Inadequate management conditions can impair the welfare of captive-bred horses. Understanding individuals’ viewpoints and the factors influencing their decisions about adopting or avoiding certain practices may provide insights into their motivations and decision-making processes. This is particularly relevant in the equestrian community, where equine practitioners and enthusiasts often engage in harmful practices. We explored the beliefs, knowledge, and attitudes of equine practitioners and enthusiasts about horse welfare and the barriers that prevent them from employing better management practices that are essential to promoting horses’ welfare. The study consisted of in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted in person with 31 individuals directly involved in the equestrian environment in Brazil. Responses were analyzed through thematic analysis with a data-driven deductive approach. Participants’ beliefs, knowledge and attitudes to horse welfare were divided into three themes. The first theme, “Let the horse be a horse”, captured participants’ perceptions about how physical and mental aspects related to the nature and welfare of horses. The second theme, “Everyone does it like that”, includes the social norms that influence decisions about the practices that impact on the welfare of the horses. The third theme, “Beyond utopia: how and why horses are managed the way they are”, covered barriers that participants perceived as impediments to the use of best practices for the welfare of horses. While participants demonstrated awareness of welfare issues and acknowledged factors that negatively impact horses, there was a notable discrepancy between this knowledge and the implementation of improved management practices. This could be explained by several perceived barriers to implementing management practices that could enhance horse welfare, including lack of financial resources, limited physical space, shortage of qualified labor, time constraints, inadequate tools, and insufficient knowledge. Additionally, we identified deeply rooted social norms within the equestrian community and culturally established practices that limit approaches to horse welfare. Participants underscored the influence of these norms and different interpretations of “letting the horse be a horse” based on the horse’s value and purpose. Concerning low-value horses, the primary justifications for stall housing and concentrated feeding were linked to elevated costs involved in spatial demands and labor; in contrast, for high-value horses used in performance and aesthetics, the arguments shifted to potential benefits to the horses’ well-being. From an ethical perspective, ideally, individuals should refrain from owning horses if they cannot ensure the animals’ welfare. Additionally, if the equestrian community neglects public attitudes towards animal welfare, it risks eroding its social license.

中文翻译：

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最简单的成为规则：马术从业者和爱好者对马匹福利的信念、知识和态度

管理条件不足可能会损害圈养马匹的福利。了解个人的观点以及影响他们采取或避免某些做法的决定的因素可以深入了解他们的动机和决策过程。这在马术界尤其重要，马术从业者和爱好者经常从事有害的做法。我们探讨了马术从业者和爱好者对马匹福利的信念、知识和态度，以及阻碍他们采用对促进马匹福利至关重要的更好管理实践的障碍。该研究对 31 名直接参与巴西马术环境的人士进行了深入的半结构化访谈。通过主题分析和数据驱动的演绎方法对答复进行了分析。参与者对马匹福利的信念、知识和态度分为三个主题。第一个主题“让马成为一匹马”，捕捉了参与者对马的本质和福利与身心方面如何相关的看法。第二个主题“每个人都这样做”，包括影响马匹福利的做法决策的社会规范。第三个主题是“超越乌托邦：马匹如何以及为何被如此管理”，涵盖了参与者认为阻碍马匹福利最佳实践的障碍。虽然参与者表现出对福利问题的认识并承认对马匹产生负面影响的因素，但这种知识与改进管理实践的实施之间存在显着差异。这可以通过实施可提高马匹福利的管理实践的几个明显障碍来解释，包括缺乏财政资源、有限的物理空间、缺乏合格的劳动力、时间限制、工具不足和知识不足。此外，我们还发现了马术界根深蒂固的社会规范以及限制马匹福利的文化惯例。与会者强调了这些规范的影响以及基于马的价值和目的对“让马成为马”的不同解释。对于低价值马匹，马厩饲养和集中饲养的主要理由与空间需求和劳动力成本上升有关；相比之下，对于用于性能和美观的高价值马匹，争论转向对马匹福祉的潜在好处。从伦理角度来看，理想情况下，如果个人无法确保动物的福利，就应该避免拥有马。此外，如果马术界忽视公众对动物福利的态度，它的社会许可就有可能受到侵蚀。