Changing Rein

What if the problem in equestrian sport isn't the riders who make the headlines, but the culture that produced them?In December, five-star eventer Matt Brown and FEI dressage rider Cecily Clark posted an open letter to the equestrian world. It struck a nerve — thousands of reactions and a flood of private messages from people who'd felt the same unease but thought they were the only one.In this episode, the husband-and-wife team behind East West Training Stables sit down with Karen and Meta to talk about what it really costs to compete at the top, and why Matt describes being named an Olympic alternate as one of the lowest moments of his career. Together they move the conversation away from singling out individuals and toward something harder to look at: the culture we've built around competition, and the things we've simply grown to accept.Along the way they explore the horses who've gone quiet in the warm-up ring — shut down, chins to their chests — the education gap that leaves even professionals unsure how a horse actually sees the world, and why choosing the slower, kinder path so often feels like failure long before it feels like progress.An honest, generous conversation about welfare, culture, and change — and why none of us needs to be perfect to start trying to do better.📩 Read the open letter that started it all

We love our animals. But is that enough?Captive animal welfare specialist Georgina Groves joins Karen and Meta for a conversation about the uncomfortable gap between what we know about animal welfare and what we actually do.Georgina's work takes her into some of the world's most under-resourced zoos — but the parallels she draws for horse people are striking. Stables that haven't meaningfully changed in a century. Animals who've forgotten how to be their own species. A health-centric idea of care that protects the body while quietly constraining the life.This is an episode about welfare washing, moral duty, and the difference between caring for an animal and caring about one.Featuring the story of four bears who had to relearn how to be bears — and what that might mean for the horses in our care.🎧 Listen in, then join the conversation.Guest: Georgina Groves, captive animal welfare specialist and co-founder of Wild WelfareHosts: Dr Karen Luke and Meta OsborneGEORGINA'S LINKEDIN POSTLINK TO WILD WELFARE

What happens when you look — really look — at how dressage is judged?In this episode of Changing Rein, PhD researcher Cristina Wilkins shares a finding that genuinely surprised us: the Dressage Judging Guidelines mention the requirement to maintain contact 37 times — and visible rein releases are penalised. The longer the release, the greater the penalty.For anyone trained in learning theory, that's a confronting discovery. Horses learn through pressure and release. So what happens when the release never comes?Using extraordinary high-speed photography from fine artist Crispin Johansson — capturing up to 60 frames per second during competition — Cristina and her research team have been able to examine entire dressage tests frame by frame. What they're seeing raises important questions about the gap between what we say good training looks like and what the rules actually reward.This conversation also explores how equipment like tight nosebands and even artificial foaming agents can mask signs of horse discomfort, and also introduces the concept of hypersensitisation - a possible explanation for why horses continue to perform even without the release that ethical training principles require.This isn't about blame. It's about looking more closely at what's happening and asking whether the rules we ride by match the welfare outcomes we all want.Guest: Cristina Wilkins — PhD candidate (University of New England), equitation science researcher, and co-author of multiple peer-reviewed papers on horse welfare.Hosts: Dr Karen Luke & Meta Osborne

