What the #TwoHearts Message on FEI.org Means

Updated

#TwoHearts is the FEI's public expression of the bond between horse and human. On FEI.org, the Fédération Equestre Internationale describes this connection as central to its identity as both an organisation and a governing body for equestrian sport. The message is not a standalone slogan: it frames how the FEI says it wants to develop the sport — with athlete welfare, equal opportunity, and an ethical partnership with the horse.

What the message is attached to

The FEI presents #TwoHearts alongside three commitments that explain its practical meaning:

  • The horse-human bond — the unique relationship between rider and horse is treated as the heart of the sport, not a backdrop to it.
  • Welfare and opportunity — the organisation states that athlete welfare and equal opportunity are guaranteed aims within its development of the sport.
  • Ethical partnership — the horse is described as a partner in the sport, which is the basis for the "ethical" framing rather than a purely performance-based one.

Why a governing body uses a message like this

The FEI is the international governing body for equestrian sport. A governing body's rules and event standards are technical documents; a message like #TwoHearts works as the public-facing summary of the principles behind them. It tells riders, organisers, owners, and spectators what the FEI says it is protecting when it makes decisions about competition.

The FEI also links the message to how the sport should grow: "modern, sustainable and structured." That wording places #TwoHearts in the same sentence as development policy, so the bond is presented as something to be maintained as the sport expands, not only celebrated at major events.

How to read it if you are new to the sport

If you encounter #TwoHearts on FEI.org, treat it as the organisation's stated position on the horse's role in equestrian sport. It signals that the FEI frames horse welfare and partnership as conditions of competition, alongside athlete welfare and equal opportunity. For anyone following FEI events or rules, the message is the lens the organisation says it applies to those decisions — useful context before reading the technical regulations themselves.