Equine Housing and Care
This Welfare Topic aims to support Competent Authorities and other stakeholders with issues related to equine housing and care, including working equids and horse confinement. The documents published by the EURCAW Ruminants & Equines on this topic are not legally binding and may be updated periodically.
Legislation
The legal requirements referred to in thematic and indicator factsheets are based on EU legislation. National regulations in EU Member States may exceed these requirements.
Council Directive 98/58/EC of 20 July 1998 lays down the minimum requirements for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes and requires animals involved in farming not be caused unnecessary pain, suffering or injury.
- Article 1, Paragraph 1 This Directive lays down minimum standards for the protection of animals bred or kept for farming purposes.
- Article 2, Paragraph 1 ‘animal’ means any animal (including fish, reptiles or amphibians) bred or kept for the production of food, wool, skin or fur or for other farming purposes.
- Article 2, Paragraph 2 ‘Owner’ or ‘keeper’ means any natural or legal person or persons responsible for or in charge of animals whether on a permanent or temporary basis.
- Article 3 Member States shall make provision to ensure that the owners or keepers take all reasonable steps to ensure the welfare of animals under their care and to ensure that those animals are not caused any unnecessary pain, suffering or injury.
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Annex – Freedom of movement, Paragraph 7
The freedom of movement of an animal, having regard to its species and in accordance with established experience and scientific knowledge, must not be restricted in such a way as to cause it unnecessary suffering or injury.
Where an animal is continuously or regularly tethered or confined, it must be given the space appropriate to its physiological and ethological needs in accordance with established experience and scientific knowledge.
in individually housed calves
in individually housed calves
in individually housed calves
in individually housed calves
in individually housed calves
Knowledge
Equids are used in a variety of working conditions across the EU such as tourism, sport, or manual labour. Two scientific reviews have been conducted for this welfare topic. The first review summarises the current scientific and technical literature on working conditions and welfare issues for working equids within Europe. It also provides recommendations for improved working equid welfare and key inspection areas. Please note that an error in Table 1 was corrected in March 2026.
A thematic factsheet based on this review summarises the main welfare challenges and their associated risk factors, plus recommendations on best practices to safeguard equid welfare.
The second review in this section considers the confinement and restriction of movement of equines, summarising the scientific literature on the natural social behaviours of horses, the welfare impacts isolation has on horses, and the recommendations to improve horse welfare in regard to social interaction.
A thematic factsheet based on this review provides further information on horse confinement and restriction.
Tools for Inspection
Two indicator factsheets are currently available on this welfare topic. The indicator factsheet on confinement in domestic horses provides information on indicators of the welfare impacts isolation has on horses, as well as key factors to appropriately manage group and single housing in domestic horses, and recommendations for inspection. The indicator factsheet on welfare of working equids in the European Union presents key animal-based and resource-based indicators for assessing the welfare of working equids, alongside practical recommendations for inspections
