Equine influenza remains a major welfare threat in horse populations globally, with vaccination programs and biosecurity protocols significantly reducing outbreak frequency and severity.
Equine influenza welfare management operates at both individual and population levels. For individual horses, vaccination, early identification of clinical signs, and appropriate rest — a minimum of one week per day of fever — prevent the secondary complications that cause most influenza-related welfare harm. At population level, event biosecurity including temperature screening, isolation of new arrivals, and movement restrictions during outbreaks are critical welfare interventions that prevent epidemic spread.