The importance of turnout and giving horses choices covered in new Government welfare guidance
The Scottish Government equine welfare guidance has been updated with the aim of giving all equids a good life
New equine welfare guidance is encouraging owners in Scotland to “take measures that will truly provide their horses, ponies and donkeys with a good life”.
The Scottish Government has published new guidelines, created with support from organisations including the National Equine Welfare Council, British Horse Society (BHS) and SSPCA, to replace the 2009 welfare of equids code of practice.
The in-depth guidance includes the need to consider equine mental wellbeing, providing positive experiences, the importance of social interaction and turnout, responsible breeding and buying and selling. The Scottish Government “recognises that animal welfare knowledge, management practices and science have moved on from previous management principles”.
Assessing welfare is another focus. The guidance discusses the five domains model and sets out indicators of good welfare, “behavioural signs needing further investigation” and pain-related behaviours – and provides advice around end-of-life decisions.
“Owners and keepers should not only be aiming to reduce negative experiences, but striving to provide opportunities to meet equid needs effectively and provide positive experiences,” states the guidance.
Scottish Government equine welfare guidance: giving horses choices
“Allowing equids to have choice/agency within their lives is crucial. When equids are denied the opportunity to meet their own needs or resolve stressors themselves at the time of their experience, these repeated negative experiences can become prolonged leading to chronic stress, ultimately compromising both mental and physical welfare.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said an animal’s quality of life can be classified as a life not worth living, a life worth living or a good life.
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“This guidance is intended to help those responsible for equids to provide them with, as a minimum, a life worth living, as well as encouraging owners and keepers to take measures that will truly provide their horse, pony or donkey with a good life,” said the spokesperson.
BHS national manager for Scotland Georgina Charlton told H&H the guidance is an “important step towards ensuring equids and the people who care for them can thrive together”.
“Whether you own or care for horses, ponies or other equids, this guidance provides clear, practical advice to help them enjoy the best possible quality of life,” she said.
In March, the SSPCA launched a new manifesto calling for a review of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act, including embedding the five domains model into legislation. An SSPCA spokesperson said the charity welcomes this guidance, which “recognises how much our understanding of equine welfare has developed in recent years”.
“Good welfare is about far more than preventing cruelty or disease. It is about ensuring horses have the opportunity to experience positive outcomes, interact socially, express natural behaviours and enjoy a good quality of life,” the spokesperson said.
“The guidance is a positive step towards a more modern and holistic approach to equine welfare, and we hope it will help owners and those responsible for equines across Scotland understand and put these principles into practice.”
The spokesperson added that the SSPCA has “long supported the need for animal welfare policy and legislation to reflect the latest scientific evidence”.
“For horses in particular, this means looking beyond the absence of suffering and considering what is needed for them to genuinely thrive,” they said.
“We hope this guidance will help drive higher standards of welfare and provide a strong foundation for the continued improvement of welfare.”
H&H asked Defra if it has plans to create similar guidance for England and was told that Defra already has a code of practice for equines providing owners with information on how to meet their needs.
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.