Equestrian sports involve horses performing physically demanding activities, raising welfare questions about training methods, equipment, injury management, and the consent of animals who cannot choose their participation.
Equestrian sport welfare involves the fundamental question of whether horses who cannot consent are experiencing their participation as positive, neutral, or negative. Research on physiological and behavioral indicators during equestrian activities — cortisol levels, ear position, eye temperature, tail movement — provides evidence that some horses show stress during training and competition while others appear engaged and comfortable. The welfare-conscious approach to equestrian sport uses this evidence to identify and eliminate training methods associated with negative experience, ensures appropriate conditioning before performance demands, prohibits pain-masking substances, and treats competition readiness as a welfare as well as performance question.