Changing Rein – Détails, épisodes et analyse

The ethics of using horses in sport has never been more topical. Join us as we talk to vet, horsewoman and Prof of Veterinary Ethics Madeleine Campbell and we discover that ethics is something everyone loves to talk about.

Lee McLean has spent a lifetime with horses. She describes herself as a ranch wife, horse trainer, lifelong writer and stroke survivor, and in this episode we learn about her childhood with her sister riding their ponies bareback on the family ranch in British Columbia, her training in classical dressage, and about her day to day work with horses at Keystone Equine with her husband Mike. In  our conversation Lee reflects on her journey from a traditional and utilitarian approach to riding to a more horse-centric, empathetic approach. We discuss matching riders to horses, fear and gear, riding as we age and the importance of a horse having a purpose in life. We also discuss her very philosophical approach to end of life decisions faced by every horse owner. 

Website: https://www.keystoneequine.ca/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingwellridingbetter

This week on Changing Rein, co-hosts Karen Luke and Meta Osborne chat to a man who wears many hats in Irish racing, Kevin Blake.

Kevin talks about the challenge of balancing media exposure with the scrutiny that it brings, social licence, adapting to the changing understanding of horse welfare and being open to change and continuous improvement.

Kevin highlights the need to communicate the level of care given to racehorses in addressing concerns about their welfare and recognises the responsibility of horse owners to make decisions in the best interest of the horse's physical and mental well-being. He also discusses  the importance of being open to change and continuous improvement in horse welfare, and highlights efforts such as the horsePWR  portal and increased independent veterinary scrutiny before races, utilising modern technology as appropriate. The conversation touches on the use of the whip in racing and the potential for alternative cues to encourage horses to accelerate.

Kevin mentions the horsePWR portal developed by the British Horseracing Authority, the Horse Welfare Board and Great British Racing. It is available at this link: www.horsepwr.co.uk

Kevin writes a regular blog for the specialist racing broadcaster At The Races: https://www.attheraces.com/blogs/kevin-blake/archive and is a co-host of the Betfair Racing Podcast Racing Only Bettor https://betting.betfair.com/podcasts/racing-only-bettor/

He is on Facebook as Kevin Blake Racing https://www.facebook.com/kevinblakehorseracing/

This week on Changing Rein, co-hosts Karen Luke and Meta Osborne chat to Naomi Ainley, Curriculum Manager at Northumberland College, who shares her journey from groom to equine science educator.

The conversation covers a range of topics related to equine science, horse welfare, and the future of horse sports.

Naomi highlights the positive effect of integrating learning theory into her training practice and discusses the importance of recognizing when your approach is not working and finding alternative methods. She discusses the impact of social media on the equine industry, and the need for a community-based approach to creating change. Naomi also talks about the challenges of introducing new ideas, including the tricky problem of self-doubt, and delves into the role of mindset shifts in creating change. Additionally, Naomi shares her ideas about what the future of equestrian sport might look like.

In episode Naomi refers to:

Julie Fiedler - researcher at Melbourne University, you can find her presentation here: https://youtu.be/GPed97U7Bp4?feature=shared&t=5268

Renate Larssen, equine ethologist, you can find her blog post, 'The hard life of a lesson pony' here:

The hard life of a lesson pony - by Renate Larssen (substack.com)

Introducing Changing Rein, and your hosts Karen Luke and Meta Osborne.

Changing Rein is a podcast about horses, people, and horse sport, with horse welfare at its heart. This prequel episode tells you a little bit about the co-hosts Karen Luke and Meta Osborne and the 'why' of the podcast. You'll also get a sneak peek at the guests who were interviewed for Season 1.

You can sign up for updates and special offers by visiting the Changing Rein website.

http://changingrein.com.au/

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In this bonus episode we chat to one of our Season 1 guests, William Micklem, about how and why he developed the Micklem Bridle and Girth.

As the well known Irish singer Christy Moore sings: 'Everybody needs a break, climb a mountain or jump in a lake' so we're off on a short break to recharge, regroup and return with some really great guests in Season 2. Stay tuned!