The Innate Health Assessment tool developed by Prof Dan O'Neill and a team from the Royal Veterinary College has been described as revolutionary. In a podcast dedicated to the sustainability of horse sport from a welfare perspective, why are we talking about flat-faced dogs? Because we humans do things to and with animals in our lives that are not always in the animals' best interests, and breeding dogs for extreme conformation is one of those things. The IHA is designed to encourage responsible breeding of dogs so that future generations can lead full and happy lives, free from pain and discomfort. Dr Dan O’NeillProfessor of Companion Animal Epidemiology, RVCMVB BSc(Hons) GPCert(SAP) GPCert(FelP) GPCert(Derm) GPCert(B&PS) PGCertVetEd FHEA MSc(VetEpi) PhD FRCVSFollowing 22 years in general (mainly small animal) veterinary practice, Dan moved across to academia in 2009 to gain a PhD at the RVC developing VetCompass to harness the power of veterinary clinical records to understand companion animal health at scale. He has remained at the RVC and co-leads the VetCompass™ Programme. With over 185 peer-reviewed papers, he also co-authored the books ‘Breed Predispositions to Disease in Dogs and Cats’ and ‘Health and Welfare of Brachycephalic (Flat-faced) Companion Animals’. He is a founding member of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group, the UK Legal Advisory Group on Extreme Conformation in Dogs and the International Collaborative on Extreme Conformation in Dogs. Dan was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2018, the BSAVA Blaine Award for Advancement of Small Animal Science in 2019, the International Canine Health Award from the Kennel Club Charitable Trust in 2021, the UK All Party Parliamentary Group ‘Phillippa Robinson Dog Welfare Award’ in 2024 and the RCVS Impact Award in 2025. In this conversation, Dan O'Neill discusses his journey from general veterinary practice to academia, highlighting the impact of the 'Pedigree Dogs Exposed' documentary on his career pivot. He introduces Vet Compass, a research initiative aimed at improving animal health through data collection and analysis and the provision of evidence-based support for veterinary practices. The discussion delves into the challenges of traditional veterinary practices, the importance of evidence-based medicine, and the role of human perceptions in animal welfare. O'Neill emphasizes the need for a shift in thinking towards innate health in animals, advocating for a more humane approach to breeding and care. NOTE: The original Pedigree Dogs Exposed BBC documentary from 2008 that was the lightbulb moment for Dan is no longer available but its follow-up Pedigree Dogs Exposed: Three Years On is available on Prime Video.

This episode kicks off our new season of Changing Rein, in which we hope to step back and take a ‘big picture’ look at how welfare policy happens in equestrian sport, and what are the challenges and opportunities in making a better life for horses in sport. Our first guest is Prof Natalie Waran. Nat is an internationally acclaimed animal behaviour and welfare scientist, educator and opinion leader. She was previously Professor of Animal Welfare, the Jeanne Marchig Animal Welfare Education Centre Director andInternational Dean at Edinburgh University’s Veterinary School, before she moved back to NZ in 2016 to take up the role of Professor of One Welfare and Executive Dean at EIT where she was based for 7 years. She was until recentlyDirector of a new ‘A Good Life for Animals Centre’ – a Research and Human Behaviour Change initiative in New Zealand. She is now full-time in her role as Director of NavigateWelfare, an international animal welfare consultancy,whilst maintaining her academic work as a Hon Professor at Edinburgh, Hartpury, and Charles Sturt Universities. Over the past 30+ years, she has researched and published across a range of species, but her special interest is in equine welfare and she has worked on a variety of topics including; horse transport, indicators of equine stress andpain, equine problem behaviour, equine quality of life and welfare assessment as well as editing a book ‘The Welfare of Horses’ published by Springer. Her most recent research collaborations involves colleagues in Australia, UK,Brazil, UK, Sweden and Denmark, all with the central objective of developing methods and understanding about positive horse welfare. She has been a trustee for a number of international equine charities including; The Brooke (workingequids) and International Fund for Animal Welfare and works closely with others such as World Horse Welfare. A co-founder of the International Society for Equitation Science (ISES), she is now Honorary Fellow and former Trustee forthe organisation. She has a track record of organising numerous conferences and workshops to bring researchers and practitioners together to share information to advance animal welfare, and in particular to promote positive human behaviour change. The first workshop to develop the field of equitation science was held in 2004whilst she was at Edinburgh University, she then organised the 2012 ISES conference in Edinburgh when she returned to the vet school, and in 2024 she chaired the local organising committee for the ISES conference held in NZ with the theme of ‘A Good Life for Horses’. As the invited chairperson of the FEI Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission, she led the development of an ambitious report proposing a new ‘Good Life’ Vision, Charter and 30 Recommendations toaddress critical issues related to the involvement of horses in sport, and in 2024, she co-authored a white paper (Good Equine Welfare) for Eurogroup for Animal Welfare. In 2025 she was awarded an OBE for her services to equine welfare, research and education. When at home in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand , Nat enjoys training and riding her own horses, coaching young riders and trying to teach her naughty donkeys and Pickles the (very) feral goat, new tricks.

