Animal category: Equines

Riding with care: A review of factors that influence the welfare of the ridden horse and a case for the application of the precautionary principle in equestrian pursuits

Caleigh Copelin, Katrina Merkies

Published in 2026

Review showing that the welfare of ridden horses is dependent on many factors relating to the equipment used, the rider, and a horse's health, and that respect for these factors is essential in maintaining the social acceptability that allows equestrian sports to continue. 

Document types: Scientific documents

Animal categories: Equines

Go to document

Terrestrial Animal Health Code. Section 7: Animal Welfare. Chapter 7.4: Transport of Animals by Air

WOAH

Published in 1982

Code sanitaire de l’OMSA pour les animaux terrestres pour le transport par voie maritime

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Cattle, Goats, Horses, Mammals, Sheep, Pigs, Poultry

Go to document

Terrestrial Animal Health Code. Section 7: Animal Welfare. Chapter 7.3: Transport of Animals by Land

WOAH

Published in 1982

Code sanitaire de l’OMSA pour les animaux terrestres pour le transport par voie maritime

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Cattle, Goats, Horses, Mammals, Sheep, Pigs, Poultry

Go to document

Terrestrial Animal Health Code. Section 7: Animal Welfare. Chapter 7.2: Transport of Animals by Sea

WOAH

Published in 1982

Code sanitaire de l’OMSA pour les animaux terrestres pour le transport par voie maritime

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Cattle, Goats, Horses, Mammals, Sheep, Pigs, Poultry

Go to document

La cοnditiοn des animaux dans l’agriculture industrielle peut-elle faire sοuffrir les hοmmes ? Une étude sοciοlοgique pοrtant sur les cοnflits éthiques et les tensiοns identitaires des travailleurs en prοductiοn animale

Aurora Peinado

Published in 2025

Sociological thesis analyzing ethical conflicts and identity problems among livestock workers

Document Types: Scientific work

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Go to document

Relationships between farmer well-being and the welfare of their animals: A One Welfare scoping review

Levallois P, Buczinski S, Desmarchelier M, Lupien S, Robichaud MV.

Published in 2026

Review demonstrating that farmers' welfare is strongly and positively linked to that of their animals. It supports the "One Welfare" approach, which works to achieve a combined on-farm benefit for both animal and human welfare. 

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Go to document

Human emotional odors influence horses' behavior and physiology

Plotine Jardat, Alexandra Destrez, Fabrice Damon, Noa Tanguy-Guillo, Anne-Lyse Lainé, Céline Parias, Fabrice Reigner, Vitor H. B. Ferreira, Ludovic Calandreau, Léa Lansade

Published in 2026

Scientific study showing that human odors associated with fear produce heightened fear responses in horses and reduced interactions with humans. These results show the key role of olfactory signals in interspecies emotional communication between humans and horses..

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Go to document

A systematic review of the effect of individual characteristics and management practices on equine cognition

Ricci-Bonot, C., Brosche, K., Baragli, P., Nicol C.

Published in 2025

Review summarizing current knowledge on equine cognition, stressing  the broad range of cognitive abilities investigated and the strong influence of contextual factors (breed, age, sex and management conditions) on performance.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Equines

Go to document

The use of animal-based measures collected in slaughterhouses to monitor the level of welfare of Equidae in establishments: EFSA scientific NCPs Network exercise

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Marika Vitali, Giulia Cecchinato, Aitana López Baquero, Beatrice Benedetti, Denise Candiani, Michaela Hempen, Yves Van der Stede, Chiara Fabris

Published in 2025

Exercise carried out by EFSA's scientific network of national contact points to identify and prioritize animal-based measures collected at abattoirs to retrospectively monitor the welfare of equidae, to provide evidence for a future scientific opinion.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Equines

European Parliament: answer to priority question P-003765/2025: Commission response to ongoing animal welfare breaches in transport and the need to ban live animal transport to safeguard animal welfare

Question: Anja Hazekamp (The Left). Answer: Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2025

In response to a parliamentary question on the ban on the transport of live animals, the European Commission acknowledges serious animal welfare problems during transport, particularly at borders, and emphasizes Member States' responsibility to effectively enforce existing rules. It highlights immediate operational measures, such as cooperation with Turkey and Bulgaria and the improvement of procedures via TRACES, along with an ongoing legislative review to strengthen animal protection. While supporting the increased use of trade in meat and genetic materials, the Commission takes the view  that the transport of live animals remains, in certain cases, necessary for the functioning of the relevant sectors.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Go to document