SEPTEMBER 2023 THE RIDER /43


Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission survey reveals positive response to recommendations


The work of the FEI’s inde-


pendent Equine Ethics and Well- being Commission (EEWB) is making a positive impact, ac- cording to a survey completed this summer of people involved with horses and horse sport. Al- most 6000 equestrians re- sponded, and nearly 64% had noticed ‘some’ or ‘more’ initia- tives to improve sport horse wel- fare.


Further to the launch of the


EEWB Commission’s additional 24 Recommendations, including the proposed vision of ‘A Good Life for Horses’, made in April to the FEI and international dele- gates at the Sports Forum in Lau- sanne, the Commission launched its second survey of equestrian stakeholders to gauge reactions to its work to date. The survey — which was


offered in English, French and Spanish — welcomed responses from anyone involved in horses. As with the previous survey


in 2022, the largest group of re- spondents were either local com- petition stakeholders (an owner,


rider, groom, trainer or instruc- tor), or leisure riders and drivers, with 43% of the respondents af- filiated to the FEI and 17% of these being FEI affiliated eques- trians. Dressage was the biggest interest group (34%), with show jumping (26%) the next. Encouragingly, when asked


about their views on initiatives to improve sport horse welfare over the past year, 21% reported they had seen ‘more initiatives’ and a further 45% reported having no- ticed ‘some initiatives’, making around 66% in total. Given that the EEWB Com-


mission has proposed a new vi- sion to ensure a Good Life for Horses in Sport, respondents were asked if they thought it was possible for horses to enjoy a good life when involved in sport. 79% of all respondents definitely agreed or agreed that they can, with around 3% believing instead that this is ‘probably’ or ‘defi- nitely’ not the case. FEI respon- dents were more convinced, with 88% agreement, while local com- petition and leisure riders/owners


had 77% agreement. Asked if the 24 recommen-


dations made by the EEWB to the FEI regarding equine ethics and wellbeing could make a real difference to horse welfare, using a scoring system from 1 (not at all) to 10 (to a great extent), 71% of respondents scored this ques- tion 6 or greater. This indicates that, if implemented, the recom- mendations are considered satis- factory or good in terms of progressing equine welfare in sport.


There was general support for the proposed new Equestrian


Farm shows bring people together


By Teresa Van Raay, Direc- tor, Ontario Federation of Agriculture September means fall


harvest on the farm. And while that’s a busy time of year, the Ontario agriculture industry also makes time for two of the biggest agricul- tural shows on its calendar: Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (COFS) and the Inter- national Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM). COFS is an annual


three-day outdoor show held at Discovery Farm Woodstock, taking place this year September 12 to 14. For almost 30 years, the event has showcased the newest and most innovative products and technologies in agriculture to Ontario’s farm community. From crop plots and


cattle handling demonstra- tions to the latest in robotic technology and automated farming, Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show is a chance for farmers to see, hear, touch, and ask questions about farming tools, practices and innovations. The IPM takes place a


week later and is hosted in a different Ontario commu- nity each year. This year, Bowling Green, near Or- angeville is home to the five-day event, which will take place September 19-23. Just like its name implies, the IPM features plowing competitions, but it offers much more than that, in- cluding many opportunities to learn about food and farming. For the Ontario Feder-


ation of Agriculture (OFA), both events are a great op- portunity to host visitors at our booth, Federation House


and we look forward to hav- ing you stop by for a visit and a cup of coffee or cider. OFA board members


and staff, including Member Service Representatives, will be at Federation House, ready and willing to speak with members about their farms, issues, concerns and more.


I farm with my family


in Huron County near Dash- wood, and I’ve always loved attending agriculture industry events like COFS or the IPM. I’ve always en- joyed making connections with people, and there’s something unique about the atmosphere at a farm show that encourages new ideas and helps people get excited about agriculture. Now that I’m a direc-


tor on the OFA board, I enjoy being part of our booth at Federation House and getting to meet mem- bers and fellow farmers face to face. The relaxed show environment


encourages


conversations, which aren’t always just about the farm. Yes, we’re directors repre- senting the OFA, but we are also part of a community who care for each other and want to celebrate who we are, where we live and what we do. The


International


Plowing Match often also attracts politicians from all


levels of government, and it’s a great experience to in- troduce someone to our in- dustry who doesn’t know much about agriculture and give them some first-hand glimpses into the life and business that is farming. My own personal con-


nection to the IPM goes back to 1999 when the event has hosted in my home county of Huron. I was a volunteer at that event and enjoyed it so much that I signed up again when the match came back to Huron County in 2017. The IPM is a volunteer-run event, and being part of that is a great opportunity to meet people, and to enjoy the unique sense of community spirit that’s present when people come together for a com- mon cause. The OFA is a member-


driven organization, and we rely on the input and feed- back from our members to help identify issues that matter to Ontario farmers and guide our advocacy ef- forts. Whether at COFS, the IPM or any of the other smaller events OFA will be attending this fall, we en- courage you to make time to catch up with us and let us know what’s on your mind – we’re looking forward to seeing you.


