Equine Industry Welfare Guidelines Compendium
The Equine Industry Welfare Guidelines Compendium is the first document of its kind to set out the minimum standards of care required to appropriately look after a horse. It does not form a statutory code, but is agreed by the industry to be the recommended best practice and where relevant legislation is applicable, it is highlighted in shaded boxes.
Click here to view the document in PDF format.
To receive a paper copy of please complete the request form.
The Compendium has assisted many groups of people including:
• prospective horse owners • horse owners / keepers
• veterinary surgeons • police officers
• welfare inspectors • trading standards inspectors
in achieving high standards of horse care, husbandry and welfare
As well as providing comprehensive information and guidance on all of the above areas, the Compendium provides reference to:
• Government Publications • Codes of Practice
• Advisory Publications • Legal Acts, Orders & publications
• Useful Addresses & Contacts
The Compendium has been successfully used in Court as a legal referral document to aid those who are prosecuting people for neglect or cruelty to the horse by clearly identifying the industry agreed best practice.
Since its initial publication in 2002, 50,000 paper copies have been issued across the industry and over 10,000 copies have been downloaded from the internet.
Why do we need it?
The horse industry is committed to ensuring that the welfare of all horses is protected by the adoption of good husbandry practices. The broadest use and implementation of the standards within the Compendium will improve the welfare of horses throughout the UK irrespective of where they are kept and the purposes for which they are used.
Duty of Care
The most significant single influence on the welfare of the horse is the care and management given by the owner or keeper of that horse. They should be able to meet the welfare needs of their horse and be capable of safeguarding them under all foreseeable circumstances.
Owners and keepers of horses have a moral and legal responsibility to care for them and to ensure their physical and mental well being.
Officers of the City of London Mounted Police and the Metropolitan Mounted Police received the second edition of the Compendium from Defra representative Alison Reeves and paraded down the Strand and into the Middle Temple Courtyard where it was accepted by HRH The Princess Royal from PC Kim Hussey on behalf of the equine industry.
