Welfare of Equids: Guidance

Living out, turnout and opportunities for movement

Equids are adaptable to living in a variety of weather conditions and can be kept in variable management settings, with 24/7 outside living (with access to shelters) being optimum for most equids. However, they need to be managed and cared for within a safe and appropriate environment. Wherever they are kept, whether living out full-time or turned out for part of the day, or housed in barns, shelters or stables, the environment must meet the needs of the individual animals. This means taking into account their physical and behavioural requirements and preferences, in particular their need for space, companionship and forage.

Freedom of movement

Regular, if not constant, opportunities for freedom of movement and access to foraging opportunities is vital to promote good equid welfare. Freedom of movement refers to times when equids have adequate space to move freely at all gaits outside of human-led exercise. Free-ranging equids cover distances of 10 to 40 km daily to fulfil their foraging and other needs; however domesticated equids are often kept in environments that restrict free movement. Owners and keepers have a duty to ensure sufficient daily opportunities for free movement and expression of natural behaviours. Equids can be kept in a variety of outdoor systems such as traditional fields, tracks and pasture systems.

Good practice:

• Equids should be kept within a safe and secure environment free from hazards.
• Owners and keepers should ensure that fencing and boundaries are secure and well maintained.
• Equids should have access to clean areas of grazing and/or forage free from faeces.
• Equids should have free movement opportunities daily, even if receiving human-led exercise.
• Equids should be given as much access as possible to outside areas for free movement, with thought given as to whether they can live outside either year-round or at certain times of year if 24/7 access is not possible.
• Owners and keepers should provide turnout and living out areas of adequate space to allow for all equids to move freely at all gaits and exhibit normal behaviours.
• Equids should be turned out in socially compatible groups: being social animals, the opportunity for social contact is very important for welfare. This includes stallions, who with the right introduction and management can be kept in socially compatible groups.
• Owners and keepers should manage the introduction of new animals to groups carefully. Where group living is not possible, equids should be in sight and ideally able to physically touch each other.
• Owners and keepers should consider planning for seasonal variation in relation to pasture and outside living access so that at all times of year equids have a well-drained, mud free area in which to feed and lie down.
• Owners and keepers should manage high traffic areas which are prone to poaching, such as gateways or areas around water troughs, to prevent them from becoming a health and safety risk to equids or handlers.
• Equids should have choice to move between different areas, i.e., the choice to be inside or outside in differing weather conditions. Owners and keepers should provide equids with access to both shelter and turnout to offer choice and agency.
• Where daily freedom of movement is not possible, owners and keepers should provide human-led exercise, in-hand, ridden, driven, or via a horse walker. Unless restricted movement has been advised as part of veterinary treatment of an injury or illness.

Enhanced management measures:

• Owners and keepers should aim to keep groups stable (in terms of new equids being introduced or others being removed) as much as possible, to promote welfare and lower the risk of injury to animals and handlers.

Pasture management

A good pasture management programme is essential for supporting equid health and welfare. It helps prevent overgrazing, supports parasite control, improves pasture quality and drainage and aids in weed control.

Good practice:

• Owners and keepers should ensure that faeces are picked up regularly (at least weekly) to help control internal parasites and maintain pasture hygiene, unless animals are kept on large and extensive areas of grazing where this may not be required.
• Owners and keepers should ensure that a biosecurity risk assessment is undertaken with a veterinary professional before any new equid is introduced to the grazing area and faecal egg tested before being turned out. Any equid deemed to be of high risk or those of an unknown health status should be quarantined. (See Appendix 1 - Equid centred quarantine and isolation plan).
• Owners and keepers should have a management plan in place where paddocks are regularly rotated and allowed to rest.
• Owners and keepers should ensure that pastures are free from poisonous plants (such as ragwort, privet, box, leylandii, yew, broom). At certain times of year i.e. spring/autumn – some tree species (for example: oak; sycamore) should be fenced off to prevent equids from eating parts of the tree but particularly seeds/seedlings.
• Where grazing areas are adjacent to residential housing, measures should be taken to prevent access to garden waste, particularly lawn clippings, which may contain toxic plants or pose a risk.

Enhanced management measures:

• Owners and keepers should harrow and roll fields yearly, if required, to remove dead grass and shallow-rooted weeds at a time when the field is not being used for grazing.
• Owners and keepers should look to improve and maintain soil health and encourage biodiversity within pastures where possible – this may include the need to reseed or over-sow pastures with appropriate meadow grass mixes to restore sward health.
• Where appropriate, owners and keepers can support pasture improvement and reduce worm burdens by grazing cattle or sheep in rotation with equids.
• Grazing areas should ideally be rested for 6 months.

Shelter provision

Shelter is essential to protect equids from adverse weather conditions, including wind, rain, snow, hail, extreme heat, and biting insects. Both artificial and natural shelters should offer a dry, mud-free resting area, taking into account the needs and preferences of individual animals.

Seasonal changes in weather should be anticipated, with contingency plans in place for flooding, snow, and heatwaves. Natural shelter (e.g. hedges, woodland) may provide some protection and environmental enrichment but may not be adequate for prolonged periods of extreme weather. Donkeys are less well adapted to UK weather conditions and require a man-made shelter at all times of the year.

