Horses used in therapeutic riding programs and working equine roles in developing countries face distinct welfare challenges that require specific assessment frameworks beyond those applied to leisure or sport horses.
Working equid welfare encompasses animals whose labor is essential to the livelihoods of some of the poorest communities on Earth. Brooke Animal Health has documented that working horses, donkeys, and mules frequently suffer from preventable conditions — harness wounds from poorly fitted tack, lameness from overgrown hooves, exhaustion from overwork without adequate rest or nutrition. The same animals whose work is essential to their owners often receive inadequate care because owners lack knowledge or access to veterinary services. Therapeutic riding horses face different pressures — the emotional and physical demands of carrying anxious or physically impaired riders repeatedly require regular welfare assessment and mandatory rest.