The Fédération Equestre Internationale will host a key meeting with stakeholders on October 1 to launch in-depth discussions on addressing the challenges currently impacting the sport of dressage.
This meeting will bring representatives from national federations and recognized stakeholder groups—including athletes, officials, organizers, trainers and veterinary experts—together, marking the beginning of a broader plan to develop a comprehensive long-term strategy for dressage to ensure the sustainability and growth of the discipline.
The FEI meeting will also provide an opportunity to update the community on current and upcoming research and development initiatives. This will include an oral cavity study.
“While the FEI fully recognizes the challenges currently facing the discipline of dressage and has worked to address issues as they have arisen, the primary focus in recent months has been on delivering key events, as well as a successful 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, which has required considerable attention and resources,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos explained.
FEI Meeting Strategy
Following the 2024 Olympics, the FEI is shifting its focus to collaborate with stakeholders to address challenges in the sport.
“While many in our community recognize the urgency of the situation, others may not yet fully grasp the critical juncture at which equestrian sport currently stands,” De Vos noted. “The FEI is committed to seeking collective solutions and fostering consensus wherever possible, but the safety and well-being of our horses remain our top priority. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that the sport of dressage is conducted in a manner that focuses on the horse’s comfort.
“As the governing body, the FEI is prepared to take the necessary decisions to ensure that we are living up to our promise to ‘Be a Guardian’ for our equine partners and to improve the standards of safety and care in our sport. As the sport evolves, we must adapt and find effective solutions to current challenges. Our success depends on the community’s willingness to approach these issues with an open mind and work together toward common ground.”
Be a Guardian
The FEI introduced the Be a Guardian initiative in July, which calls upon members in the community to fully commit to their duties as ‘guardians’ of FEI horses.
Be a Guardian is the central message uniting the community around the FEI Action Plan that was developed from the recommendations outlined in the final report of the independent Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission.
The term ‘guardian’ marks an evolution in the FEI’s narrative of the horse-human partnership, chosen to better represent the human role in caring for horses and to underscore each individual’s responsibility for ensuring horse welfare.
We will keep you posted on the FEI meeting and any developments announced throughout the event.