Video released this week showing high-profile Olympic rider, Charlotte Dujardin, whipping a horse has sparked a huge reaction around the globe.

This week on Changing Rein, Karen and Meta ask the question - could this be the catalyst to spark much needed change in the horse world?

Background information for this episode:

Ludger Beerbaum - show jumping (German Olympic medallist)

https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/ludger-beerbaum-accused-of-poling-horses-in-german-tv-expose/

“I can’t watch anymore” by Julie Taylor

https://www.amazon.com.au/Cant-Watch-Anymore-Dropping-Equestrian/dp/8797354309

Feb 2022

Mark Todd - eventing (New Zealand Olympic medallist)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jfs-QQGVeo

November 2023

Operation X - dressage (Danish Olympic medallist)

https://www.eurodressage.com/2023/11/30/danish-riding-instructor-association-expels-four-riders-based-operation-x

May 2024

Danish politician introduces law changes to protect horses in sport

https://www.facebook.com/NfuglsangEP/posts/pfbid0NqFXRXLATkSdbVsHnNc5CQBQn9JWqgLUoLTMvdnapgv7U2Z2WhqcMeQ8wLoCVzqHl

July 2024

Danish politician posts on Olympic hopeful being removed from the Danish equestrian team for ‘making a mistake’ in training her horse

https://www.facebook.com/NfuglsangEP/posts/pfbid0FsW3CG5NHMJ5DD6a9nfQKaVgmGuQeLoEcSYkA4jriTzo2yXfdVZW8jhXzyCC2Xjbl

Member of public removed from event for recording and pointing out horse abuse to FEI official - Falsterbo Horse Show (Denmark)

https://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/a/6336ee/jenny-larmade-om-blodande-hast-polis-tillkallades

Charlotte Dujardin - dressage (British Olympic medallist)

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/29433244/gmb-viewers-beg-stop-charlotte-dujardin-horse-video/

‘Dressage is in trouble’ - Paul McGreevy, The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/jul/24/dressage-is-in-trouble-where-is-the-line-between-horse-abuse-and-training

Research on rider motivation and understanding of horse welfare

Broms et al (2020) Super equestrians – the construction of identity/ies and impression management among young equestrians in upper secondary school settings on social media https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2020.1859472

Cousquer (2023). From domination to dialogue and the ethics of the between: Transforming human–working equine relationships in mountain tourism. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0719-81322023000100035

Hogg &Hodgins (2021) Symbiosis or sporting tool?

https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051352

Luke et al (2024)

Investigating the Motivational Priorities Underlying Equestrians’ Horse-Keeping and Training Practices, https://doi.org/10.1080/08927936.2024.2303228

Luke et al (2024) 

How equestrians conceptualise horse welfare: Does it facilitate or hinder change?

https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2023.79

In this episode William Micklem joins us to discuss how making things simpler in our interactions with horses could be the key to success. We learn about the importance of being inquiring, being demanding and being generous, about why you should buy a horse with an ugly head, and about the value of coaching the coaches. Above all, there is a sense of love for, and delight in, horses in this episode that we hope you will really enjoy.

William Micklem is an equestrian coach, breeder, inspirational speaker and writer. He is also the inventor of the Micklem Bridle. His book

The Complete Horse Riding Manual has been published in 11 languages and is the best-selling equestrian manual in the world. He is renowned for his innovative educational presentations which cover all equestrian disciplines. He is also a coach of coaches, and has developed structures  to enhance performance such as The GO! Rules, Habitual Hats, and The Winning EDGE.

He has a long association with Festina Lente an Irish not-for-profit organisation which was set up 36 years ago to support people with a disability and/or by socio-economic disadvantage to improve their educational and wellbeing through meaningful engagement with horses, horticulture and community.

In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr Jake Veasey we discuss his approach to understanding the needs of particular animals, and using the tiger as an example, Jake explains how by knowing what is important to an animal, can transform the way we care for them.

We then talk about the needs of horses, how current horse-keeping aligns (or doesn't align) with those needs and what changes we could make in the future.

If you would like to read Jake's research, you will find most of it here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jake-Veasey

If you have suggestions for guests or topics you would like us to cover, please email us at team@changingrein.com.au