Speakers from across the industry discussed the efforts being made to improve diversity and inclusion in equestrianism, at the 2021 National Equine Forum. H&H finds out what has been done — and what is to come
EFFORTS are being made across the equestrian sector to make it one in which “everyone can belong and thrive”.
Diversity and inclusion within equestrianism was the subject of debate at the virtual National Equine Forum on 4 March. Speakers from across the industry looked at work that is already being carried out – and what still needs to be done.
{"content":"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"}
You might also be interested in…
Credit: Mountain Photography
Credit: Emma Wilding/Skylimit Photography
I’d like to think we’re at a turning point and things are here to stay”
Credit: Mountain Photography
‘I’m no good with words, but maybe my pictures can say something instead’
Credit: no credit
Reece McCook, founder of online campaign Ride Out Racism, on promoting cohesion within the equestrian community and how he wants
Eventer Lydia Heywood, who grew up in Britain and rides for Jamaica, says ‘there’s a link missing between the foundations and competitive riding’.
Credit: Peter Nixon
As protests around the world throw a spotlight on the underrepresentation of ethnic backgrounds in the British equestrian industry, H&H
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2025 with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
H&H news editor
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
