Hold Your Horses!
by a confused and
curious horse owner
An independent research project
If you’ve ever found yourself plagued by overthinking and wondering “is this still the right way to do things?”, you’re not alone.
My name is Anna and I’ve found myself asking increasingly complex questions about the relationship we have with horses.
I'm keen to hear what other people are thinking, feeling and experiencing as we navigate change in the equestrian community so I’ve set up a research project to explore what’s happening.
The survey will take about 20 minutes to fill out, and is open to all respondents, even if you don’t know one end of a horse from another.
What is the research?
The survey will ask you about:
Your demographics and background
How your perceptions of equestrian welfare are influenced
How you feel about challenges to traditional equestrian practices
Your trust in different types of equestrian organisation to influence horse welfare
How long will it take?
It’s not a short survey. There’s so much to be interested in and I expect it will take about 15 to 20 minutes. So grab a coffee, snuggle up and enjoy thinking about horses. If you don’t have time to fill it in right now but would like to be reminded later, fill in this form.
Who can take part?
Anyone! Professional riders. Weekend hackers. Breeders, vets, sceptics, traditionalists, reformers, and the simply curious who've never sat on a horse. I'd love to hear from you!
The way the survey is structured means you will see some different questions dependent on your location and level of involvement with horses. For example, if you know nothing about horses, the survey will ask you questions about your attitude to change for a hobby, topic or sport you are passionate about. We will compare the different sets of answers.
People outside of the UK will not be asked about brands and organisations as these are UK specific.
Why is it being done?
The equestrian community is at a strange, confusing point: welfare science is moving fast, public opinion is shifting, and long-standing traditions are being questioned more openly.
I wanted to understand that shift properly, rather than just watch it happen in comment sections and Facebook groups. So I built a survey that tries to ask not just what people think, but what it's actually like to be asked to change something you've always believed.
In all honesty, I don’t have an end game. If there is enough interest, I’d love to set up a community group of like minded people who wanted to read and discuss the findings, and what they mean.
Who is conducting the research?
I’m a horse lover, an artist, and by day, an insights consultant.
Through all of these identities I’m constantly thinking, questioning and exploring alternative perspectives and I’m fascinated by how we experience change. Alongside my equestrian life, I work in research and insight, helping organisations understand people’s experiences, motivations and behaviours. I wanted to bring those skills into a subject I care deeply about: understanding how the equestrian community thinks about the future of horses.
I know I won’t ever have all the answers but I do believe that asking thoughtful questions and listening to different perspectives is one of the best ways we can move forward.
If you’d like to find out a bit more about who I am you can explore my social media profiles and rest of my website. I don’t post very often but you can see I’m a real person with no set agenda.
Just someone who loves horses, trying to make sense of where we are.