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Finnish and Swedish riding school pupils’ motivation towards participation in education in horse behaviour, welfare, learning, and human-horse communication

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Title: Finnish and Swedish riding school pupils’ motivation towards participation in education in horse behaviour, welfare, learning, and human-horse communication
Author(s): Nyberg, Lina
Contributor: University of Helsinki, Faculty of Educational Sciences
Degree program: Master´s Programme in Education
Specialisation: General and Adult Education
Language: Swedish
Acceptance year: 2022
Abstract:
Horse enthusiasts have insufficient knowledge about horse behaviour and welfare (BW) and learning and human-horse communication (LC), which poses a risk for both human safety and horse welfare. The main objective of this study was to investigate why riding school pupils participate or do not participate in non-riding education in BW and LC, using Self-determination theory (SDT). SDT posits that the quality of motivation is related to the individual’s basic psychological needs. A convenience sample of 568 riding school pupils from Finland and Sweden completed an online questionnaire. The results show that forty percent of the riding schools offered education in BW, and thirty-two in LC. Twenty-seven percent of the respondents had participated in education in BW, and twenty-five in LC at the riding school. The respondents were autonomously motivated to participate in education, i.e., they would participate because it is interesting and personally important. Perceived needs satisfaction at the riding school predicted autonomous motivation to participate. Education was offered to a greater extent in Swedish riding schools and Swedish participants participated more, experienced more autonomous motivation, and relatedness and competence satisfaction. To our knowledge, this study is the first to explore riding school pupils’ motivation towards non-riding education.
Hästentusiaster har otillräcklig kunskap om hästens beteende och välfärd (BV) samt lärande och kommunikation mellan människa och häst (LK), vilket utgör en risk både för människans säkerhet och hästens välbefinnande. Det övergripande syftet med studien var att undersöka varför ridskole-elever deltar eller inte deltar i undervisning i BV och LK, utgående ifrån Self-determination theory (SDT). Antagandet inom SDT är att kvaliteten på motivation relaterar till individens grundläggande psykologiska behov. Ett icke slumpmässigt urval på 568 ridskole-elever från Finland och Sverige besvarade en online enkät. Resultaten visade att fyrtio procent av ridskolorna erbjöd undervisning i BV, och trettiotvå i LK. Tjugosju procent av deltagarna hade deltagit i undervisning i BV, och tjugofem i LK. Deltagarna var autonomt motiverade att delta, det vill säga att de skulle delta eftersom det är intressant och personligen viktigt. Upplevd tillfredsställelse av de psykologiska behoven på ridskolan förutspådde autonom motivation att delta i undervisning. Undervisning erbjöds mer på svenska ridskolor och svenska deltagare deltog mer, upplevde mer autonom motivation, tillhörighet och kompetens. Enligt vår vetskap är denna studie den första som undersöker ridskole-elevers motivation att delta i avsutten undervisning.
Keyword(s): Riding school equestrian motivation Self-determination theory basic psychological needs horse welfare


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