SummaryIn Part 1 of our conversation with Bonny Mealand, she shares her journey into equine podiatry and the development of her HELP model, which emphasizes a holistic, horse-led approach to care. She discusses the importance of understanding horse behavior, building trust, and ensuring emotional safety in interactions. Bonny highlights the significance of observation in equine care and the important role of choice when developing meaningful relationships with horses. The conversation also touches on the challenges of rehabilitating traumatized horses and the potential for riding to be a positive shared experience when approached correctly.TakeawaysBonny's work focuses on a holistic approach to equine care.The HELP model emphasizes safety and relationship building with horses.Understanding horse behavior is crucial for effective interaction.Observation of free-living horses provides insights into their natural behavior.Building trust with horses takes time and patience.The importance of emotional safety in horse handling cannot be overstated.Rehabilitating traumatized horses requires a long-term commitment.The HELP wheel serves as a framework for horse-human relationships.Touch should be initiated by the horse to ensure comfort.Riding can be a part of the relationship if approached correctly.

Karen and Meta share an interest in Systems Thinking and its potential applications to horse welfare in sport. So when Dr Megan Ross and her co-authors published a paper on wicked problems and systemic issues in Canadian dressage she had to be a podcast guest!Dr Megan Ross has a background in dressage and eventing. She has an applied science degree from the University of British Columbia with a focus on Animal Welfare and has applied this background (and Pilates certification) as a trainer and riding instructor to support the horse-rider dyad. She recently completed a PhD at the Atlantic Veterinary College and the University of Prince Edward Islandunder the supervision of Dr. Caroline Ritter and Dr. Kathryn Proudfoot. Her research focused on the human dimension of horse well-being/welfare, exploring owners’ perspectives of horse welfare in their daily life like management andtraining. She is now conducting postdoctoral research with Dr. Katrina Merkies at the University of Guelph assessing the influence of interventions on rider and horse behaviour during lessons. Link to the paper discussed in the episodehttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/388845023_A_wicked_problem_Systemic_issues_surrounding_Canadian_equestrian_dressage_and_dressage_horse_welfare The map of the issues mentioned by Megan in the episode is available atthis link:https://static.cambridge.org/content/id/urn%3Acambridge.org%3Aid%3Aarticle%3AS0962728625000028/resource/name/S0962728625000028sup001.pdf

In this episode we chat with Prof Paddy Wall about his recently published report into the scandal involving a horse abattoir in Ireland in 2024.Prof Wall is a vet and medical doctor and has awide-ranging resumé with contributions spanning public health, food safety, governance and education. He was the first Chief Executive of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and has held senior positions on international food safety bodies including the European Food Safety Authority. He is Professor of Public Health at University College Dublin. He has further qualifications in infectious diseases, business administration and corporate governance. A keen horseman, Paddy has shown and judged young horses, produced riding horses for the Ridden Hunter classes, participated in hunter trials and one-day-event competitions, and ridden in Point-to-Points. He was co-author of the 2010 UCD report on Horse Welfare in Ireland commissioned by World Horse Welfare and was chairman of Horse Sport Ireland from 2013-2016.In 2024 the Irish national broadcaster, RTÉ, screened an investigative documentary which alleged potentiallysignificant animal welfare breaches and fraud at Ireland’s only equine abattoir which was under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). In the wake of this documentary Paddy was asked by DAFM to carry out a review of the issues highlighted in the documentary, particularly around equine identification and traceability. The report was published in March 2025 and is available at this link.The report was accompanied by an ActionPlan from DAFM setting out proposals to implement the recommendations of the Wall report.

