Legal welfare standards for horses exist in most developed countries, but enforcement is inconsistent and many horses live below the legal minimum. Stronger inspection systems are needed.
The gap between legal welfare standards and actual welfare outcomes for horses is significant. Many horses live in chronic neglect — inadequate nutrition, overgrown hooves, dental disease, and inadequate shelter — without triggering enforcement action due to limited inspector capacity. Welfare-relevant factors including seasonal worsening of body condition, social isolation, and untreated veterinary conditions often go undetected. Strengthening enforcement requires more inspectors, better intelligence-sharing, clearer ownership registration requirements, and stronger penalties that deter neglect. Consumer and public pressure can also drive welfare improvement where enforcement alone is insufficient.