Cristina Luz Wilkins

Cristina Wilkins is a PhD candidate at the University of New England (UNE), Australia, researching the One Welfare outcomes of human-horse interactions with a special interest in the welfare consequences of relying on equipment-related pressures to train and control horses. Cristina collaborates with leading welfare scientists on practical tools for assessment, including the Mellorater app, and developed UNE’s online course Applying the Five Domains Model to the Welfare Assessment of Sport and Recreation Horses. A former international eventing competitor, coach, official, and long-time editor of Horses and People magazine, Cristina combines academic research with deep industry experience. Her science communication and advocacy have supported welfare initiatives across equestrian and racing organisations. She served on the Council of the International Society for Equitation Science (2011–2019) and is a co-author of The 2020 Five DomainsModel: Including Human–Animal Interactions in Assessments of Animal Welfare.