Horse Transport Welfare | Animal Welfare Hub

Transporting horses by road and air causes physiological and psychological stress requiring careful management to minimise welfare harm.

Key Facts

Horses transported for more than 6 hours show significant respiratory tract inflammation
Pleuropneumonia (shipping fever) is a serious health risk following long-distance transport
Horses prefer to travel at 45 degree angles to the direction of travel but are typically transported head-to-head
High humidity and poor ventilation in horse trailers exacerbate respiratory welfare problems
Pre-transport training reduces loading stress and improves subsequent journey welfare

Welfare Considerations

Horse transport causes multiple welfare stressors including confinement, balance challenges during movement, altered feeding patterns, and immune suppression. Respiratory complications including shipping fever can be fatal and are associated with prolonged transport at high temperatures with inadequate ventilation. Horses that are anxious loaders have elevated stress responses throughout journeys. Loading training from a young age, appropriate vehicle design, journey breaks for water and rest, and good ventilation are key welfare interventions during horse transport.

What You Can Do

Train horses to load calmly using positive reinforcement from a young age
Ensure adequate ventilation and appropriate temperature during horse transport
Provide water breaks every 8 hours for horses on long journeys
Seek veterinary advice before transporting horses with respiratory conditions