Horses occupy a unique position in animal welfare — deeply embedded in human culture through sport, work, and companionship, yet also subjects of significant welfare concerns across racing, equestrian sport, the meat industry, and working animal contexts. 2025 sees active reform across multiple sectors.
Horse racing has faced intensifying scrutiny over racehorse deaths. The catastrophic breakdown of horses at Santa Anita Park in 2019 (37 deaths in a single season) brought the issue to mainstream media attention in the US. Key welfare concerns:
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act became the first federal horse racing regulation in US history, with full implementation from 2023. Key provisions:
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has implemented stricter safety regulations following media attention on race fatalities. Australian racing authorities introduced mandatory pre-race veterinary inspections and stricter whip use rules. Globally, the direction is toward stricter medication controls and improved surface safety standards.
High-profile incidents at the Tokyo Olympics — including a horse collapsing during the modern pentathlon and contentious refusals during show jumping — raised international attention to horse welfare in elite competition. The FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale) has responded with strengthened regulations:
The use of rollkur — extreme neck flexion in dressage training that forces horses' chins to their chests — has been contested for years. Scientific evidence consistently shows rollkur causes physical and behavioral stress. The FEI has prohibited "hyperflexion" but enforcement is challenging, and subtle variants continue in elite training. Animal welfare organizations continue to push for stronger and better-enforced standards.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages over 80,000 wild horses and burros in the western US — more horses than can be sustainably managed on available rangeland. The BLM's primary management tools — roundups and holding facilities — have significant welfare concerns:
Progress in 2025 includes expanded PZP contraception programs and some BLM-NGO partnerships to increase adoption placement. However, the fundamental population management challenge remains unresolved.
Approximately 112 million working equids (horses, donkeys, and mules) are used worldwide for draft power, transport, and agriculture, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. Welfare concerns include overloading, poorly fitted harnesses, inadequate veterinary care, insufficient water and feed, and overwork in extreme temperatures.
Organizations including the Brooke Hospital for Animals, SPANA (Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad), and The Donkey Sanctuary have field programs in over 50 countries providing veterinary care, owner education, and harness fitting. These programs serve tens of millions of working animals but reach only a fraction of those in need.
Horse slaughter for meat is a significant industry in France, Italy, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Mexico, and parts of Central Asia. Welfare concerns include:
The US has not had domestic horse slaughter facilities since 2007 (funding restrictions) but has exported horses for slaughter to Canada and Mexico. Efforts to fully close this pipeline through legislation continue.
| Issue | Development | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| HISA implementation | Full enforcement commenced; anti-doping program active | First federal US racing standards |
| EU transport reform | Proposed stricter limits on horse transport duration | Covers millions of horses annually |
| FEI welfare protocols | Enhanced veterinary oversight at international events | High-visibility sport welfare improvement |
| PZP fertility control | Expanded adoption in US wild horse management | More humane alternative to roundups |
| Australia wool/horse report | Continued scrutiny of export conditions | Live horse export welfare focus |