Our guest Dr Gemma Pearson has so much to say that we decided to offer her episode in two versions - this one is the condensed version, in which Gemma discusses the highlights of her journey in equine behavioural medicine.In her current roles, Gemma combines her time between research and outreach as Director of Equine Behaviour at The Horse Trust and running a referral clinic for clinical equine behaviour cases where she is based at the University of Edinburgh.After working in ambulatory practice Gemma undertook a rotating residency programme in the equine hospital alongside an MScR investigating horse veterinarian interactions.Subsequently she completed her CCAB (certified clinical animal behaviourist) exam and her PhD thesis ‘Stress in equids undergoing veterinary care and the development of interventions that positively influence the horses’ experience’. As well as continuing with her own research she supervises several students at PhD, MSc and undergraduate level. Subsequently she has been recognised as the first species specific RCVS specialist in Veterinary Behavioural Medicine (Equine).Gemma is frequently invited to lecture internationally, as a recognised expert in this field and an excellent communicator. One of the most successful projects was filming a series of short YouTube videos with the British Equine Veterinary Association aiming to reduce injury rates when dealing with difficult horses under the ‘Don’t break your vet’ campaign.In her spare time she has competed up to advanced level endurance on a homebred horse as well as enjoying competing in affiliated dressage and eventing. Currently she is retraining a Thoroughbred recently retired from racing.Gemma's research output is available at this link:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gemma-Pearson-2/research

This week, Karen and Meta discuss two recent events, and what they found interesting and potentially helpful in building a better future for equestrian sport.We discuss World Horse Welfare's recent virtual conference titled:"Accountability for welfare in equestrianism: Looking beyond the obvious"https://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/accountability-for-welfare-in-equestrianism-looking-beyond-the-obviousAnd also the latest offering from the Teagasc series, Let's Talk Equine, featuring our own Meta Osborne.https://www.teagasc.ie/rural-economy/rural-development/equine/lets-talk-equine-webinar-series/We hope you enjoy this bonus, and as always, reach out and share your thoughts and opinions and ideas for the future.Our email is: team@changingrein.com.au

Gabriel Lencioni is a young, equine vet with an interest in horse welfare and behaviour. Recently qualified, Gabriel is already embarking on research that just might change the way we think about horse welfare in equestrian sport - he is creating an AI model to assess horse welfare during competition. Not your regular AI tech-bro, Gabriel shares with us his journey into animal behavior and welfare, and why he is determined to leverage the latest technology to improve the lives of horses, vets and owners. As our first guest from South America, we also explore cultural perspectives on animal welfare, and as always, we talk about how optimistic we are the future of horse sports. Reading and Resources Find all of Gabriel's research here The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness (2012) An integrative and functional framework for the study of animal emotion and mood (Mendl et al, 2010)

In this episode, Master Farrier Andrew Bowe discusses his journey from traditional farriery to a focus on barefoot hoof care. He shares insights on treating chronic conditions like laminitis and navicular disease, the ethical considerations of hoof care, and the importance of educating horse owners. The conversation also covers performance solutions for horses, the significance of farrier care, and the future of hoof care regulation. Andrew emphasizes the need for a mixed approach to hoof care, combining traditional and modern methods for optimal horse health. At their farm, Mayfield, Andrew and wife Nicky host the Australian College of Equine Podiotherapy where they train the next generation of equine hoof care practitioners, plus they also offer a lameness rehab and retirement agistment facility. In addition, at Mayfield and at locations around Australia they offer maintenance hoof care workshops so owners can learn how to safely care for their horse's feet in between farrier visits. Visit Andrew's website here: https://barehoofcare.com/

Life with horses is complicated, because we take on responsibility for another sentient being- and if we humans want to improve horse welfare, we need to find common ground with one another. Tamzin Furtado BA(Hons), AdvDip, PhD is a social scientist with a background in global health, and a specific interest in the interconnections between human and animal health, and well-being. She completed a PhD at the University of Liverpool studying human behaviour change in relation to obesity in horses, particularly focusing on horse-human relationships. Tamzin works on projects across the equine welfare spectrum, including: studying people’s perceptions of sport horse wellbeing, livery yard management, and anthelmintic resistance. In this episode we talk about barriers and enablers of change, at both individual level and organisational leve. We also hear about Tamzin's novel work on the tricky topic of equine obesity. We discuss the welfare of livery yard owners and managers, and we chat about uncertainty. Tamzin’s publications can be found at this link https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tamzin-Furtado