Looking at old ground in a new way

In a pilot study, ISH will lead a team of social scientists, equine biomechanics, archaeologists and historic estate managers to understand and inform people on the front line of the risks and mitigations to be addressed when integrating permanent equestrian sports surfaces into designed landscapes. 

These historically important open spaces have been instrumental in the evolution of equestrian sports, such as Eventing. What is being experienced today by caretakers of historic landscapes are the effects of external pressures to integrate new technologies within equestrian sports in order to increase equine welfare and competitiveness, and to promote public participation but which may also disrupt the character of the landscape.

One Local Authority planner said of the project: "Your research project then is quite timely, given that many events…take place at historic parklands"

Our research aims to find answers to the following questions:

• How can cross-disciplinary scientific techniques from heritage science and sport science improve our understanding of the potential harm that equestrian sport in a designed landscape can cause to the ground and to the horse? 
• What effect on public use and attachment to a designed landscape does the sport of Eventing have? 
• Drawing on evidence from the first two questions, what guidance can be given to historic landscape managers and stakeholders on how to balance the preservation of designed landscapes with their use and sustainable development for equestrian sport? 

For further information on this project, please contact Shaun McKinnar at s.mckinnar@ucl.ac.uk 

People

Shaun McKinnar
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Professor May Cassar
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