In recent years, revelations of unethical horse handling in elite levels of the horsesport have drawn attention to an uncomfortable question: Do we really understand how our horses are feeling? According to Norwegian and Swedish researchers in the project HorseVoice, the answer is often no.
The project “Giving the Horse a Voice – Horse Welfare and Owner Awareness”, known in short as HorseVoice, aims to improve horse welfare by increasing knowledge about horses’ cognitive abilities and emotional needs and preferences. The project is funded by the Swedish-Norwegian Foundation for Equine Research and is a collaboration between the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), the Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ridskolan Strömsholm, and Malmö University. In addition, both an experienced animal trainer and researchers with long-standing expertise in animal behaviour are involved.
Teaching horses to "answer"
At the core of the project is the so-called symbol method. This method was developed in an earlier research project in which horses learned to use symbols to express whether they wanted to wear a blanket or not. The results attracted international attention and showed that horses can, in fact, communicate their own preferences in a reliable way.
“Now we are taking this a step further,” explains researcher Grete H.M. Jørgensen in NIBIO, who leads the Norwegian part of the project.
“Students in equine studies train their own horses to use the symbol method, for example after exercise, allowing the horse to choose whether it wants to wear a blanket or not.”
But HorseVoice is about far more than blankets.
“In principle, there are no limits to what we can ask horses about—their preference for equipment, training methods, feed, or housing. At the same time, this forces us to reflect on ethical questions. What do we do if the horse’s choice differs from what we want—or if it chooses not to be ridden at all?”
Changing attitudes among future horse owners
A new and important aspect of HorseVoice is its social science perspective. The researchers are investigating whether students who learn to communicate with their horses in this way also change how they view them—from “sports performers” to individuals with their own needs and preferences.
Students from Skjetlein Upper Secondary School in Norway and Strömsholm National Equestrian Center in Sweden are participating in the project. Social scientists from Malmö University have already conducted interviews with the participants.
“Many young people are strongly influenced by role models in the equestrian world. When it is revealed that a former hero has treated horses poorly, it creates confusion and reflection. This project provides space for exactly those kinds of discussions,” says Jørgensen.
A handbook for the entire equestrian sector
A key objective of HorseVoice is to develop a practical handbook on the symbol method, aimed at horse owners, trainers, and educational institutions. The ambition is for the method to be used far beyond the scope of the project itself.
“If more people learn to listen to horses’ own signals, it could lead to lasting changes in both attitudes and practices across the entire equestrian sector,” says Jørgensen.
The project is well underway. In 2026, researchers will begin systematically asking fully trained horses about their preferences for wearing blankets after exercise. At the same time, photo and video material is being collected for the handbook.
“We are looking forward to the next stages and to seeing what answers the horses actually give us,” the project leader concludes.