Equine Welfare Beyond Racing: Horses in Sport, Work, and Pleasure Riding

Horses serve many roles beyond racing — in sport, leisure, and therapeutic contexts. Their welfare needs and common welfare problems vary by discipline and use.

Key Facts

An estimated 7 million horses are used in non-racing equestrian sport and recreation in the US
Laminitis — a painful inflammation of the hoof laminae — affects approximately 34% of horses at some point in their lives
Gastric ulcers affect approximately 60-90% of performance horses and up to 50% of leisure horses
Management practices including stabling, restricted grazing, and high-concentrate diets contribute to multiple health problems
Horses evolved for continuous movement and grazing — stabling for 23 hours per day causes significant welfare harm
Equine facial action coding units allow objective pain assessment from facial expressions
Rollkur or hyperflexion in dressage — forcefully overbending the neck — is contested as welfare-harmful

Welfare Considerations

Equine welfare in sport and recreation is shaped by the conflict between management systems optimized for human convenience and performance and the behavioral and physiological needs of horses evolved for continuous movement and social grazing. Stabling restricts movement and social interaction while promoting gastric ulcers, colic, and respiratory disease. High-concentrate diets produce rapid energy release but cause digestive problems compared to the high-forage diet horses evolved to process. Performance horses face training methods that may cause pain and stress beyond what is necessary for skill development. The welfare-conscious approach to horse management prioritizes extended turnout, forage-based diets, appropriate companionship, and training methods that minimize coercion and stress.

What You Can Do

Maximize turnout time for horses — extended grazing is more welfare-compatible than prolonged stabling
Feed forage-based diets with minimal concentrate and maximize free access to hay and pasture
Provide equine companionship — horses evolved as social animals and isolation causes significant stress
Oppose training methods that use pain or extreme force — positive reinforcement-based training is effective and welfare-compatible
Seek veterinary dental and pain assessment annually — horses hide pain effectively and chronic pain is common