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Professor Nat Waran OBE     The equestrian and racing industries face a unique challenge that sets them apart from virtually every other sport: their social licence to operate depends not on athletic achievement or entertainment value alone, but on public perception of how they treat the animals who are central to it all.  And increasingly, that perception is becoming more critical, more sceptical, and potentially more decisive for the future of these sports. A Social Licence

Professor Nat Waran OBE Last week (December 14-18 th 2025) , I had the privilege of delivering a couple of invited talks at the Hong Kong Jockey Club Equine Welfare Foundation's inaugural conference on 'Applying Science to the Care of the Thoroughbred Racehorse'. The first of these required me to reflect on what "putting the horse first" truly means across all equestrian activities, from racing to eventing, dressage to recreational riding. Universal Commitments, Universal Ch

By Professor Nat Waran OBE nat@navigatewelfare.com (with thanks to Professor Kathalijne Visser, Aeres University of Applied Science, The Netherlands for her valuable input) The history of the relationship between humans and horses involves a complex tapestry of utility, sport, companionship, and increasingly, moral responsibility. This evolving relationship reflects a profound societal shift: once primarily valued as working animals and economic assets, horses are now also tr

Horse Welfare and Human Behaviour Change Professor Nat Waran OBE   We've all been there. You attend an inspiring and engaging lecture on equine welfare, perhaps read an article about new research describing new stress indicators, and you nod along enthusiastically, and think "yes, absolutely, that makes perfect sense". Then you go home and carry on doing exactly what you've always done. Do you ever wonder why that is? We're fortunate to have an ever-growing body of scientific