Transporting horses causes significant physiological and psychological stress, and best-practice loading, vehicle design, and journey management can substantially reduce welfare impacts.
Horse transport welfare is significantly affected by how it is managed rather than simply by the act of transport itself. Horses with good loading training and experience of travel show much lower stress responses than naive horses loaded under pressure. Vehicle temperature, ventilation, space allowance, journey duration, and the opportunity to access hay and water all affect welfare during journeys. Long-distance transport for racing, competition, or sale exposes horses to substantial cumulative stress; careful attention to management at every stage can mitigate but not eliminate this.