Stable Cultures in Cyberspace

Last updated Print

-

Formal title

Stable Cultures in Cyberspace

Formal

In recent years, questions about horse-keeping and the welfare of horses have been debated in social media. Voices of researchers, elite and leisure riders are heard, and different ideas about horse-keeping meet, clash and are discussed. The purpose of this study is to analyze stable cultures in cyberspace in Sweden and Norway. Horse riders’ communication in social media in relation to horse-keeping will be focused.

There are eight main research questions in the study:

  1. Which Internet sites are used by riders in Sweden and Norway?
  2. What kind of information about horse-keeping and the welfare of horses is found on these Internet sites in Sweden and Norway?
  3. How can this information be understood in relation to scientific knowledge and proven experience on horskeeping and the welfare of horses?
  4. What information is given value?
  5. Are there differences, and in that case which differences can be found, in the usage of social media and the giving of value related to age, gender and riding experience?
  6. In which way is the information influenced by different actors (scientific researchers, insurance companies, traders of market goods in the horse sector)?
  7. How can the information on horse-keeping and welfare of horses be understood in relation to research in social media?
  8. How can the information on horse-keeping and welfare of horses be interpreted in relation to previous research on stable cultures?

Description

Three different methods will be used, a survey, focus group interviews and netnography.

  1. A survey that reaches riders in Sweden and Norway will be used to map out the use of social media related to gender, age and horse and riding experience with focus on horse-keeping and the welfare of horses.
  2. Twelve focus group interviews in Sweden and Norway will be done.
  3. Netnography is a kind of ethnography on the Internet. In this study, we will combine the online and offline communities – Internet sites and blogs and the actual life in the stables.

Interest in horses and equestrian sports is growing in Sweden and Norway. Whether research and proven experience about horse-keeping and the welfare of horses is spread to all those that come into contact with horses today can be questioned. 

In recent years, the influence of social media on the dissemination and quality of knowledge has become increasingly evident. For the various horse riding stakeholders (e.g. insurance companies, veterinarians, riding schools) it is essential to understand what knowledge is attained by riders and horse owners on the Internet, in order to adjust and disperse correct information about horse-keeping and welfare of horses. It is of utmost prominence to the welfare of horses that information rests on research and proven experience, and not different opinions. 

For the various horse riding stakeholders (e.g. insurance companies, veterinarians, riding schools) it is essential to understand what knowledge is attained by riders and horse owners on the Internet, in order to adjust and disperse correct information about horse-keeping and welfare of horses. It is of utmost prominence to the welfare of horses that information rests on research and proven experience, and not different opinions. 

Read more about the project Stable Cultures in Cyberspace idrottsforum.org

Follow Stable Cultures in Cyberspace on facebook.

 

Result

The project was presented at the Horse-human relationship Conference in Leeds (18 -21 June 2018) and an online survey has been published in Sweden and Norway; so far, 1,250 respondents in Sweden and 380 in Norway have answered the survey.

Link to the online survey:

Swedish survey: https://sv.surveymonkey.com/r/BPKWKPX
Norwegian survey:https://no.surveymonkey.com/r/NSQNHSC