A BOOK sitting on my desk recently got me thinking about the reaction to the British Bridleless Competition held on May 31st.

The book is Just Culture by Sidney Dekker. It is not a horse book. It is widely used in industries, such as aviation and healthcare, where mistakes can have serious consequences. At its heart is a simple idea: organisations become safer and stronger when people feel able to ask questions, challenge assumptions and learn from mistakes. They become weaker when every difficult conversation turns into blame, defensiveness or denial.

As I watched the reaction to riders competing without bridles, I found myself wondering what Dekker’s proposition might look like if applied within the horse sector. Because the most interesting thing about the competition was not the absence of the bridle, it was the reaction to the absence of the bridle.

Publicity stunt

Within hours, horse people had divided into familiar camps. Some saw an impressive display of training and communication. Others dismissed it as dangerous, unnecessary or simply a publicity stunt.

The debate quickly became about whether bridles were good or bad, when perhaps the more interesting question was why the competition made so many people uncomfortable in the first place.

The event was shown on television and clips quickly spread across social media. Importantly, it reached people outside the horse world.

Members of the public watched riders jump and perform dressage tests without bridles and subsequently asked questions. They were not interested in rule books or tradition. They were interested in what they were seeing. Did the horses look relaxed? Did they look willing? Did the relationship appear fair?

Whether we like it or not, those are increasingly the questions that will shape the future of equestrian sport. Ireland should pay attention.

Surprisingly reluctant

We are one of the most successful horse nations in the world. We produce exceptional horses and riders. We have a thriving grassroots sector and an international reputation for horsemanship. Yet there are times when we can be surprisingly reluctant to challenge our own assumptions. Too often, welfare discussions become arguments. Questions are treated as criticism. New ideas are viewed as threats rather than opportunities to learn.

That is where the concept of a just culture becomes interesting. A just culture does not mean accepting every new idea. It does not mean abandoning tradition. It does not mean assuming that anything different is automatically better. It means being willing to ask the questions.

Welfare discussions

The British Bridleless Competition asked: Could horses perform safely and effectively with less equipment? Some people believe the answer is yes. Others believe the answer is no. The important thing is that the question was asked. That same asking applies to turnout, learning theory and many of the welfare discussions currently taking place across Europe.

The strongest industries are rarely those that resist every challenge to the status quo. Equally, they are not the industries that chase every new trend. They are the industries that are confident enough to examine ideas honestly and decide what works.

For a country that prides itself on horsemanship, Ireland could be leading more of those conversations rather than following them. Too often we wait to see what Britain, France or the FEI decides before deciding what we think ourselves. There is nothing wrong with tradition, but there is also nothing wrong with asking whether there might be a better way.

Good horsemanship has never been about a particular bit, bridle or piece of equipment. It has always been about understanding the horse in front of you. The British Bridleless Competition was never really about a bridle either. It was about what happens when somebody challenges an assumption that many of us have stopped questioning. The challenge now is whether we can become as good at questioning as we are at producing winners.