Welfare of Equids: Guidance

Handling, training and behaviour

Safe and ethical handling and training practices

Equid welfare and human safety improve when handlers and trainers understand behavioural indicators of stress and adjust their handling and training methods accordingly to avoid causing fear, distress or confusion. Human interaction should be a predominantly positive experience, avoiding unnecessary stress through kind, calm and empathetic handling and training methods based on an understanding of equid behaviour and learning theory.

Good practice:

• Methods used to handle and restrain equids should not cause injury or suffering.
• Equids should always be handled in a kind, calm and empathetic manner.
• Equids should not be handled roughly or in a way that causes fear.
• Equids should not be trained using methods that cause avoidable distress, fear or pain.
• Owners, keepers and trainers should be familiar with equid behaviour and how they learn.
• Equids should only undergo handling and training that matches their physical and mental maturity.
• Owners, keepers and trainers should recognise and reduce signs of physical and mental discomfort, with professional help sought when necessary.

Tack and equipment

When using tack and equipment, it should be fitted and used in a way that is minimally aversive and does not create any lasting pain or suffering.

Good practice:

• Any tack or equipment placed on an equid should be correctly fitted and be well maintained.
• Owners, keepers and trainers should understand how to use any tack and equipment appropriately.
• Equids should only have saddles used on them that have been correctly fitted by a professional saddle fitter.
• Saddles should be refitted on an annual basis, ideally more regularly.
• Tack and equipment should not be used to hide training deficits or use excessive force to control an equid, except in emergency situations.

Rider and driver weight and size

It is important that equids are not asked to carry riders or pull carriages/traps that are too heavy or physically big for them, as this could increase the likelihood of injury in both the short and long term.

Good practice:

• Owners and keepers should not let anyone ride their equid if the person’s weight exceeds that specified for welfare or safety reasons by a relevant riding school, sport body or other organisation. In the absence of such specification, equids should not generally be ridden by a person who exceeds 17% of the weight of the equid.
• Owners and keepers should also consider their physical height in proportion to their equid to ensure welfare is not compromised.
• Owners and keepers should ensure that any driven equid is not asked to pull a weight that is beyond their ability to do so comfortably.