Good practice:

• Donkeys should have access to adequate shelter and dry areas at all times.
• All equids should have access to a form of shelter at all times.
• Donkeys should have access to a man-made, three-sided shelter and areas of hardstanding at all times.
• Owners and keepers should provide shelters that have a dry, clean area where equids can lie down and rest/sleep within a 24-hour period.
• Owners and keepers should ensure that that all natural shelters are free from toxic plants and trees.
• Owners and keepers should ensure that field shelters can accommodate all equids comfortably, with multiple large entry/exit points to reduce conflict.
• Owners and keepers should consider that trees and hedgerows used for shelter can also offer excellent enrichment and foraging opportunities, if safe. However, trees and hedgerows may not provide adequate shelter in certain weather conditions.
• Owners and keepers should provide shelters with suitable flooring (hard standing or well-drained surfaces) to ensure year-round mud-free access.
• Owners and keepers should consider that entrances ideally face away from prevailing winds.

Enhanced management measures:

• In winter months, owners and keepers should consider solar or battery-powered lighting for health checks where there is no mains electricity.

Social groupings

Equids are highly social animals that normally maintain close visual and physical contact with their group members, forming strong social bonds. Social contact opportunities refer to times when equids can interact with other equids via direct physical contact. It is important that all equids have social contact opportunities daily, particularly with those equids they have formed close social bonds with and consider friends and companions.

Social contact should include safe opportunities for direct physical contact, allowing for mutual grooming, resting, eating together and playing. Direct physical contact and positive interactions can be provided for via outdoor or indoor turnout areas with adequate space for freedom of movement and foraging. Thoughtful stable design should allow safe direct physical contact with compatible neighbours and include safe space to rest out of the reach of neighbours.

Introducing unfamiliar equids can cause considerable stress and may lead to injury if not undertaken carefully. When introducing new equids to each other or into established groups, it should be done gradually and over a period of time that allows individual animals to become familiar and comfortable with each other. Direct introductions should be undertaken in a calm and safe way, with owners and keepers able to monitor all equids to ensure any initial conflicts resolve over the following weeks and months.

Good practice:

• Equids have a behavioural need for social contact with other equids and should be allowed to live in familiar and consistent social groups. If this is not possible, equids should be given social contact opportunities at least daily.
• Positive human interactions can supplement social contact but cannot replace interaction with other equids.
• Owners and keepers should integrate new equids into existing social groups carefully and in a phased manner to reduce stress and injuries.
• Equids should have clear visual contact with other equids when they are housed in individual stables or turned out individually. But this does not replace their need for physical contact for at least part of the day.
• Equids should not be forced into proximity with those they are incompatible with. Initial steps such as ensuring there is enough forage and space, may resolve initial challenges, but ultimately this may require moving equids into different stables or fields. However, it is abnormal for an equid to not get on with any other equid after a period of time and veterinary investigation should be undertaken as pain is a common underlying reason.
• Equids that form strong bonds should not be unnecessarily separated, as this can cause distress and health issues.
• Equids isolated for biosecurity/health reasons should have individualised plans to compensate for lack of social contact - consult with a veterinary surgeon or qualified behaviour professional. (See Appendix 1: Equid-centred quarantine and isolation plan).
• In rare circumstances, keeping an equid with other animals (e.g., cattle, sheep, goats) may be acceptable in the short-term if moving them would cause more stress, however mixed species groups must be compatible and any risks to either species mitigated. Groups of equids can usually live compatibly alongside other species, provided initial introductions are undertaken gradually.

Sleep and rest

Equids need access to an environment conducive to resting and sleep behaviours that support physical and mental recovery. An equid’s environment should allow opportunities for rest and sleep. Sleep and rest are essential for the equid’s ability to remain physically fit and recover from exertion, injury or illness, and although they can rest standing up, they need to be able to lie down to get appropriate deep sleep. Equids do not sleep for long periods at a time, but rest and sleep for short periods throughout the day and night for around 3-5 hours over a 24-hour period.

Good practice:

• Equids should have daily access to a dry and comfortable area that enables them to lie down.
• Equids should be allowed a period of uninterrupted rest overnight – which is often the time they lie down to have their deep sleep.
• Equids suffering from sleep deprivation collapse should be assessed by a veterinary surgeon.
• Equids should be provided with rest periods after exercise, transportation and stressful events. Length of rest should be appropriate to workload, climate, health and age of equid.
• Owners and keepers should be able to satisfy themselves daily that their equid shows signs of having been lying down to ensure they are getting sufficient rest - this might be via manual observations (presence of bedding in the mane/ mud on the body) or using CCTV equipment.
• Owners and keepers should monitor equid rest and sleep behaviours alongside any physical, social or environmental changes, recent travel events, or medical conditions.

Rugging

Most healthy equids do not require rugs during the winter months, provided they have access to shelter and are given sufficient forage to generate body heat. Where possible (particularly where appropriate shelter is provided) rugging should be avoided, as it restricts social behaviour, such as grooming, as well as the full effect of pleasant experiences, such as rolling and scratching.

