What if horse sports didn’t just include welfare, but were built around it?
In this timely and transformative book, equine educator and welfare advocate Lisa Ashton offers an evidence-based approach to the use of horses in sport. She presents a compelling blueprint for integrating welfare within the very heart of equestrian practice.
Through a clear and actionable ‘welfare map’, Ashton guides riders, coaches and trainers who are ready to shift their mindsets and skillsets toward more ethical, sustainable approaches. Rather than treating welfare as an add-on, she introduces the concept of welfare horse sports: a model where equine well-being is foundational, not optional.
Drawing on an intersectional and empowering approach, Ashton emphasises that meaningful change doesn’t require a title or a platform. It starts with one equestrian – one coach, one rider, one trainer – bringing their unique voice, influence, and compassion to a shared mission: a better life for sport horses.
Welfare Horse Sports is not just a call to action. It’s a roadmap for a more ethical and informed equestrian future. For anyone ready to earn public trust, elevate standards and future-proof horse sports, this book is your starting point.
This transformative book offers an evidence-based approach to the use of horses in sport. She presents a compelling blueprint for integrating welfare within the very heart of equestrian practice, signposting coaches, riders and trainers to four pillars of social license to operate (SLO); legitimacy, transparency, communication and trust.
Arvustused
"The book's focus on making equestrians leaders of positive change through welfare-driven practices is both timely and necessary in todays climate. Its interdisciplinary approachcombining welfare science, human behaviour change, and equitation sciencefills a gap in the existing literature and offers actionable strategies to future-proof equestrian sports."
Debbie Busby MSc GMBPsS MBACP CEBC CCAB ABTC-CAB, Doctoral Researcher in Horse-Human Relationships at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
"A book that needs to take priority on your reading list! Lisa generously shares her depth knowledge and insight, enabling us all, professionals and amateurs alike, to work together to ensure better safeguarding of horses in sport (and everyday life). This book provides the tools you need to speak on behalf of the horse. Lisas words give you the confidence to be curious, to ask questions that will influence change in us and others alike. We should all be open to critically reassess what we know and how we can make it better for the horse. Lisas book does just that."
Claire Whitfield, Sylvia Loch Accredited Weight Aids Instructor, BHSAI, Classical Rider & Teacher, UK
Glossary of Key Terms. How to Use this Book.
1. The Shift.
2. The
Welfare Horse Sport Mindset.
3. Tools for Transformation: Frameworks and
Models.
4. Leading Cultural Change: Communities and Influence. Appendix I:
Lesson Plans. Appendix II: Resources.
Lisa Ashton - Equitation Science Consultant, UK. MBA PGCE BA (Hons) Equitation Science International (ESI) Diploma, Pony Club ATest, BHS Stage 4 Senior Coach
Lisa is the founder of Equicoach.Life, a global coaching platform committed to advancing ethical, evidence-based horse training. Recently elected as Education Officer for the International Society for Equitation Science (ISES), Lisa educates coaches, riding schools and welfare organisations in applying evidence-based equitation. Her consultancy experience includes delivering long-term equine ethics, welfare and human behaviour change at Mount St. John Stud, Blue Cross, Redwings, and The Horse Trust. Her work embeds the Five Domains (2020) welfare framework and the application of the First Principles (ISES) in horse training.
Lisa brings an intersectional, rigorous, evidence-based approach to equestrian education with experience as a Senior Lecturer. Leading equine cognition and learning, welfare and ethics and equitation science. The co-host of the popular podcast The Other End of the Reins with Dr Andrew McLean and winner of the Expert in Their Field StAR Award (as voted by students) Hartpury University. Lisas outreach is rooted in twenty years of education in the application of learning theory, dedicated to advocating for ethical, sustainable equitation practices through coaching, scholarship, leading and managing communities of practice (CoP). Her published work includes book chapters on equine behaviour, welfare and the role of the horse in equestrian coaching, with peer-reviewed contributions in Animals and the Journal of Veterinary Behaviour.
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