[This was first posted on my personal Facebook page and was spread fairly wide, so may be familiar to some readers. I am posting it here for more exposure and as part of an effort to keep my work together.]

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but if you want to save your equine sport you have to stop with the defensive and knee-jerk responses. I’ve recently had two exchanges that prove those in horse sports are not prepared for what is coming their way in the form of public pressure.

The first exchange originated when a member of a group who have adopted former harness race horses asked what the purpose of a tongue tie is, when a racing photo was posted in the group. When I explained that horses react to excessive bit pressure by hanging their tongues, and that tongue ties have become the standard response in the racing industry – Thoroughbred and Standardbred – I was attacked by fans of racing. The arguments they gave ran from the ridiculous (horses who trip will swallow their tongues without it) to the sublimely ridiculous (horses cannot breathe at top speed unless their tongues are tied down). As I gave counters to these arguments, using other high speed sports such as Eventing, someone finally came out with the truth – if the tongue hangs out the driver loses control and that is dangerous for the drivers.

The arguments given were dressed up as horse welfare disguising the reality that it is human convenience and safety behind the use of tongue ties. Inside the racing bubble, I am sure these arguments make complete sense because they have convinced themselves collectively that there are no other options. But no one from outside the industry is actually going to buy the argument that a horse cannot breathe while running unless their tongue is tied down!

The second interaction was over an article about a recent FEI Dressage competition. One of the comments under the article was from someone who admitted she had never ridden Dressage but felt that there was a lot of equipment on the pictured horse’s face and wanted to know why. The response she received has become the knee-jerk for Dressage folks everywhere – let’s see a video of you doing better! This is a ridiculous response on its face, but reached a new level of nonsense when used against someone who had already said they did not do the sport!

Now, I happen to be someone who does not believe that double-bridles should be required – but I was astounded at the waste of an opportunity to educate the public at large about a sport the responder obviously cares about. The question posed is pretty standard for what is beginning to come from the public – at the heart of the Social License to Operate (SLO) that has become a hot topic in racing and FEI sports. If supporters of those sports react to the public with this sort of hostility they will lose public support even faster.

As humans, we are exceptionally good at justifying anything – even horrid practices. A too common practice in Western showing is to numb the horse’s tail, whether permanently through cutting nerves or temporarily through injecting substances such as alcohol. The purpose is to have the horse’s tail still so tension and displeasure are not visible (word is that some Dressage horses are now being treated the same). I have been told that this practice is actually a horse welfare issue – but not on the side you might guess. The justification is that a horse who cannot win its classes because of an active tail is likely to end up in a bad place. Again, a justification disguised as horse welfare but really about human needs and convenience. We are reaching a time when that just will not pass muster with the general public.

Science continues to learn about horses – things many good horsemen have known throughout time, but now measured and proven by science. In addition, developed societies are beginning to view our companion animals through a different lens – one that recognizes their emotions, cognitive abilities, bonding, and needs beyond just food, water, and shelter. Social media has sped this awakening through the sharing of videos that tug at heart strings and show sides of animal behavior that many people have not been exposed to. Is it really any surprise that those who enjoy such videos might be shocked by what they see in the equine sports world?

I spent twenty five years of my working life doing change management and I can tell you that in times of change the worst strategy is to double-down on defending the status quo. It is possible to save the SLO for horse sport, but the first priority has to be an objective look at the sports by those on the inside. When challenged by science or a member of the public at large, have the humility to truly consider any point they are raising. Is there a point to it? Can you honestly right a cogent, clear argument against what they raise? Or do you need to see their performance before even considering their point?

I would argue that if your choice is the last one, you might want to plan for a future without your sport in it. If we cannot easily justify the things we do, with science and empathy as our guide, then perhaps we deserve to lose it. Stop being defensive and start being engaged in the conversation.

(Photos are not those mentioned in the text of this post, but just as illustration of the points that were at issue.)