Horse Sport Welfare and Welfare Monitoring

Equestrian sport welfare spans dressage, showjumping, eventing, and racing, with evidence-based welfare monitoring increasingly integrated into competition rules and veterinary oversight.

Key Facts

FEI (international equestrian federation) veterinary regulations have strengthened significantly
Elimination criteria for lame or distressed horses are applied at all FEI events
Horse fatalities at events must be reported and investigated under current FEI regulations
Rollkur (hyperflexion) was a controversial dressage training technique — FEI banned extreme versions
Racetrack fatalities in the US exceed 1,000 annually with significant welfare improvement needed

Welfare Considerations

Equestrian sport welfare varies enormously across disciplines and regulatory frameworks: FEI events have well-developed veterinary oversight; national-level competition varies widely in welfare requirements; and training practices that are invisible to competition officials may differ substantially from what appears in the arena. The welfare case for independent veterinary oversight at all levels of competition, transparent fatality reporting, and enforcement of training welfare rules is strong. Horse welfare in sport depends on culture change as much as regulation.

What You Can Do

Support FEI and BHSF strengthening welfare monitoring in equestrian sport
Advocate for transparent horse fatality reporting requirements at all competition levels
Oppose training methods including hyperflexion demonstrated to cause welfare harm
Support event welfare officers having genuine authority to make welfare decisions
Engage with equestrian communities on welfare culture change beyond minimum rule compliance