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Sustainability in equestrian sport

by Michelle Breitenfeld
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Sustainability is playing an increasingly important role in our lives. After all, environmental protection is an important topic that everyone should be concerned with. But do you pay attention to sustainability when buying your riding gear, the horse’s equipment or even the feed? – The answer for most horse owners is probably no. But equestrian sport is also changing in terms of environmental protection and there are more and more sustainable products for riders and horses. In this article you will learn everything about the topic of “sustainability in equestrian sports”.

Sustainability – What does it mean?

The definition of sustainability has evolved more and more in recent years. The protection of our nature is an important topic in today’s world. Not only the protection of important raw materials such as water, oil and wood is important, but also the reduction of exhaust gases, masses of waste and toxins are important points in the topic of environmental protection. As soon as you think about the future of the earth, you think sustainable.

There are three different dimensions that make up sustainability: Economy, Society and Environment. Social working conditions should prevail, while economic success can still be achieved and the environment is not damaged. Within the framework of a UN sustainability summit, 17 sustainability goals were formulated that are to be implemented all over the world. Accordingly, a sustainable product is durable, long-lasting, fairly traded, ecologically produced and environmentally compatible.

The changing horse industry – sustainability in equestrian sport

More and more well-known, long-established equestrian companies are focusing on the issue of sustainability. More and more emphasis is being placed on ingredients, production methods and the durability of products. Especially in equestrian sports, a lot of plastic and non-sustainable ingredients are used. There are also often long delivery and production routes. And it is not only in the selection of products that every rider can pay attention to sustainability. Upcycling and second-hand are already very trendy in the fashion world and can certainly be easily implemented with equestrian products.

How can you practically implement sustainability in everyday life at the barn?

The rider should look for sustainable products. Many products can be reused and upgraded.

Sustainable riding clothes

Riding is certainly not a cheap hobby. That’s why many people look for a low price when buying their own riding clothes. But cheap usually does not mean sustainable. If you dig a little deeper into your wallet, you will be able to enjoy your riding breeches for a much longer period of time because they are usually of better quality. In the end, this is even the cheaper version in the long run, as the breeches will last much longer.

The following factors are important in determining whether the new riding clothes are sustainable.

The right processed materials are important. Often, special synthetic fibres in riding clothes offer faster drying or higher stretch. The alternative to these synthetic fibres is recycled polyester. If the clothing is made of materials such as cotton or viscose, organic quality or sustainable sourcing can be considered.

Another factor is certain seals that indicate sustainable clothing. For example, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) seal indicates this. An overview of the seals is available online at Greenpeace.

Second-hand clothing is becoming more and more common. So if you don’t want to keep your clothes because you don’t like them anymore, ask others at the barn if they want them or throw them into collection containers.

What does sustainable riding fashion mean?

Sustainable riding fashion consists of natural fabrics and has an organic quality. In addition, attention has been paid to sustainable production. Sustainable riding fashion can be recognised by certain seals.

Sustainable horse care

Substances such as silicones, paraffins, phthalates, microplastics, mineral oils, parabens and synthetic fragrances and dyes are the main ingredients of many horse care products. But all these substances are harmful to the environment and unsustainable. Especially products like fly spray are available for every rider’s horse. Meanwhile, there are seals like the Nature Care Product Standard. They check annually for ingredients and only allow those that are on a so-called positive list. If the product meets the standards, it receives the seal.

The problem with the production of care products for horses is that animal shampoos are considered cleaning products. This means that most grooming products contain a lot of chemicals. This is not only harmful to the environment, but also to the horse’s skin. But it is not only the ingredients of the care products that need to be considered, but also the packaging. Most of it is filled in plastic bottles that are not recyclable. So when buying care products, pay attention to the ingredients and packaging. Certain seals give an indication of whether a product is sustainable.

Sustainability equestrian sport: riding equipment

Sustainability equestrian sport: saddle, saddle pad, helmet

Sustainable horse equipment

Leather in particular is controversial in the area of sustainability. But it can be argued that leather is a by-product of meat production and it is therefore only ethically correct to use the whole animal. If leather is well cared for, the saddle and bridle will last a long time. When buying leather products, you can make sure that the leather comes from Germany or Europe. There you can be sure that it has been produced in an environmentally friendly and socially responsible way. Many riders do not pay attention to the quality of the leather and its origin, but first of all to whether the saddle or snaffle fits.

In the area of textiles such as saddle pads, blankets, halters and bandages, attention should be paid to materials, just as with riding clothes. And here, too, many things can be easily repaired and upcycled. The saddle pad can be quickly pimped with glitter stones and you create a great unique piece.

Sustainable horse feeding

In the field of horse feeding, there are many factors that can contribute to sustainability. It is thought that organic is the easiest to succeed in feeding. But in many companies this has not yet been implemented. Starting with the suppliers of the raw materials, sustainable action can be taken. The feed producer should use suppliers and service providers from the region and not have the feed delivered over long distances. This strengthens the regional economy and saves some kilometres driven.

Mechanical technology should be used in production. Chemical processes are often used to crush or mix fodder. In a sustainable process, maize is turned into maize flakes by heating with steam, for example. In addition, the production of fodder uses a lot of energy. This can be obtained sustainably from the farm’s own hydropower plants or wind turbines. The leftover waste from production can also be processed further – into fertiliser. This closes the cycle of feed production.

Transport distances should also be kept short in order to protect the environment. In order to find out about the production and delivery of the feed as a buyer, one should familiarise oneself with the manufacturer beforehand and inform oneself. The horse owner can also ensure that the visible packaging of the feed is sustainable. You should not buy treats in plastic bags. There are now many manufacturers who offer their feed in paper bags. Plastic buckets in which feed was stored can be reused in the stable after the feed has been used up.

Sustainability equestrian sport

Sustainability equestrian sport: horse food

What should you look for when buying sustainable riding products?

There are various ways to find out about the production and supply routes of the product. In most cases, seals on the products provide information about sustainability. In addition, you should pay attention to environmentally friendly packaging.

Tips & tricks for more sustainability in riding

Here are our top 10 tips & tricks to achieve more sustainability when riding:

1) Repair: a broken zip on your boot, broken blankets or a torn strap on your bridle can be easily repaired.

2) Upcycle: Old clothes for you and your horse that you no longer like can be pimped and become unique.

3) Reuse: Plastic buckets from feed can be reused in the stable to store new feed, for example.

4) Give it away or donate it: You don’t like the T-shirt anymore and it’s just lying around? Then you can give it away to friends or drop it off in collection containers.

5) Carpool: You can carpool to the stables or to the training.

6) Organic feed: Before buying feed, find out if the manufacturer produces sustainably.

7) Organic grooming products: There are many manufacturers that produce organic alternatives to horse care products such as fly spray.

8) Seals: Look for the different seals of the products. There is an overview on Greenpeace.de.

9) Regional suppliers: Many products for horses can be purchased regionally. Especially with leather products, pay attention to the origin.

10) Durability: Go for the more expensive certified products, because they also last longer.

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