeholders a useful tool for considering the ethical ramifications of their decisions in relation to equestrian sports.

The Importance and Function of the Framework

  • Use of this framework is expected to support the continuation of the social license to use horses in sport, implying that this should be done ethically.
  • Additionally, the framework aims to enable stakeholders within equestrian sport to critically review both the existing and proposed practices, and make adjustments to improve animal welfare wherever needed.

Next Steps

  • The paper concludes by stating that the theoretical framework presented is currently being tested and refined in consultation with industry stakeholders. The results will be submitted for publication in due course.

Cite This Article

APA
Campbell MLH. (2021). An Ethical Framework for the Use of Horses in Competitive Sport: Theory and Function. Animals (Basel), 11(6), 1725. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11061725

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 11
Issue: 6
PII: 1725

Researcher Affiliations

Campbell, Madeleine L H
  • Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Herts AL9 7TA, UK.

Grant Funding

  • None / World Horse Welfare

Conflict of Interest Statement

The author declares no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 7 times.
  1. Springer S, Mihatsch DI, Grimm H, Jenner F. Between Leisure and Pressure-Veterinarians' Attitudes towards the Care of Competition Horses in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jun 27;13(13).
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  2. Douglas J, Owers R, Campbell MLH. Social Licence to Operate: What Can Equestrian Sports Learn from Other Industries?. Animals (Basel) 2022 Aug 5;12(15).
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