Beyond the Foam . A Step Forward for Welfare

Hola Everyone

I welcome the FEI’s decision to ban, starting July 1, 2025, the use of products designed to provoke or simulate foam in the horse’s mouth. It’s a step forward that, although symbolic, marks a significant shift: acknowledging that welfare cannot be faked.

Salivation is a natural reflex that can indicate acceptance of contact, but it can also result from pain, stress, or manipulation. Applying artificial products to create foam isn’t just unethical it’s a deliberate distortion of the horse’s body language. It turns a potential sign of suffering into a competitive advantage.

However, this rule alone won’t solve the underlying issue. Foam is not the cause, it’s the symptom. As long as training methods continue to rely on tension, misuse of the bit, or mechanical rigidity, horses will continue to suffer, even if it no longer shows.

This resolution is valuable, but it must be supported by three essential pillars:

1. In depth education for judges, trainers, and riders in biomechanics, ethology, and the recognition of pain.

2. Fair and consistent enforcement, without exceptions based on competition level or rider prestige.

3. A cultural shift away from imposed aesthetics as the main goal, toward valuing true lightness, genuine suppleness, and expressive, tension free movement.

From my standpoint as an educator and advocate for ethical riding, I celebrate this measure, but I must remind us all:

removing the foam means nothing if we leave the tension behind.

Isaac Ares

Legal Disclaimer:

This document expresses an independent professional analysis based on research and biomechanical observation. It aims to promote functional, ethical, and welfare-oriented equestrian practice. It does not refer to any specific rider, horse, event, or governing body.