Abstract
<p>Promotion of positive welfare for performance horses requires understanding the horses’ experience as well as human motivations for their care and training practices. However, an area given less scientific consideration has been the role of the activities of horse sport governing bodies, which set welfare standards for the industry or discipline and reflect that organisation’s attitudes toward horses. Governance may be an important influence in maintaining or reforming equestrian cultural norms that influence horse welfare. The present study uses frame analysis to explore how horse sport governing organisations frame messages about horses and their welfare. We sought to answer the question: what are horse sport governing bodies doing to promote a good life for performance horses? A total of 5 frames were interpreted within the categories of the horse, horse welfare, and the performance horse industry. Horses were framed in one of two ways: as a willing participant, and/or as a sentient being. Horse welfare was framed as high priority, but also left up to individuals to tangibly realise in practice. Finally, the performance horse industry was framed as guardians of horses and their welfare, and as a trusted entity. We conclude that these frames may function as strategies to secure legitimacy, social licence to operate, and a positive social identity for equestrian culture, rather than as enforceable policy. Drawing on non-ideal ethics and agent-based theories of change, we suggest that improvement in performance horse welfare may require independent oversight and tangible, equine-centric policies that include the equestrian industry as a collaborative partner in this endeavor.</p>