The first day of the three-day conference began with a look into the history of the horse-human relationship and closed with perspectives on where science will lead that relationship in the future. Here’s a look at some of the day’s highlights:

• Sandra Olsen, PhD, zooarchaeologist and professor at the University of Kansas, took us on a historical journey of the relationship between equids and humans that began nearly 4 million years ago, when they shared similar migration paths across Tanzania. Exploring archeological findings, artistic renditions, and DNA analyses, we saw how that relationship evolved from co-existence to horse-as-prey all the way to today’s “friendship.”
• Janne Winther Christensen, PhD, of Aarhus University, in Tjele, Denmark, then addressed rider weight concerns. In her newest study she found that adding 15% and even 25% more body weight to riders’ bodies, whereby the rider-to-horse weight ratio reached 15-23%, did not change horses’ behavioral and physiological indicators in a standard dressage test. Over the long-term, however, effects might be more visible.
• Mette Uldahl, DVM, Cert. Equine Diseases, of Vejle Hestepraksis in Denmark, revealed a practical way for riders to check their seat balance. If you don’t believe you’re crooked in the saddle, see how you fare when you stand on two bathroom scales, one under each foot. The average difference between sides in her study averaged about 3 kilograms (7 pounds), which correlated with what she saw in the pressure mats placed under horses’ saddles.
• Meredith Chapman, PhD candidate in risk management engineering at the CQUni Rockhampton campus in Queensland, Australia, explained how riders’ beliefs and risk perceptions affect their levels of safety with their horses. People who are more resistant to accepting scientific knowledge, or who just accept that working with horses can be dangerous, have a greater chance of severe injuries or fatalities. This is in contrast to other high-risk injuries where practical safety awareness and education are priority.
• Evelyn Hodgson, veterinary student at Bristol Veterinary School in the UK, shared her experiences as a mounted safari guide in Africa and her related research in the equestrian tourism industry. While her work was reassuring in that most safari horses deal well with the stress of crossing paths with African wildlife, it did reveal individual differences. Further investigations could help guide horse selection for better safety and welfare.
• Orla Doherty, MVB, MSc, PhD, MRCVS, of the University of Limerick, in Ireland, updated attendees on her pioneering noseband work. Her team checked pressures of increasingly tightened nosebands on a cadaver horse head (because it would be unethical to test those levels on live horses). They determined that pressure levels on the anatomical structures beneath the noseband were high enough to cause significant levels of pain, stress, and damage to the horse.
• Jane Williams, PhD, researcher in the Hartpury University Centre equitation science department, in Gloucester, England, discussed her survey results concerning whip use. Most of the respondents rode regularly with a whip, and about a third believed that whips don’t cause pain. Those who don’t use whips believe good training makes them unnecessary, but those who do use them feel they’re necessary as a training aid or in emergency situations.

The day closed with discussions about how science and research will help equitation evolve, especially regarding whips, spurs, and nosebands, and help the sport keep its “social license to operate.” In other words, how will equitation science contribute to an image of horseback riding that our society will continue to accept?