Horse sales and auctions are high-risk environments for equine welfare. Fast transactions, unfamiliar environments, and inadequate assessment create conditions for suffering.
Horse auctions expose animals to rapid environmental change, novel horses, loss of familiar companions, and unknown handlers - all major stressors. The pace of transactions limits welfare assessment. Horses with lameness, dental disease, and injury are sold without appropriate veterinary intervention. Reform requires pre-sale health certification, transport standards, and traceability.