Animal category: Equines

A review describing stereotypical behaviors—indicators of distress—that are based on neurobiological mechanisms that have yet to be fully studied in farm animals. The authors highlight current gaps in knowledge and discuss prospects for better understanding these behaviors and improving animal welfare.

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. 

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

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

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

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. 

Sociological thesis analyzing ethical conflicts and identity problems among livestock workers

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..

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.

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.