Welfare of Equids: Guidance

Health and veterinary care

Ensuring good equid welfare requires a strong partnership between owners and keepers, and veterinary professionals including veterinary nurses. Regular veterinary care helps prevent disease, manages injuries and maintains overall health. Owners who actively engage with their veterinary practice gain valuable knowledge, improve their ability to recognise early signs of illness, identify priorities and ensure timely intervention when necessary. By fostering a proactive approach to veterinary care, owners contribute to their equid’s long-term well-being and quality of life.

Recognising pain in equids is essential for ensuring their health, welfare, and quality of life. Equids are prey animals and often mask signs of discomfort, making pain identification challenging. Effective pain recognition enables timely intervention, preventing minor issues from escalating into serious welfare concerns. Understanding behavioural and physiological indicators of pain allows owners and keepers to make informed decisions regarding equid care, management practices, and overall equid well-being.

Emergency and urgent care

As highly social prey animals, equids are adapted to conceal illness, injury and pain for fear of falling victim to predators. It is important for owners and keepers to be aware of this and learn to recognise the daily behaviours and movement patterns of equids in their care.

While not exhaustive, common signs of behaviour that may require urgent care include:

• signs of colic – may come on slowly or be subtle in the early stages:
  • change in behaviour (more lethargic; increased anxiety; being withdrawn or depressed),
  • reduced food intake,
  • change in water intake,
  • change in manure consistency,
• signs of pain or discomfort,
• large wounds or wounds close to joints,
• reluctance to move,
• fast breathing,
• unexplained sweating,
• lameness,
• swelling,
• discharge from the eyes, ears or nose,
• persistent coughing or difficulty breathing,
• fever,
• for donkeys and mules, owners and keepers should be aware they have subtle behaviours, and are less likely to show illness, with reduced or loss of appetite being a significant concern.

Good practice:

• Equids that are sick, injured and/or in pain should be assessed and receive prompt appropriate treatment which may include euthanasia. If in doubt, a veterinary surgeon must be consulted in a timely manner.
• Owners and keepers should know what is normal for their equid in terms of behaviour and movement patterns, and be able to identify abnormal behaviours, signs of sickness or injury.
• Equids suffering chronic pain should receive appropriate treatment and be managed in a way that promotes a good quality of life.
• Sick, injured or recovering equids should be monitored at least twice daily (using CCTV where appropriate).
• Owners and keepers should check equids carefully and regularly to identify problems that may not be apparent at a distance.
• Owners and keepers should learn to take equids’ temperature, pulse and respiration rates. When vital signs are abnormal or unexpected, a veterinary surgeon should be consulted.
• Owners and keepers should have basic knowledge of equid first aid.
• An up-to-date first-aid kit should be readily available on all equid premises, along with a transport plan to a veterinary hospital if required. All keepers should be aware of its location and implementation.
• Equids should not be given pain relief and long-term drug use to mask suffering in order to continue ridden or working activity. Medication should support quality of life, not extend function at the expense of comfort.
• Equid owners and keepers should be regularly assessing equids for subtle changes in posture, facial expressions, appetite and movement.
• An emergency plan should be in place for every equid including plans for euthanasia, financial limits, treatment preferences and thresholds to treatments.
• Equids should be registered with a veterinary practice which can provide equine routine and emergency care, and build a strong, ongoing relationship with their team.
• Owners and keepers should ensure the practice has up-to-date medical records and history of the equid.
• Veterinary contact information, including out-of-hours contact, should be readily available on all equid premises.
• Owners and keeper should assign a named person to act on their behalf and have responsibility for equid health management if they are uncontactable.
• Owners and keepers should ensure that their equid’s passports are easily accessible to ensure treatments can be made available.

Routine and preventative health care

Routine health maintenance promotes good welfare, and helps to prevent suffering, injury and disease.

Hoof care

Hoof care is a critical aspect of equid health and welfare. The hooves of equids are dynamic structures that continually grow and adapt to environmental conditions, diet, terrain, and movement. Proactive hoof care is essential to identify and address underlying issues promptly, thereby preventing more severe complications. Neglecting hoof maintenance can lead to pain, discomfort, impaired mobility, and behavioural changes.

Regular examinations by farriers or appropriately qualified professionals are imperative to maintain optimal hoof-health and overall well-being.

