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What if horse sports didn't just include welfare, but were built around it?In this timely and transformative book, equine educator and welfare advocate Lisa Ashton offers an evidence-based approach to the use of horses in sport. She presents a compelling blueprint for integrating welfare within the very heart of equestrian practice.
Through a clear and actionable 'welfare map,' Ashton guides riders, coaches, and trainers who are ready to shift their mindsets and skill sets toward more ethical, sustainable approaches. Rather than treating welfare as an add-on, she introduces the concept of welfare horse sports: a model where equine well-being is foundational, not optional.
Drawing on an intersectional and empowering approach, Ashton emphasises that meaningful change doesn't require a title or a platform. It starts with one equestrian-one coach, one rider, one trainer-bringing their unique voice, influence, and compassion to a shared mission: a better life for sport horses.
Welfare Horse Sports is not just a call to action. It's a roadmap for a more ethical and informed equestrian future. For anyone ready to earn public trust, elevate standards, and future-proof horse sports, this book is your starting point.
List of contents
Glossary of Key Terms. How to Use this Book. 1. The Shift. 2. The Welfare Horse Sport Mindset. 3. Tools for Transformation: Frameworks and Models. 4. Leading Cultural Change: Communities and Influence. Appendix I: Lesson Plans. Appendix II: Resources.
About the author
Lisa Ashton - Equitation Science Consultant, UK. MBA PGCE BA (Hons) Equitation Science International (ESI) Diploma, Pony Club A'Test, BHS Stage 4 Senior Coach Lisa is the founder of Equicoach.Life, a global coaching platform committed to advancing ethical, evidence-based horse training. Recently elected as Education Officer for the International Society for Equitation Science (ISES), Lisa educates coaches, riding schools and welfare organisations in applying evidence-based equitation. Her consultancy experience includes delivering long-term equine ethics, welfare and human behaviour change at Mount St. John Stud, Blue Cross, Redwings, and The Horse Trust. Her work embeds the Five Domains (2020) welfare framework and the application of the First Principles (ISES) in horse training.
Lisa brings an intersectional, rigorous, evidence-based approach to equestrian education with experience as a Senior Lecturer. Leading equine cognition and learning, welfare and ethics and equitation science. The co-host of the popular podcast The Other End of the Reins with Dr Andrew McLean and winner of the 'Expert in Their Field' StAR Award (as voted by students) Hartpury University. Lisa's outreach is rooted in twenty years of education in the application of learning theory, dedicated to advocating for ethical, sustainable equitation practices through coaching, scholarship, leading and managing communities of practice (CoP). Her published work includes book chapters on equine behaviour, welfare and the role of the horse in equestrian coaching, with peer-reviewed contributions in
Animals and the
Journal of Veterinary Behaviour.
