Hartpury partnership
Announcement
The Future of Equestrian Sport Alliance (FESA) is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Hartpury University, recognised as one of the worlds largest equine universities. The partnership will focus on developing evidence‑based research that improve horse welfare and rider performance, while strengthening the long‑term viability of equestrian sport and the livelihoods it supports.
Under this framework, the partners aim to:
Pilot and validate measurement technologies (e.g., wearables and yard‑scale sensing) to develop and test next-generation technologies to monitor horse wellbeing, ending in the creation of a standardised, accepted and enforceable welfare platform.
Turn research into practical tools for riders, vets, and coaches. This will include field protocols that existing platforms can adopt and support.
Build secure, ethical frameworks for data and welfare insights. that protects animal and human participants, supports competition welfare standards and provides insights for viewers.
Run live pilot projects across training and competition environments, leveraging Hartpury’s equine therapy and rider‑performance centres and FESA’s alliance partners across federations, teams, manufacturers and insurers.
Share open results and resources to benefit the entire equestrian community.
About FESA
FESA (Future of Equestrian Sport Alliance) is a global, multi‑stakeholder initiative dedicated to safeguarding the long‑term future of equestrian sport—protecting horse welfare, supporting the livelihoods of people and businesses across the value chain, and accelerating modernisation through data, technology and education.
About Hartpury University
Hartpury University has just been awarded “specialist University of the year” in the Times and Sunday Times good university guide, with internationally recognised equine facilities including competition arenas, an Equine Therapy Centre, stabling for approximately 230 horses, and a dedicated rider‑performance centre. Its research and innovation programmes advance equine practice, rider biomechanics and performance.