Horses kept at livery yards experience widely varying welfare standards. Understanding what to look for helps horse owners choose facilities that genuinely meet their animals needs.
The welfare of livery horses depends entirely on the management practices of the yard and the oversight of the owner. Poor livery yards may restrict turnout to minimise labour, provide inadequate forage leading to hunger and gastric ulcers, house horses in social isolation, or maintain stables in poor condition. Horses in these conditions may develop gastric ulcer disease (affecting up to 60% of performance horses), stereotypic behaviours, and aggression from chronic frustration. The welfare-conscious horse owner visits their horse daily, assesses welfare indicators systematically, and is willing to move yards if standards are inadequate.