‘Respect me and recognise my ability’ – young equestrians on how to have a voice in sport

It is essential to hear the voices of young athletes to make sport a safe place and to attract and retain youth. Despite this, youth voices are still almost unheard in sports. Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that the views of young people should be listened to and considered; this applies across all contexts, including sports. The present study focused on over 300 open-ended answers from an online survey of young Swedish equestrians, highlighting the ways in which they want to be involved and indicating prevailing conditions. The results reflect limited space for young equestrians to be involved. They want to be trusted for their competencies, and the horse is an important partner. A primary conclusion is that adults recognising and respecting young equestrians by giving access to horses or facilitating activities is essential when making space for having a voice.