Competition welfare stewards use validated assessment tools to identify horses showing pain or distress during equine sport events, enabling appropriate intervention.
Competition welfare assessment tools translate welfare science into practical ringside decision-making. Without standardized tools, welfare judgments are subjective and inconsistent. The RHpE provides a validated, reproducible assessment that removes subjectivity from steward decisions about horse welfare. The welfare impact is significant: horses showing multiple pain indicators during ridden competition are protected from continuing to perform in pain. Training stewards in validated assessment and empowering them to act on findings - including retiring horses from competition - creates meaningful protection for horses at the point where welfare is most at risk.