ALL WELCOME
SPOTLIGHT ON THE FEI – SPECIAL ISSUE OF CONCORDIA INTERNATIONAL EQUESTRIAN MAGAZINE
This message from the Editor published in Issue 7 of the CONCORDIA INTERNATIONAL EQUESTRIAN MAGAZINE – the current issue and archived issues are free to download and read online.
Hello & Welcome to this special edition of Concordia Magazine
Great to welcome you to this special edition of the magazine. We will be back to ‘normal’ with more diverse articles in our next issue, but I hope that our regular readers will understand the importance of shining a light on welfare issues in the sport horse industry.
The influence horse sport has on all areas of training and care cannot be underestimated, nor can the power of public perception. The poor practices in the industry reflect badly on all of us.
And we, the equestrians who dare to question the FEI and its sports, have lost patience.
We will no longer scratch at the surface, trying in vain to influence those who use horses as sports equipment. We will no longer write letters that won’t be read. We will no longer speak to closed ears. No. We have had enough of people baying for more spectacle – blind to the suffering. Caroline Hegarty from Equitopia got a group of us together; Equitopia, Epona TV, Horses and People, Milestone Equestrian, Sassebi, Collectif Pour les Chevaux and our very own Concordia Equestrians and WE ARE TAKING ACTION!
Watch this space. Concordia Equestrians is part of an international campaign, bringing together a host of caring horse people and the general public to raise awareness and petition for Paris 2024 to be the Olympics of horse welfare.
It’s not like the FEI isn’t aware of the growing discontent of public opinion and the power of social licence. The FEI speaks of welfare – they talk the talk but seem incapable of walking the walk!
Last year the FEI created its own Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission, an impressive line-up of experts. But the lobbying of the International Riders and Trainers clubs (read Renate Larssen’s excellent response from page 39) appears to have more influence than the new commission.
This ‘no holds barred’ FEI special is just a taster of what’s to come. I hope you enjoy reading the excellent articles covering tack, training practices and the Olympic games, written by indisputably knowledgeable scientists, trainers and veterinarians. We have fascinating – if somewhat disturbing – reading to open the minds of competitors, trainers, pleasure riders and the general public – all horse lovers alike. We all hold the responsibility to change perceptions and make the world a better place to be a horse. To make the competition world a space that genuinely shows off the best of horsemanship and horse care.
Join us, and let me know your thoughts, I look forward to hearing from you.
Many thanks and all the best,
Milly Shand
Founder of Concordia Equestrians and Creative Editor of Concordia Magazine
Published in Issue 7 of the CONCORDIA INTERNATIONAL EQUESTRIAN MAGAZINE – the current issue and archived issues are free to download and read online.