Over-rugging can negatively affect equid welfare, including sleep quality. Rugs are most likely to be needed during prolonged wind and rain. Prolonged wet weather without adequate shelter may prevent natural drying of the coat, increasing the risk of skin conditions such as rain scald; in such cases, a lightweight waterproof rug is recommended.

Equids are naturally well adapted to changes in environmental temperature. Horses’ thermoneutral zone ranges from approximately 5°C to 25°C, within which they can maintain a core temperature of around 37.5°C. There is a lack of data to provide evidence on the thermoneutral zone of donkeys although, as temperatures fall below 5°C or rise above 25°C, equids of any species may seek shelter or shade.

In the UK, equids typically start to develop a thicker winter coat in late summer and autumn. Clipped, elderly, or underweight equids may require a thin layer of insulation for additional warmth. Care must be taken not to over-rug equids prone to weight gain. As part of weight management, a partial clip may be used during winter, accompanied by a lightweight waterproof rug in wet conditions.

During the warmer months, some equids may suffer from fly irritation. Fly rugs and hoods may be used to offer protection but must be well-fitted and checked daily for rubbing. The negative impact of irritation by flies needs to be counterbalanced with restricting their ability to engage in mutual grooming when wearing a rug.

Most equids housed indoors do not require rugging, especially native breeds. However, certain individuals and those that are elderly, sick, or prone to weight loss may need rugs to help maintain body temperature. Adequate forage and opportunities for movement should be provided to support thermoregulation.

Good practice:

• Most equids will not require a rug if they are kept in an environment which optimises Friends, Forage and Freedom, alongside access to shelter.
• Owners and keepers should tailor rug use, if required, to individual equid needs, based on body condition, coat thickness, age, clip status, health and access to shelter.
• Owners and keepers should monitor equids for signs of cold, such as shivering or a tucked-up appearance, and of overheating such as being warm to touch under the rug or any evidence of moisture/sweat.
• When rugs are required, owners and keepers should ensure all rugs and hoods are properly fitted and fastened. All rugs should be removed daily to check for rubs, sores, or other health issues.
• Owners and keepers should provide donkeys with rugs specifically designed for their unique body shape (narrow shoulders, chest, and neck); pony rugs are not suitable and may cause injury.
• Owners and keepers should ensure rugs are regularly cleaned, maintained, and repaired to remain safe and effective. A spare rug should be available to allow wet rugs to dry thoroughly.
• Equids with high body condition scores should generally not be rugged in winter, to allow natural weight loss, but must have continuous access to shelter and forage.

Tethering

Tethering refers to the practice of securing an equid by a chain or tether attached to a neck strap or headcollar and anchored to a fixed point, thereby restricting the equid to a defined area in order to allow them to graze.

Tethering is not a suitable method of long-term management due to significant limitations it places on the equid’s welfare. However, when done responsibly and for short-term, temporary purposes, tethering may be acceptable in exceptional circumstances such as rest stops during travel, while arranging proper housing or on veterinary advice for restricted feeding, provided high standards of supervision and care are maintained.

Good practice:

• Owners and keepers should ensure headcollars and/or neck straps do not cause injury or sores.
• Owners and keepers should ensure that, if continuous access to water cannot be maintained, water is offered at regular intervals throughout day.
• Equids should be appropriately trained to wearing a headcollar and neck strap for tethering to prevent panic or distress.
• Equids should be tethered using a well-fitted leather neck strap or head-collar, using swivel mechanism, connected to a minimum 6–7 metre (20 ft) chain.
• Equids should be secured using a chain that has a swivel mechanism at both ends, at the anchorage point and at the point of attachment to the animal, to prevent twisting and entanglement.
• Tethered equids should be checked at least three times daily to ensure they have not become entangled or injured and have access to food and water.
• Owners and keepers should ensure that tethering sites provide a natural windbreak (e.g. hedgerows, woodland, or buildings) but not be tethered near fencing or other structures where they could become trapped.
• Equids should be tethered within sight of other equids but positioned far enough apart to prevent tether entanglement.
• Owners and keepers should ensure that tethered equids are not placed on boggy or wet ground where they stand in mud for extended periods.

Emergency weather planning

Emergency weather plans should be in place in the likelihood of floods, heat waves, snow, wildfires and storms. (See Appendix 2 - Emergency Planning for Equids.)

Conservation and regenerative grazing

Equids are increasingly used in conservation grazing and regenerative land management. These free-living groups contribute to biodiversity and habitat restoration, and although their welfare needs do not differ from those of domestic equids, how they are managed is often quite different. They often graze over large, extensive areas where routine practices such as daily handling or regular dung removal are neither practical nor appropriate. Management should therefore prioritise low-stress, minimal-intervention approaches that respect their social structures, natural foraging behaviour, and adaptation to the environment. Owners and keepers responsible for these herds should ensure habitats provide adequate nutrition, rest areas, shelter and water, while maintaining socially stable groups and monitoring welfare primarily through observation rather than frequent handling.