LEAKED: The Secret Document that Defines Horse Welfare
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Following extensive consultation with all relevant stakeholders, the "Uniform Regulation for the Determination of Horse-Appropriate Conditions" has been adopted as of today. In order to finally resolve existing discrepancies between theory and practice, a definition has been selected that unites all variables of equestrian sport within a dynamic constant.
§ 1 General Definition
Equine welfare, within the meaning of this guideline, is a state of subjective-objective equilibrium. This state is deemed achieved when the sum of applied influences stands in an appropriate ratio to the individual’s specific reaction norm, without falling below or exceeding the requirements of the respective type of use, while taking situational necessities into account.
§ 2 Parameters of Implementation
A horse is considered to be in a state of well-being provided that:
Husbandry: The housing situation meets the requirements arising from the absence of detrimental conditions, whereby the measure of "suitability" is limited by the respective acceptance of the observer within the given context.
Training: Instruction is designed such that the rider’s influence is always as firm as necessary but as gentle as possible; the definitions of "necessary" and "possible" are directly dependent on the desired objective while simultaneously preserving aesthetic form.
Nutrition: Feeding ensures a coverage of requirements that leads to neither deficiency nor excess; "requirement" is defined as that quantity which the horse necessitates to maintain exactly the state it would be at risk of losing without the supply of feed.
§ 3 Final Provisions
Deviations from this definition are permissible, provided they can be justified in individual cases by a differing interpretation of the same definition. Equine welfare is thus to be understood as a fluid construct, located precisely where the consensus-building capacity of the parties involved finds its limit.
Entry into Force:
This regulation enters into force with immediate effect and replaces all previous opinions with a state of universally applicable indeterminacy.
Comments