A university lecturer specialising in equitation science has co-authored a new international framework aimed at raising welfare standards in animal behaviour research, particularly in relation to training, handling, restraint and equipment use.
Lisa Ashton, a lecturer at Hartpury University and Education Officer for the International Society for Equitation Science (ISES), is among the authors of the newly published COMPASS Guidelines, released this month in the journal Animals.
The COMPASS Guidelines provide a structured, welfare-focused framework to support researchers designing and evaluating animal behaviour and behaviour-modification studies. Developed through a collaborative consensus process involving experts in equitation science, veterinary medicine, animal welfare science, bioethics and behavioural science, the guidelines aim to ensure studies are both scientifically rigorous and ethically defensible.
As public scrutiny of animal use in sport, work and research continues to grow, the guidelines offer practical tools to help ensure that investigations into training techniques genuinely prioritise animal welfare, rather than overlooking the lived experiences of animals involved.
“Horses occupy a unique position in animal behaviour and welfare research due to their evolutionary history and intensive human use,” said Lisa Ashton. “The COMPASS Guidelines give researchers, ethics committees, reviewers and students a shared and explicit standard for designing and evaluating behaviour-modification studies in ways that are both scientifically credible and defensible from a welfare perspective.”
Equitation science research presents particular ethical and methodological challenges. Horses often enter studies with extensive prior learning histories, while training methods and equipment have the potential to influence both physical and psychological welfare. Recruitment, ethical oversight and the collection of meaningful welfare data can also be complex. The COMPASS Guidelines address these challenges by setting clear expectations for welfare-centred study design and interpretation, helping ensure research outcomes genuinely inform best practice.
Although rooted in equitation science, the COMPASS framework has been designed for broader application and is intended to complement existing research standards such as the ARRIVE and PREPARE Guidelines, making it relevant across species and scientific disciplines.
At Hartpury University, the guidelines are already being embedded into teaching. They feature within semester two modules including Equine Learning & Cognition (Level 5) and Equine Ethics & Welfare (Level 6), as well as the Applied Equine Cognition and Learning (Level 7) module delivered as part of the MSc Equitation Science programme.
The university says this integration reflects its ongoing commitment to evidence-based practice and the advancement of animal welfare through high-quality education and research.
More information about the COMPASS Guidelines is available via the journal Animals.
