Presented at #ises2019 https://equitationscience.com/conferences/ Notes for the talk are here: https://tinyurl.com/yxzoqezy You can read more about #HorseSA and work on #sociallicence here https://www.horsesa.asn.au/social-licence-to-operate

1. Informing a Social License to Operate
Communication Framework:
Attitudes to Sport Horse Welfare
Julie Fiedler
Assoc. Professor Kate Ames
Assoc. Professor Matthew Thomas
International Society for Equitation Science
Canada 2019
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2. ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication framework
Sport horse welfare
and social licence to operate (SLO)
Overarching aims
1. To build on existing knowledge relating to SLO
2. To inform an communication framework
designed to enhance an organisation’s
participation in an SLO discourse.
Research questions
1. ‘What are the attitudes of horse sport
organisation participants towards horse
welfare?’
2. ‘How do attitudes align with the Five
Domains Animal Welfare Assessment Model,
if at all’?
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3. ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication framework
What are the future headlines for your horse sport?
Deadspin
QT 6 Nov ‘18
H&H
H&H
Thoroughbred Racing Commentary
H&H

4. ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication framework
The emerging issue
• As consciousness about horse welfare is raised in
wider society, the public starts to question human
motives, money, cultural relevance and transparency
of horse sport business practices.
• The public may question the role of the horse on a
‘field of play’ constructed by humans, particularly if
welfare is perceived to be at risk.
• In extreme cases, public trust becomes eroded to such
a level that the sport is at risk of third parties or the
public determining its ongoing viability.
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5. ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication frameworkWinx is a champion Australian racehorse, winner of 29 consecutive stakes races and over $22.5 million dollars Winx and Hugh Bowman, Winner 2018 Moonee Valley Cox Plate: The Advertiser.
Photographer Alex Coppel

6. ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication framework
PYT Photography

7. ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication framework
What the public know about welfare

8. ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication framework
Social licence to operate
The public (social) acceptance (licence) of the
organisation to undertake its activity (operate).
A negative discourse arises when the public
question if the sport should even be
happening in society today (legitimacy);
And if there is enough public support,
or ‘licence’, for the continued operation
(consent);
And if the sport is to continue, will the
organisation meet the welfare
requirements of horses?(trust).
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9. ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication framework

10. ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication framework
Stakeholders
• Members
• The sport
organisation
• Government
• Horse breeders
• Research
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11. ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication framework
Question clusters
1. I listen to and acknowledge
horse welfare initiatives.
2. Overall, (stakeholder group) has
similar views to my own.
3. The (Stakeholder group) leads
horse welfare initiatives.
4. There are opportunities to work
with (stakeholder group) to
develop knowledge about horse
welfare.
5. (Stakeholder group) contributes
to new knowledge about horse
welfare.
6. (Stakeholder group) makes
information publicly available to
support understanding of how we
deliver horse welfare outcomes
for our sport.
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12. ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication framework
The 37-question survey (n=107) was
completed by both female (n=64) and
male (n=19) participants.
There was an average of 18.8
(S.D.= 11.2) years of
involvement with horses.
While 22.2% (n=18) identified as gaining
income from the horse industry, 77.7%
(n=63) identified as being amateur.
The average age was 52 years.
Results
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13. ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication framework
Females (p < 0.05) were more
likely than males to listen to and
act on welfare messages from an
organisation.
Amateurs (p < 0.05) were more
likely than professionals to agree
that scientific researchers provide
the lead when building new
knowledge about welfare.
Professionals (p < 0.05) were more
likely than amateurs to agree that
they contributed to building new
knowledge about welfare.
Results
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14. ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication framework
Open Question: ‘Horse welfare means……’
The study results show that overall, sport
participants have a limited horse welfare-
vocabulary and universally explain welfare in
non-specific terms, without referring to a
framework, for example the Five Freedoms or
Five Domains Animal Welfare Assessment
Model.
Results
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15. ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication framework
Discussion
Welfare decisions made by an organisation may
attract a global readership.
Opportunities exist to create a positive digital
‘hoofprint’, curated by sport participants.
Social licence to operate involves everyone who
has a responsibility for the welfare of a horse,
not just the overarching sports administration.
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16. ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication framework
Future research
Participatory approaches to the design of
organisational horse welfare strategies,
underpinned by reciprocity.
Development of horse welfare-centric vocabulary
which resonates with sport participants.
To further understand the differences between
professionals and amateur horse owners’
viewpoints.
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17. ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication framework
Conclusion
Social licence to operate is not an
afterthought.
Every sport, every organisation
will need to work out what it
means to keep and maintain a
social licence.… and what it
might look like if its lost.
All involved within a sport will
need to work every day to
maintain public trust…
… so that what is said ‘could be
done’ – is in fact, ‘done’.
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18. Thank you
Julie Fiedler
Candidate: Masters in Communication
Central Queensland University, Australia.
E julie.fiedler@cqumail.com
Assoc. Professor Kate Ames
Senior Lecturer Professional Communication
School of Education and the Arts
Central Queensland University, Australia.
k.ames@cqu.edu.au
Assoc. Professor Matthew Thomas
Human Factors
Central Queensland University, Australia.
matthew.thomas@cqu.edu.au
With acknowledgement to Horse SA
www.horsesa.asn.au
Australian Endurance Riders Assoc.
ISES 15th Equitation Science Conference
Informing a social licence to operate communication framework