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Hi lovely,

I knew I had a good topic for this week’s email when Kelly caught me after the webinar and said:

“Well… I wasn’t expecting that.”

Fully aware that we were stepping into slightly controversial territory with this week’s discussion, Can Dressage Be Saved?… it really got me thinking.

There is nothing like a good healthy debate, a few raised eyebrows, and a proper conversation to stimulate change!

So, with that in mind, I thought we’d take a look at the 3 most controversial webinars we’ve hosted here at IH.

I’d really encourage you to watch these and let them get your brain working…

Where do you sit on these debates?

How do you think we move forwards?

And is there something we should be talking about that we’re not already?

Please do let me know!

Our 3 Most Controversial Webinars!… 

All three are available to watch in full in our Members Area: IH Members, you can access them for free as always.

Not a member yet? You can purchase them individually, or join us and get access to all of them (and a lot more besides). 

#1 – Can Dressage Be Saved?

Last week’s webinar with Dr Sue Dyson, James Cooling and Lisa White, asked us to look at dressage, and the future of horse sport, honestly.

Dressage, at its best, should be the ultimate test of harmony, balance and ease.

But increasingly, we’re seeing:

  • Signs of tension and conflict becoming normalised 
  • A growing reliance on contact and equipment to “hold” the outline
  • And perhaps most concerning, evidence that this is affecting horse welfare more than we’d like to admit

In fact, research discussed in the webinar found that 68% of Grand Prix horses, and 81% at national level, showed signs of pain or conflict behaviour.

Not the odd one, the majority!

The three biggest changes needed in dressage:

  • Judging must reflect welfare, we cannot keep rewarding outlines that show clear signs of discomfort
  • Less hand, more body, with a shift towards true balance, self-carriage and rider biomechanics
  • Stop masking problems with equipment, tighter nosebands and stronger setups do not solve issues, they hide them

Every horse rider should be striving to set a good example and encourage change at all levels! Watch this webinar to find out what you should be doing to help. 

This is one of those conversations that might feel a little uncomfortable… but probably needs to be had.

#2 – Should Horses Have a Choice in Training?

This one sparked a lot of discussion.

On the surface, it sounds simple. Of course horses should have a choice… shouldn’t they?

But as Dr Rosie Jones McVey explores, it’s not quite that straightforward.

One of the most interesting takeaways for me was this:

‘More choice doesn’t always mean better welfare.’

Horses don’t make decisions the way we do. Their choices are shaped by conditioning, habit, and immediate reinforcement – not long-term understanding.

Which leads to some big questions:

  • Are we offering genuine choice… or just well-trained responses?
  • Can a horse really give “informed consent”?
  • And where does responsibility ultimately sit?

Rosie makes a really balanced point:

We should aim for low-stress, thoughtful training… But, we can’t hand over responsibility for welfare decisions to the horse.

That still sits with us! 

Dive into the debate here…

#3 – The Barefoot Debate! ‘Could you do better’? 

If there’s ever a topic guaranteed to divide opinion, it’s barefoot vs shod.

What I found refreshing about Matthew Jackson’s take is that it wasn’t about “one is right, one is wrong”, it was about understanding the impact of what we do.

A few things that really stood out:

  • Movement is absolutely critical – from day one, for development and long-term soundness
  • The hoof is a reflection of the environment – soil, diet and management all feed into what you see
  • And perhaps most importantly… comfort has to come first, whatever route you take

One line that stayed with me was the idea that:

“Shoeing isn’t neutral. It changes how the foot functions…”

Not necessarily “bad” in every situation… but not something we should over look and ignore either when it comes to decision making. 

Is your horse barefoot or shod? Could you do better? 

Find out here… 

So… Where Do You Stand?

That’s really the point of this email.

Not to tell you what to think… but to get you thinking!

These are the conversations shaping the future of horsemanship.

And the more we engage with them openly, honestly, and without bias, the better it will be for our horses.

I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts on this one.

Which of these topics got you thinking the most?

Did anything challenge your current way of doing things?

And… is there a controversial topic you think we should tackle next?

All the best,

Abi Pass MSc Vet Phys & The Intelligent Horsemanship Team

PS. if you have a friend who might find these emails interesting do pass this on or get them to subscribe at www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk and get the free groundwork exercises!

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Lethornes RG17 8QP Lambourn GB