Good practice:

• Whether shod or unshod, hooves should not be allowed to grow to excessive lengths causing injury or discomfort.
• Equids should receive veterinary or farrier attention if they are exhibiting signs of pain, difficulty moving or reluctance to weight-bear. Any advice or treatment plans should be adhered to.
• Owners and keepers should be able to recognise signs of good and poor hoof health, including discomfort or pain manifesting as lameness or behavioural changes, and seek assistance promptly.
• Equids should have their hooves checked and trimmed at regular intervals to prevent overgrowth and associated discomfort.
• Owners and keepers should only use registered farriers or appropriately qualified and insured individuals to perform hoof care procedures.
• Equids should be provided with access to dry ground to prevent excessive moisture accumulation. Donkey hooves are more prone to disease when exposed to wet conditions, emphasising the importance of donkeys having access to hard standing.
• Equids should have their hooves cleaned and inspected regularly for signs of disease, injuries, abnormal growth, shape distortions, or excessive wear. This practice aids in the early detection of conditions like thrush, cracks, or foreign bodies. Owners and keepers should also regularly observe equids for signs of hoof discomfort, including reluctance to walk, turn, traverse hard ground, shortened stride, weight shifting, abnormal heat or pulses, and reluctance to lift feet.
• Equids with persistent hoof issues should be evaluated for metabolic diseases such as Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) or Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) and their diet and grazing habits adjusted accordingly.
• Equids with chronic hoof conditions, such as those resulting from laminitis or injuries, require closer monitoring and more frequent hoof care to manage distorted growth patterns effectively.
• Equids should stop any work at the onset of hoof discomfort to prevent further damage. Ensure the environment and diet are conducive to recovery, especially in cases of chronic conditions like laminitis.
• Equids should have their hooves maintained appropriately to the individual's conformation through regular trimming or shoeing, typically every 6–8 weeks, or more frequently during periods of rapid growth or for specific health conditions.
• Equids should be prepared for hoof care procedures. This includes familiarising them to handling and ensuring practitioners are aware of any specific needs, such as accommodating arthritis or previous bad experiences.

Enhanced management measures:

• Owners and keepers, with professional guidance, should become familiar with what constitutes a healthy and balanced hoof for each limb and recognise deviations that may require intervention.

Dental care

A preventative dental care strategy combining annual examinations and early intervention should be in place to identify and treat issues before they become advanced. Consideration should be given to the impact of selective breeding and dietary practices that may predispose certain individuals or groups to developmental or acquired dental disorders.

Good practice:

• Any equid exhibiting signs of mouth pain (such as quidding, headshaking or other behaviours) should be seen by a veterinary surgeon or an equid dental technician in a timely manner.
• Equids should have their teeth examined by a qualified equid dental technician or veterinary surgeon using a full-mouth speculum and appropriate lighting at least annually to identify and prevent painful conditions.
• Owners and keepers should only use suitably qualified professionals (e.g. veterinary surgeons or qualified dental technicians) to undertake dental procedures on their equid(s).
• Equids with existing dental disorders, older animals, or those on restricted grazing should be examined by a qualified equid dental technician or veterinary surgeon at least every six months or as advised.

Vaccination

Vaccinations form part of general health management plans to reduce the risk of introduction or spread of infectious diseases. Vaccinations offer equids protection from certain diseases, although do not completely eliminate the risk of disease outbreak. Maintaining good biosecurity to control infection is important, even for equids that have been vaccinated.

Good practice:

• Owners and keepers should protect the welfare of their equid by vaccinating against tetanus, and ideally equid influenza and strangles as a minimum. Other use of vaccines (equid herpesvirus, West Nile virus and equine viral arteritis) should be discussed with your veterinary surgeon.
• Owners and keepers should undertake a risk-based assessment to determine whether other vaccinations would be beneficial.
• Owners and keepers should keep an up-to-date record of vaccinations administered identifying the equid(s) vaccinated, date and any adverse reactions in their equid’s passport.
• Owners or keepers should know the vaccination status of new arrivals to yards and ensure they are properly vaccinated. Quarantine is recommended for new arrivals from an unknown or high risk health status, with temperature and diagnostic tests taken to rule out infection.
• Equids should be rested from ridden or other work for 24-48 hours or as advised by the veterinary surgeon following vaccination, to reduce the risk of an adverse reaction developing.

Parasite control

A holistic approach to parasite control is important for equid comfort and health. The risk for every equid is used to inform management, testing and treatment approaches. A free online calculator is available to assess worm risk of the equid(s) at: www.whatsyourwormrisk.com.

Due to an increasing build-up of dewormer (anthelmintic) resistance, testing should be carried out to inform the need to treat individuals. Faecal and antibody-based tests can considerably reduce the number of worming treatments required, protecting the effectiveness of wormers. They are necessary for enabling a risk-based assessment to be undertaken and for a targeted deworming program to be developed. Advice should be sought from a veterinary surgeon, with saliva and blood antibody tests available to diagnose tapeworm and small red worm infections in horses (please note – these are not validated in donkeys or hybrids).

In all cases, based on the results of testing, a suitably qualified person (SQP) or a veterinary surgeon can advise a targeted worming approach using, where relevant, the appropriate worming combination to reduce parasite burden, lower the risk of resistance development and minimise negative environmental impacts.

