Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Equestrianism is a big sport in Sweden with many practitioners. It is a dangerous sport and it is important for the rider to be aware of the risks, to study equine ethology and know how to handle the horse, to avoid accidents. Today most people have their first contact with a horse through a horseback riding school. Ölmstad rid- och körsällskap is a riding school that provides their pupils with a different kind of lessons. The lessons are 90 minutes long and contain both riding and horse-knowledge education. These lessons are designed to raise awareness among the pupils. At Ölmstad rid- och körsällskap the staff had for a long time noticed a lack of horse knowledge and therefore started this concept. This kind of lessons have been operating for seven years. During this time, the riding school has created a large theoretical teaching material. This paper examines some of the teaching material and compare it to scientific facts to consider whether it is scientifically true. Further on, the need of change and clarification of the material was also considered. It seems important to have knowledge of equine ethology to be a good horse trainer and rider. Moreover, it also seems important that equine knowledge increases among horse enthusiasts for improving horse welfare. The examined material seems overall consistent with science but some changes and clarifications are proposed in this work. Finally, this kind of lessons, with horse-knowledge education, may be a future concept for Swedish riding schools. It can be a contribution to raise awareness and of important grant to horse welfare.