What does the public think about training horses with whips, spurs or rewards? Do they believe that all sport horses live good lives? The results of World Horse Welfare’s fourth annual YouGov public opinion poll* on the public acceptance of horses in sport have been be revealed.
World Horse Welfare has been monitoring UK public opinion on the acceptability of involving horses in sport since 2022. The annual survey forms part of the charity’s work to support horse sport in improving their ethical and welfare practices by highlighting areas of public concern so that horse sport leaders can take action and build trust.
While the results of this fourth annual poll show little change in the public’s attitudes towards horse sport – with 22% not supporting the use of horses in sport at all, 42% who support it only if welfare improves and 58% wanting increased safety and welfare measures – they underscore the common sense of the UK public regarding what horses need for a good life.
Respondents were asked to indicate if they had regular interactions with horses and the survey results showed some significant differences in opinion from members of the ‘non-horsey’ general public.
The survey reflects the views of 4,600 respondents aged 18+ in the UK, including 2% who regularly interact with horses. Some key findings from the survey included:
- Just over a quarter (27%) of the public believe that ‘most sport horses live good lives’, while almost half of those who regularly interact with horses believe this to be true (49%).
- However, only 5% of people in the UK believe that ‘all sport horses live good lives’ while and a similar percentage (8%) of those who interact regularly with horses believe this to be true.
- Nearly two-thirds (62%) of the public understand that it is important to a sports horse to have contact with other horses, while a similar number (64%) stated the need to be able to rest after competitions. Over half (51%) also highlighted the need to have well-fitted tack and equipment and 55% for horses to be fit enough for what is being asked of them. Furthermore, nearly half (45%) recognised that it was also important for them to live in a field.
- Those who regularly interact with horses were more likely than the general public to believe that it was important to a sport horse to go to competitions (17% vs 8%), win competitions (12% vs 6%) and be ridden (35% vs 21%). This could be due to equestrians believing that their horses enjoy their work and competing, though there is not yet any concrete evidence that they do.
- Around 7 in 10 (68%) of all adults believe that those involved in horse sport prioritise horses’ mental welfare only sometimes (26%), rarely (23%) or never (8%). Less than 20% believe equine mental welfare is prioritised ‘always’ or ‘often’.
- There was low public support for some common practices, such as light use of a whip or spurs (21% and 11%), or using strong (leg) pressure on the horses’ sides or reins (7%). Around 3% believe it is acceptable to use a whip with force when training a horse, or to use fear or pain to train a horse.
- In contrast, those who interact regularly with horses were more likely to consider light use of a whip (51%) or spurs (25%) to be acceptable. They were also more likely to believe it was acceptable to use fear (5% vs 2%) or pain (8% vs 2%) to train a horse, and use the whip with force (5% vs 2%).
- In terms of what would build trust among the general public that sport horses live good lives, around half (53%) indicated unannounced welfare inspections of equestrian training facilities and mandatory welfare education for all those involved with sport horses (51%). Just under half (46%) indicated trust would be built by publishing the results of welfare assessments.
- Almost half of the public (47%) and more than half (55%) of those who interact regularly with horses would be reassured that a horse’s mental welfare was being prioritised if they were allowed to make some of their own choices, such as whether to go into a stable or go outside into a field – not a significant difference in understanding.
- The public were less likely than those who interact regularly with horses to agree that it is acceptable for high level competition horses who could no longer compete at that level to be rehomed for leisure riding (60% vs 80%), sold to a less experienced owner (11% vs 18%), compete at a lower level (19% vs 57%) or be sold to someone whose business is selling horses (12% vs 19%).
- The majority of those who interact regularly with horses agreed the above measures would build trust that sport horses live good lives, with strong support for mandatory welfare education (65%), unannounced inspections of equestrian training centres (59%) and publication of the results of welfare assessments (58%). Their trust was also more likely to be built by live streaming of warm ups at competitions (29% vs 17%), publishing the results of disciplinary actions (49% vs 37%) and ensuring the location of all sport horses can be tracked from birth to death (50% vs 40%).
World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers said: “The UK public has an instinctive common sense about what horses need to have a good life, including having contact with other horses and the ability to make choices for themselves. But the vast majority do not believe that all sport horses live good lives, so there is plenty the horse world can do to build that trust.”
* All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.Total sample size was 4,600 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 14th – 16th May 2025.The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+), come from a wide geographic and demographic range and are representative of the population in terms of gender, age, socioeconomic background, etc.
~ edited press release
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