There are a limited number of products approved for the treatment of ectoparasites in equids. Under the advice of a veterinary surgeon, lice and mites may be controlled using approved topical and oral products. Flies, mosquitoes, and ticks currently have no treatments that are fully effective. Regular sanitation, avoiding exposure and use of physical protective screens or masks are recommended. If using any product, it is important to check all ingredients to ensure the application is safe for equids and humans and to understand any environmental impact and how to minimize it.

Good practice:

• Owners and keepers should have a parasite control programme in place to reduce parasite-related diseases. A veterinary surgeon can advise on an optimal programme for internal and external parasites, considering equid age, stocking density, drug resistance, drug availability, season, geography, and pasture management.
• A faecal W=worm egg count test should be undertaken 2-3 times a year when equids are grazing – with a reduction test incorporated into the parasite control plan to help monitor the effectiveness of the de-wormers used.
• For tapeworm control, a saliva or blood antibody test should be used once a year in spring or autumn for equids at low infection risk and twice a year in spring and autumn for equids at high risk. These are currently not validated for use in donkeys or hybrids.
• When grazed in groups, equids should be tested and, when necessary and as directed by test results, treated at the same time with the same anthelmintic compound.
• For equids that are susceptible to sweet itch (Culicoides hypersensitivity), midge exposure and areas of high insect activity should be avoided - including turnout immediately before and during midge season; turnout at dawn and dusk; turnout in pastures with ponds or standing water. Appropriate rugs can be beneficial in some cases allowing for longer periods of turnout.
• Owners and keepers should regularly inspect equids for signs of mites (particularly for equids with feathering to the limbs) and lice, and seek veterinary guidance on how best to treat and manage if suspected.
• Owners and keepers should keep up to date detailed records of all parasite treatments including identity of equid(s) treated, date, treatment, dosage and any adverse reactions.

Enhanced management measures:

• For small redworm control, equids at low risk of infection can be tested using an antibody-based small redworm blood test in autumn or winter to assess the need for treatment. This is not validated for use in donkeys or hybrids. Alternatively, in discussion with your SQP or veterinary surgeon, a risk-based decision can be made on whether to treat for encysted small redworm.

Infectious disease control and biosecurity

Infectious diseases are illnesses that are transmissible to equids from other equids or other species, directly, via the environment or using vectors such as flies and midges. Many diseases can be transmitted to other equids or species, including humans (zoonoses). Common equid infectious diseases are mostly caused by viruses and bacteria. Fungi, insects (such as lice and mites), and other parasites may be considered infectious, depending on how they are transmitted. The most common and significant infectious diseases that pose a threat to equids are tetanus, equid Influenza (EI or Equid Flu) strangles, herpes viruses, intestinal worms, lice and mites.

Biosecurity is the combination of efforts to protect equids from infectious disease and includes:

• good hygiene,
• preventing or reducing contact with high-risk equids and environments,
• vaccination,
• screening,
• quarantine and isolation.

Good practice:

Owners, keepers, veterinary surgeons and anyone in contact with an equid suspected of having a notifiable disease should report it in line with the following guidance: Notifiable Equine Diseases: biosecurity information for equine keepers - gov.scot.

End of life - euthanasia

Facing the end of an equid ’s life is one of the most emotionally and ethically challenging responsibilities for any owner and keeper. It carries deep physical, emotional and practical implications - not just for the equid, but also for the rest of their social group and their owners and keepers. End of life decision-making is a vital part of safeguarding welfare and needs to be considered for any age of equid.

As equids age, cumulative health challenges such as chronic pain, dental decline, musculoskeletal degeneration, cognitive decline and reduced mobility, can gradually erode their quality of life. However, equids of any age may develop health conditions that compromise their quality of life or exhibit repeated and extreme behaviours that endanger others that make euthanasia a necessary consideration.

Recognising when an equid is approaching end of life, and acting in a timely, informed manner is fundamental to preventing unnecessary suffering.

Good practice:

• Equid euthanasia must be humane.
• Only competent persons (e.g. veterinary surgeons, fallen stock collector/knacker or game keeper/marksperson) should carry out euthanasia.
• Owners and keepers should make the decision to euthanise in a timely manner and not unduly delay the decision.
• Owners and keepers should anticipate age-related health changes and be prepared to make a decision to euthanise in advance of any suffering.
• Owners and keepers should seek expert input from veterinary surgeons, qualified behavioural professionals and equid welfare professionals, using guidance from reputable charities and quality-of-life frameworks.
• Equids should be euthanised humanely in a familiar setting. If possible, choose a location the equid knows and trusts, with familiar people and group mates nearby.
• Owners and keepers should allow surviving equids time and space to adjust to the change of their social grouping following the death of a familiar equid.

Enhanced management measures:

• Where safe to do so, companions of the deceased individual should be given access to the body, even for a short period of time.

Bodies must be handled according to law, especially if the equid dies on private property or from a notifiable disease. The appropriate authorities and passport-issuing organisations must be informed promptly, and the equid’s passport must be returned to the passport-issuing organisation within 30 days of death.