How eco-friendly is the equestrian industry really?

The equestrian world has a sustainability challenge. Despite its deep connection to nature and tradition, the industry and many equestrians still seem hesitant or slow to fully embrace the environmental responsibility they often speak about. I’ll be digging into the reasons behind this, profiling organisations that are pushing for change, and examining both the obstacles they encounter and the successes they’ve had along the way.

The first one is British Equestrian. Two years ago the governing body of equestrian sport unveiled its roadmap “Towards a Sustainable Future”, promising to “lead and inspire” by improving its own operations. The strategy committed to reducing carbon emissions, cutting resource consumption, improving waste management, and reporting progress transparently. It also pledged to communicate regularly, share best practice, and use its influence to lobby for change.

While British Equestrian’s news section and Facebook updates currently include only a handful of references to ‘sustainability’, there are signs that more activity may be on the horizon. I’ll be speaking with them directly to understand how the work is progressing, but even a brief look through their recent posts hints at a few possible reasons for the quieter period.

One encouraging factor is the organisation’s leadership transition. As recently as August last year, they were recruiting a new Head of Development and Inclusion - a role specifically focused on “building strategic partnerships to ensure a thriving, sustainable industry.” It's likely that more substantial updates and initiatives will emerge as the new leader settles in and begins shaping the next phase of their sustainability work.

Sustainability is a divisive topic

One area of concern is some of the backlash they received when promoting Agria Equine Insurance’s free carbon calculator. In a Facebook post, British Equestrian asked horse owners whether they knew their “carbon hoofprint”, and the reaction was mixed. Some comments were openly hostile - dismissing the idea as “horse sh*t”, “woke”, or “codswallop”. A few, however, welcomed the tool and recognised the need for change. Clearly, sustainability in equestrianism is a divisive topic.

What else can we expect from British Equestrian? 

There are three things to look out for or watch as it develops:

1. The Riding School Futures Project: The organisation is encouraging UK riding schools to rethink horse welfare by focusing on how horses experience their daily lives rather than simply meeting basic needs and standards, Riding school staff have to enrol in the University of New England: Applying the Five Domains model to the welfare assessment of Sport and Recreation in Horses. A number of schools are taking part so far including: Horse Riding Cornwall, Team Tutsham, Hope Meadows, Ebony Horse Club, Kingsmead Equestrian Centre, and Stepney Bank Stables

2. It also stated that in 2025 it would sign up to the United Nations Sports for Climate Action Framework (S4CA) and Sports for Nature. As of now, there doesn’t appear to be any public update confirming this has happened. But perhaps we'll hear more about this soon. 

3. This year, the organisation is expected to launch Nature’s Equine Corridor, described as a flagship project designed to “significantly enhance biodiversity in the equestrian community across Britain.” If delivered well, it could be a meaningful step forward.

Introducing Willow's Earth: a journey toward sustainable horse ownership

It would be hypocritical of me to say we are all doing enough. Sustainability is a shared responsibility and that includes me. So in 2026, in the Year of the Horse (according to the Chinese calendar) I’m taking a leaf from British Equestrian’s own priorities: educate, inform, and focus on what’s achievable.

I’ll be exploring these key questions:

• Is there enough eco‑friendly product choice for the average horse or yard owner?
• How effective are these products?
• What do they cost?
• Are equestrians willing to use them and ditch the products they're currently using? 
• Is sustainability 'woke'? 
• How can we improve our knowledge about sustainable practices? 

My mission is to test 12 products or services - at least one each month - from suppliers in the UK and abroad (while being mindful of the carbon footprint of shipping). I want to understand how far I can go in making my yard life genuinely more sustainable.

This is what inspired me to create Willow’s Earth, named after my Welsh Cob, Willow (pictured), who I bought four years ago. The site will document my journey: product reviews, conversations with people championing sustainable equestrianism, and partnerships that genuinely move the industry forward.

I'm also going to promote and sell products/services to see what the interest is like. Through this I'm going to find out if being sustainable can also be profitable. So if you have any products, ideas or themes you'd like me to talk about, please get in touch. 

It’s Willow’s Earth, but it’s my Earth too and yours! Until Elon Musk sends us all to Mars or the moon, we only have one planet to live on. This one. And the equestrian community needs to do far more to protect it.