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PloS one2026; 21(2); e0331059; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0331059

Rider education at Swedish riding schools: Comparing teachers’ and pupils’ perspectives.

Abstract: Previous research has highlighted a gap between scientific evidence and its application in equestrian practice, leading to concerns about horse welfare and human safety. Riding schools present an important platform for promoting science-based practices, as they bring together riders of all ages and levels and serve as sites for equestrian education and for shaping attitudes toward horse welfare. Yet, the teaching in riding schools is often rooted in traditional practices. Therefore, mapping current educational methods and exploring how teaching and learning are perceived by both riding school teachers and pupils are key to supporting schools in bridging the gap between tradition and evidence-based practices. This study aimed to map how equestrian knowledge, with a specific focus on horse behaviour and welfare (BW), and horse learning and human-horse communication (LC), is taught and perceived to be learned, drawing on the perspectives of both teachers and pupils. Data collection was based on two online surveys, distributed to approximately 450 Swedish riding schools (RS) under the Swedish Equestrian Federation. The survey links were shared via the Federation's newsletter, as well as through social media, horse magazines, and relevant equestrian websites. The surveys collected responses from 199 teachers and 368 pupils. The results showed that most teachers (83%) integrated BW and LC into regular riding lessons and 59% provided such education outside riding lessons. Yet, only 21% of the teachers believed that pupils learn enough when BW and LC are taught in connection with other teaching occasions. While 71% of pupils expressed interest in dedicated BW and LC lessons, only 24% of teachers thought pupils were interested in attending. The main barrier to offering separate lessons, according to teachers, was perceived lack of interest (50%), whereas 30% of pupils cited the unavailability of such lessons. These differing perceptions highlight the need for improved communication and greater alignment between teaching practices and what learners find engaging. The findings from this study offer a foundation for developing strategies to better support evidence-based equestrian education at riding schools.
Copyright: © 2026 Nyberg et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
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Publication Date: 2026-02-27 PubMed ID: 41758807PubMed Central: PMC12948091DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0331059Google 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.

Overview

  • This study investigates how horse behaviour, welfare, learning, and human-horse communication are taught and perceived at Swedish riding schools by comparing the perspectives of teachers and pupils.
  • The goal is to identify gaps between current teaching practices, learner interests, and evidence-based approaches to improve equestrian education and promote horse welfare and safety.

Background and Rationale

  • Previous research has shown a disconnect between scientific knowledge about horses and how equestrian practices are commonly carried out, raising concerns about both horse welfare and rider safety.
  • Riding schools represent an important venue for education because they gather a wide range of riders, making them key settings for influencing attitudes and practices concerning horses.
  • Despite this potential, many riding schools still rely on traditional teaching methods rather than updated, evidence-based knowledge.
  • Understanding how horse-related knowledge is currently taught and perceived by both teachers and pupils is essential to help align teaching with scientific evidence.

Aims of the Study

  • To map current teaching methods concerning horse behaviour and welfare (BW), as well as horse learning and human-horse communication (LC), in Swedish riding schools.
  • To explore both teachers’ and pupils’ perceptions of how these topics are taught and learned.
  • To identify potential gaps or mismatches in perceptions that could hinder the adoption of evidence-based practices.

Methodology

  • Two online surveys were developed: one for riding school teachers and one for pupils.
  • The surveys were distributed to approximately 450 riding schools affiliated with the Swedish Equestrian Federation.
  • Survey links were disseminated via the Federation’s newsletter, social media channels, horse magazines, and relevant equestrian websites to maximize reach.
  • Responses were collected from 199 teachers and 368 pupils, providing a sizeable sample for comparison.

Key Findings

  • Integration of BW and LC: Most teachers (83%) include topics related to horse behaviour, welfare, learning, and communication within regular riding lessons.
  • Extracurricular Education: 59% of teachers provided additional education on these topics outside of riding lessons.
  • Perception of Learning Adequacy: Despite the integration, only 21% of teachers felt that pupils learn sufficiently about these topics when they are taught alongside other activities.
  • Pupils’ Interest: 71% of pupils expressed a desire for dedicated lessons focusing solely on BW and LC topics.
  • Teachers’ Perception of Pupils’ Interest: Only 24% of teachers believed pupils were interested in attending such specific lessons, suggesting a significant perceptual gap.
  • Barriers to Offering Separate Lessons:
    • Teachers most commonly cited a lack of pupil interest (50%) as the reason for not offering separate lessons on these topics.
    • Pupils indicated that such lessons were often unavailable (30%), signaling an access issue rather than lack of demand.

Implications

  • The study reveals a misalignment between teachers’ perceptions and pupils’ expressed interests, particularly regarding how equestrian science is taught.
  • Teachers may underestimate pupils’ enthusiasm for more focused education related to horse welfare and behavior, potentially limiting opportunities to deepen knowledge in these areas.
  • Improved communication between teachers and pupils is crucial to accurately assess and respond to learners’ needs and interests.
  • The findings provide a foundation for developing new teaching strategies aimed at better integrating scientific evidence into riding school curricula.
  • Greater alignment could promote improved horse welfare and human safety by fostering evidence-based riding and care practices among all rider levels.

Conclusion

  • This study highlights important gaps in perception and teaching practice at Swedish riding schools that affect the uptake of scientific knowledge concerning horse behaviour and welfare.
  • By addressing these gaps—through enhanced dialogue and targeted lesson offerings—riding schools have the potential to become more effective venues for evidence-based equestrian education.
  • Ultimately, such improvements could contribute positively to the welfare of horses and the safety of riders, benefiting the equestrian community broadly.

Cite This Article

APA
Nyberg L, Blokhuis MZ, McLean A, Hartmann E. (2026). Rider education at Swedish riding schools: Comparing teachers’ and pupils’ perspectives. PLoS One, 21(2), e0331059. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0331059

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 21
Issue: 2
Pages: e0331059
PII: e0331059

Researcher Affiliations

Nyberg, Lina
  • University of Helsinki, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Helsinki, Finland.
Blokhuis, Mari Zetterqvist
  • MZ Equitation, Skokloster, Sweden.
McLean, Andrew
  • Equitation Science International (ESI), Victoria, Australia.
Hartmann, Elke
  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.

MeSH Terms

  • Humans
  • Sweden
  • Horses
  • Schools
  • School Teachers / psychology
  • Students / psychology
  • Animals
  • Male
  • Female
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Animal Welfare
  • Adolescent
  • Teaching
  • Learning
  • Adult
  • Child

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funder had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, manuscript writing, or the decision to publish the results.

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