‘Be A Guardian’ Initiative

The FEI is pleased to introduce the “Be a Guardian” initiative, which was launched on 19 July, calling upon members of the community to fully commit to their duties as ‘guardians’ of FEI horses.

The Concept of ‘Guardianship’

The term ‘guardian’ signifies the FEI’s evolving narrative of the horse-human partnership, highlighting human responsibility for horse welfare.

This shift underscores a fundamental change in the FEI’s approach to equine care.

Guardianship prioritises meeting horses’ natural needs such as adequate eating time, social interaction, and exercise. It is focused on building trust and fostering a thriving horse-human relationship so that a true partnership, based on trust and understanding is created, which in turn leads to sporting excellence.

The guardianship concept focuses on what is best for horses, recognising them as valuable beings deserving protection, trust, and respect.

This redefines the human role as ‘caretaker,’ responsible for ensuring horses lead good lives.

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Why did the FEI create this initiative?

When we reframe a problem, we inject fresh perspectives into our thinking, opening up new avenues for exploration and creative problem-solving.

By seeing ourselves as ‘guardians,’ we commit to acknowledging horses’ needs, treating them with respect, compassion, and care, and reinforcing our duty to these magnificent animals in all aspects of our interaction.

This idea of Guardianship also guided the Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission in the creation of the comprehensive document which highlighted six priority areas and offered 30 recommendations aimed at enhancing the welfare of sport horses.

What is the Equine Welfare Strategy Action Plan?

In response to the priorities identified by the Commission, the FEI has crafted an Equine Welfare Strategy Action Plan.

This plan, designed to foster the wellbeing of FEI horses and inspire global welfare initiatives, is backed by a CHF 1 million allocation approved by the FEI Board in June 2024.

Our goal is to respect the natural needs of horses in international equestrian sports through robust rules, guidelines, educational programmes, and various initiatives.

We urge our equestrian community to embrace this call to action, actively promote this shift in perspective, and recognise the responsibility we all share in being the guardians of our beloved horses.