International Society for Equitation Science

Ep. 41 The Culture of Competition: Exploring Horse Welfare Perceptions

In this episode, Erica Cheung explores her PhD research discovering how equestrians perceive and navigate horse welfare, drawing on interviews that reveal the complex role of culture, tradition, authority and cognitive dissonance in shaping everyday decisions. From normalised practices to moments that challenge long-held beliefs, this conversation examines both the barriers to change and where opportunities for progress may lie. We also discuss Erica’s ongoing PhD research, including quantitative work and analysis of public responses to high-profile equestrian incidents. You can view this paper here: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12304784/

Ep. 40 Rethinking Riding Schools: Welfare, Workload and Industry Change

This episode explores a research paper surveying Canadian riding lesson facilities to understand how lesson horses are managed and the challenges of maintaining welfare. Caleigh Copelin and Dr Katrina Merkies discuss findings showing that while horse welfare was generally positive outside of riding, riding sessions themselves were associated with increased stress due to factors such as inconsistent rider techniques and demanding workloads. The conversation highlights gaps in regulation and oversight, industry perceptions of welfare, and practical ways to support lesson horse wellbeing through education, improved management, and wider industry standards. You can view this paper here: https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/cjas-2025-0008

Ep. 39 Can we use AI to understand how horses feel? With Dr. Claire Ricci-Bonot

In this episode, we explore new research on using facial expressions and artificial intelligence to identify emotional states in horses, moving beyond pain detection to include states like anticipation, frustration, and disappointment with Dr Claire Ricci-Bonot. With models reaching around 76% accuracy, the findings highlight both the potential and the limitations of using technology to assess equine emotion and welfare. Dr Claire Ricci-Bonot is an academic researcher specialising in animal behaviour, cognition, and welfare, with a primary focus on horses at the University of Lincoln. Her work explores equine emotions, social relationships, and stress, including topics such as social buffering, separation issues, and the use of AI to identify emotional states in horses. You can read this paper here: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0302893

Ep. 38 How Light Shapes Horse Health and Behaviour with Dr Barbara Murphy

In this episode, Dr. Barbara Murphy discusses equine chronobiology and the role of light in regulating the horse’s circadian rhythms and biological clock. We explore how light exposure influences sleep, behaviour, reproduction, and overall horse welfare, and how modern horse management can disrupt natural light cycles. Barbara also explains how research into photoperiod and circadian biology has led to practical applications in equine management and breeding, including the development of lighting technologies used within the global horse industry. This conversation highlights why understanding the relationship between light, physiology, and behaviour is important for improving horse welfare and evidence-based management. Dr. Barbara Anne Murphy is Programme Director of the BAgrSc Animal Science – Equine programme and Head of Equine Science at University College Dublin. Her research focuses on equine chronobiology and how light regulates biological rhythms that influence horse health, reproduction, and performance. Her work led to the development of the award-winning Equilume Light Mask, and she also serves as Chief Scientific Officer at Equilume Ltd. Read the paper here: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0326567

Ep 37. Rethinking Stallion Management Through Welfare Science

In this episode, Professor Christine Aurich discusses her review paper on the welfare of breeding stallions, exploring how social and emotional needs can be balanced alongside reproductive performance. The conversation challenges traditional management practices (particularly routine isolation) and examines how limited social contact can impact behaviour, health, and long-term wellbeing. We discuss the importance of early socialisation, life-stage development, group dynamics, and practical housing solutions such as bachelor systems and social contact through adjacent turnout. The episode also covers semen collection training, highlighting how calm, choice-based handling and consistent routines can improve both welfare and breeding outcomes. Overall, the discussion reinforces that reproductive success does not automatically equal good welfare and that with informed, evidence-based management, stallions can thrive both behaviourally and reproductively. Based on: Górecka-Bruzda, A., & Aurich, C. (2025). Importance of the social environment for reproductive and general welfare of domestic horse (Equus caballus) stallions. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 292, 106827. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106827 [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106827]