Charter. The charter would re- quire equestrians to pledge per- sonal responsibility for horse welfare, ensuring the highest standards of equine welfare and a commitment to improve under- standing of what is involved in providing a good life for horses. Almost 67% of respondents sup- ported the charter, with a further 30% saying ‘maybe’. Opinions were split across


the six key areas identified in the 2022 equestrian survey as being of most concern, with ‘Training and riding practices, tack and equipment’ the highest concern


(27%) overall. ‘Horses being treated as an object or ‘equip- ment’ and not as an emotional creature’ was the next highest (with 20%), and emotional and physical stress (16%) the third. There were differences between the disciplines in the level of con- cern shown for each key area of focus. Concern in eventing was highest regarding ‘emotional and physical stress including injuries’ (26%), although ‘enforcement and accountability’ (22%) and ‘training and riding practices, tack and equipment’ (21%) caused similar levels of concern. In dressage, the highest concern was ‘training and riding prac- tices, tack and equipment’ (36%) and in show jumping it was’ training and riding, tack and equipment’ (26%) and ‘the horse being treated as an object and not an emotional creature’ (22%). In addition to the feedback


provided through this ‘pulse sur- vey’, the EEWB held two webi- nars for stakeholders across the FEI which attracted participation from across the world. During the


webinars, the Commission chair outlined the rationale for the rec- ommendations and enabled par- ticipants to submit questions and comments to the Commission members, with many participants welcoming the direction of travel. “While this work is very


much ongoing, we are very pleased with the general levels of awareness of the EEWB’s work, and positivity about the recom- mendations we have proposed,” says EEWB Commission chair Professor Natalie Waran. “We now look forward to


formally handing our work over to the FEI Board so that they may consider the recommendations in more detail, and make their deci- sions on next steps including their plans for implementation.” The EEWB Commission’s


final report to the FEI will be de- livered to the FEI Board this au- tumn and presented at the FEI General Assembly in Mexico in November. Find out more about it at


equinewellbeing.fei.org.


New Equine Careers Showcase for Exploring Career Pathways in the Horse Industry


Guelph, ON September, 12, 2023 - Ever considered a ca- reer in the horse industry? 78 roles are represented in the newly launched Equine Careers Showcase which can be found on Equine Guelph’s https://EquineJob- Track.ca website! If you receive Equine


Guelph’s free monthly E- news, then you have already seen the early release of videos with horse profes- sionals, sharing their jour- ney and career pathways. The common denominator is a passion for working in the equine industry. This initiative was made possible due to funding from the On- tario Equine Education and E m p l o y m e n t Program(OEEEP). The OEEEP program


has been helping answer the need for staff in the Ontario equine industry since it’s in- ception. In November 2021 with funding from the On- tario Government, Equine Guelph joined with the On- tario Harness Horse Associ- ation and VPI, Inc. and together over 300 students have been accepted into the program to begin their ca- reers in the equine industry. Students


received


training in job preparedness and job interview skills from VPI for 2 weeks, 6


their time and provided ex- cellent information for those considering career pathways in the horse industry,” says Ecker. “A special thank you to Woodbine Entertainment and the racetracks and breeding operations who an- swered the call for intervie- wees to talk about the abundance of roles in the horse racing industry.” Visitors to the Equine


weeks of online learning from Equine Guelph and a placement program, match- ing potential employers with new students. With a such a solid start, watch for graduates of the OEEEP program starring in future Equine Careers Showcase features! “The Equine Careers


Showcase has been created to help newcomers to the horse world learn about the many career opportunities available in the industry,” says Equine Guelph direc- tor, Gayle Ecker. “As visi- tors to the showcase see the many possible pathways into the horse industry, they can be supported in their en- deavors to develop lifetime careers.” Video footage has


been released in Equine Guelph’s monthly email communications, featuring interviews with equine pro- fessionals


like former


jockey and Queen’s Plate winner, Robert Landry and Olympic dressage rider Jacquie Brooks. They are quite candid sharing their thoughts on their roles in- cluding the challenges and providing tips for those looking to enter the horse industry. They also discuss the traits required to perse- vere and what makes them get up every morning to do it all over again. Over 40 video interviews are avail- able to view with more coming! “I would like to sin-


cerely thank all the equine professionals that donated


Careers Showcase will find six categories to peruse: Racing, Multi-discipline, Healthcare, Horse Breeding, Marketing, Sales and Com- munications and finally “Other” with unique roles such as equine photogra- phers, artisans, mounted po- lice officers and education extension specialists repre- sented. The healthcare cate- gory covers a wide array of roles from massage thera- pists, veterinarians, vet techs, farriers and nutrition and feed specialists. The Equine Careers


Showcase features every- thing from entry level jobs as horse grooms all the way up to trainers, stable own- ers, researchers, high profile riders and more. Your future in the horse industry awaits. Visit the Equine Careers Showcase at https://Equine- JobTrack.ca.


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