NZRDA is committed to the best welfare for its equine teams and prioritizes the well-being of our horses through proper training, care, and welfare practices. We recognise the need to keep our horses fit for purpose both in mind and body with work outside the RDA arena incorporated into their working weeks. We ensure our horses are well-trained and looked after, recognizing their crucial role in our therapeutic riding programs. Ongoing research to support and evidence best practice is ongoing within NZRDA.
We expect the highest standards to be maintained for our equine teams and are part of the national “One Voice” pledge.
CE Donna Kennedy said “Our horses wellbeing, both physically and mentally, must be at the forefront of any decision-making process. Without the goodwill and generosity of our equines our service would not, and could not, exist. NZRDA is proud to be part of the One Voice pledge and to advocate for the best life for our horses,”
“Attending the NZRDA presentation at Cambridge RDA Group was truly inspiring – the care, dedication and passion shone through – I loved every minute of it”. Roly Owers Chief Executive World Horse Welfare on NZRDA’s presentation on “A Good Life for RDA horses” at the International Equitation Science Conference in Cambridge NZ March 2024.
That best life for our equine teams in NZRDA requires compliance with both the Five Domains Model and the 10 Principles of Equitation Science. Both aim to enhance horse welfare, but they approach it from different angles.
Compliance is embedded in our internal policies and our people are trained to ensure the applicable principles, practices and training are replicated in groups across New Zealand.
The Five Domains Model assesses welfare by considering:
Nutrition – Access to appropriate food and water.
Environment – Safe and suitable living conditions.
Health – Veterinary care and physical well-being.
Behavior – Ability to express natural behaviors.
Mental State – Emotional well-being, influenced by the other four domains.
It is now understood that even if the animal has excellent physical care (adequate food, shelter, water, vet care etc.), if their needs for social interaction, clear communication with caregivers (good training), movement and foraging are not met, their overall well-being can still be compromised. Animals require more than just physical necessities—they thrive when they can engage in natural behaviors, form social bonds, and experience mental stimulation.
EQUITATION SCIENCE
Science helps us understand how horses behave, along with their biomechanical patterns and limitations. With this knowledge, we can modify behaviour in ways that are effective, ethical, and grounded in how horses learn.
It’s not a training method, but a scientific framework built on evidence-based principles that prioritise safety, clarity, and welfare. It supports all disciplines and training approaches without bias—always with the horse’s wellbeing at the centre.
Equitation Science International and its graduates are paving the way for a more modern and ethical approach to horse training and coaching that can be easily understood and applied by horse riders of all ages and levels
The best thing we can do, as horse owners, is ask ourselves if our practices really are the best for our horses and educate ourselves to find out.”
Prof Paul McGreevy, University of Sydney
The 10 Principles of Equitation Science focus on ethical and effective horse training, ensuring welfare through:
Welfare and social licence to operate
Social license to operate is the public’s ongoing acceptance of practices within the industry. With increased public scrutiny of the equestrian world the informed and objective approval provided by equitation science will be a vital tool in providing practices that ensure the safety of horses and riders and also assists
assist horse owners in making good decisions regarding welfare.
This is not only good news for horses but also for the horse industry as a whole, as they train and treat their horses in ways that are informed by current research and are consistent with the community’s expectations of animal welfare.