Transporting horses across long distances causes significant welfare harm. The live export of horses for slaughter remains one of the most contested welfare issues in equine policy.
Horse transport welfare is shaped by the fundamental conflict between the economic value of live animals (which fetches higher prices than carcasses) and the welfare cost of long-distance transport. Research consistently shows that journey duration is positively correlated with welfare harm — and that horses are physiologically and psychologically ill-suited to prolonged confinement in moving vehicles. The live export for slaughter trade exposes horses to the worst of these conditions, including journeys that exceed regulatory limits and rest facilities that fall below required standards. The welfare-rational policy is to mandate slaughter at or near origin with chilled carcass transport rather than live animal export. This requires international trade agreements that accept equivalent welfare-compliant carcass standards.