How public perception is changing - and what equestrians can do next

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For many of us, horses are not a hobby. They are a way of life.

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They shape our routines, our relationships, our sense of meaning. They give us partnership, purpose, and connection. For some, they offer sport and ambition. For others, healing, community, and quiet joy.

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But alongside that love, a difficult conversation is growing louder:

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Will society continue to accept the use of horses in sport - as it is practiced today?

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This question sits at the heart of what is increasingly being called equestrianism’s social licence to operate.

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And whether we like the phrase or not, the issue it describes is very real.

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Social licence is not a threat meant to scare riders - it is an invitation to reflect on what our sport asks of horses, and what society is willing to accept.

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What is a Social Licence?

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Most industries are regulated through laws: clear rules about what is legal and permissible.

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But there is another layer of permission that matters just as much.

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A social licence to operate is the ongoing approval granted by the public - an unwritten understanding that an activity is ethically acceptable.

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It isn’t fixed. It can be strengthened, questioned, or withdrawn entirely.

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In equestrianism, this “licence” depends on something simple but profound:

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Does society believe that horses are treated with respect, care, and fairness - and that their welfare comes first?

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If the answer becomes uncertain, public trust begins to erode.

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And history shows that once trust is lost, it is difficult to regain.

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Why is This Conversation Growing Now?

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In recent years, concern about horse sport has become more visible, more intense, and harder to ignore.

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Protests at elite competitions, viral warm-up footage, and growing criticism of certain training methods have brought equestrianism under a microscope.

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Even dedicated horse people are beginning to feel uncomfortable with:

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• The frequency of serious falls in some disciplines

• The normalisation of force or excessive equipment

• The public image of top-level sport

• The sense that horses are sometimes being asked to participate through pressure rather than partnership

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And crucially, this scrutiny is no longer limited to insiders.

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Modern technology has changed everything.

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Almost everyone now carries a phone capable of recording high-quality video. Social media allows “backstage” moments - good or bad - to spread instantly.

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Horse sport is no longer something that happens quietly within its own bubble.

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It is happening in full view.

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Is the Threat to Horse Sport Real?

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Yes - and the evidence is sobering.

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A YouGov survey commissioned by World Horse Welfare found that:

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• 40% of the UK public would only support the use of horses in sport if welfare improves

• 20% do not support it at all

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Perhaps most strikingly, the views of people who regularly interact with horses were not dramatically different from the general public.

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This suggests that the issue is not simply “outsiders misunderstanding horses.”

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It is something deeper:

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a genuine ethical shift in what society considers acceptable animal use.

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How Social Licence is Lost

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Social licence rarely disappears overnight.

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It erodes through a pattern:

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• Harmful practices becoming normalised

• Welfare concerns dismissed rather than addressed

• Governing bodies appearing slow to act

• The public witnessing moments that feel uncomfortable or cruel

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While many horses are cared for exceptionally well, it only takes a small number of visible incidents to shape perception.

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Examples in recent years - including abuse cases, controversial training practices, and welfare scandals - have raised serious questions about the culture of some areas of the sport.

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Over time, repeated exposure to compromised welfare can cause a dangerous form of blindness within an industry:

What becomes familiar begins to feel normal - even when it should not.