Equine Industry Welfare Guidelines
Compendium for Horses, Ponies & Donkeys - This compendium
brings together Comprehensive guidance and recommended
best practice to ensure welfare standards for
the equine species, covering topics such as horse
management, feed and water, health, management,
housing, abandonment, export, transportation,
riding schools and livery yards, EU legislation,
government publications, condition scoring, advisory
publications, orders and statutory instruments,
EU council directives and governing bodies.
Compilation of Literature on the
Assessment of Animal Welfare and Animal Distress
- Huge list
of literature available on the subject of
animal welfare compiled by Utrecht University
and the USA National Agricultural Library.
Farm Animal Welfare - Lecture notes
containing an explanation of animal welfare
from the University of Vermont.
The Welfare of Animals During Transport
- Documented
EC report of the Scientific Committee on
the welfare of animals during transport.
Equine Welfare Information Service
- Website
of the EqWise Information Service, based
at the University of Glasgow.
Equine Welfare - Fully referenced
report on Equine Welfare from the International
Veterinary Information Service. Covers topics
such as housing, bedding, transport and
slaughter, urban horses, drugs and performance.
Daily
Routines
TheHorse.com - Invaluable
website providing professionally written
articles on veterinary topics and most aspects
of horse care. Requires registration but
is free to use. An essential resource for
all equine students.
Importance
of Forage
HorseFeeds UK: Information Article
- Information
article detailing how to choose to best type
of forage for your horse.
Hickstead Horse Feeds: Feeding Forage
- Article
on what to look for when buying forage to
feed to the horse.
University of Kentucky: Forages for
Horses - Information
article from the University of Kentucky
containing topics such as forage quality,
pasture types and management, using forages
in the diet and toxicity problems with forages.
Kentucky Equine Research: Feeding
Forage - Information
article from the University of Kentucky
written by the renowned scientist Joe Pagan.
Contains topics such as ‘born to graze’,
grasses and legumes, assessing hay intake,
grass consumption, performing on forage,
selecting and feeding a forage, the nature
of grass and ‘a four legged fermentation
vat’.
Penn State University: Pasture and
Hay for Horses - ‘Mini-site’
from Pennsylvania State University dedicated
to forages. Contains articles titled ‘Basics
of Horse Nutrition’, ‘Pasture for Horses’,
‘Hay for Horses’ and ‘Health Concerns When
Feeding Forages to Horses’.
Oklahoma State University: Forage
for Horses - Factsheet
from Oklahoma State University on Forages
for Horses.
The Equine Digestive System - The workings
of the equine digestive system from UK
forage manufacturer, HorseHage.
The HorseHage Guide to Forage -
HorseHage
have produced this extensive guide to
different types of forage.
Feeding Management for the Equine
- From
Oklahoma State University, this factsheet
covers subjects such as ‘anatomical peculiarities
of the equine digestive tract’, ‘nutrient
intake and digestion’, ‘feeding management
implications’ and ‘incorporating the feeding
management plan with total farm management’.
Pasture and Hay for Horses - Factsheet
from Pennsylvania State university.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutrition
- Information
on equine nutrition from the single most
comprehensive electronic reference for
animal care information including over
12,000 indexed topics and over 1200 illustrations.
Keeping
Horses in Domestication
Domestication, Breed Diversification
and Early History of the Horse - The University of
Pennsylvania and the Havemeyer Foundation
have placed this referenced paper on their
website. Topics covered in this paper include
the origins of domestication, types of evidence
for the origins of horse domestication,
the earliest direct evidence for horse domestication,
and taming and domesticating horses.
Horses and Humans: An Age Old Bond
- Magazine-style
article.
A Chronological History of Humans
and Their Relationship with he Horse - Definitely
worth a look! Each era links to a well illustrated
explanation of the time and how horses fitted
in.
How Important is Environment to Your
Horse? - Magazine-type
article on the importance of creating a
suitable environment for your horse.
Nutrient
Requirements of Horses
National Research Council Nutrition
Requirements of Horses, Fifth Revised
Edition (1989) - Produced
by the National Research Council
(USA), this referenced guide to
feeding horses contains all sorts
of information and statistics to
use for the purpose of comparison.
Chapters include: ‘Nutrient Requirements,
Deficiencies, and Excesses’, ‘Physical
Characteristics and Suitability
of Feeds’, ‘General Considerations
for Feeding Management’, ‘Nutrient
Requirement Tables’ and ‘Feed Composition
Tables’.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutrition
- Information
on equine nutrition from the single
most comprehensive electronic reference
for animal care information including
over 12,000 indexed topics and over
1200 illustrations.
Nutrient Requirements for Horses
- This
article on the Michigan State University
Extension website explains the nutrients
required by the horse. Topics covered
include water needs, energy needs,
special energy considerations, protein
needs of work horses, vitamin needs
and minerals.
Selection and Use of Roughage in
Horse Feeding - Texas
A & M University have produced this
referenced information sheet. Topics
included: roughage selection, daily
roughage intake, legume roughages,
and grass hays.
Basics of Feeding Horses: Feeding
Management from the University of
Nebraska - The
rules of feeding explained! We have
all learned the rules of feeding
in parrot fashion, but how many
of us could explain in detail how
to follow them? This article provides
detailed answers.
Planning Basic
Diets
Important Ingredients in the Equine
Diet - Referenced
magazine article that outlines the small but
vital components of the equine diet.
Formulating Rations for Horses -
Guide to
formulating rations for horses from the University
of Kentucky.
Nutrient Requirements and Balancing
Rations for Horses - Step by
step guide to meeting the nutrient requirements
of horses and Balancing rations from Virginia
State University.
Analysis of Feeds and Forages for
Horses - The
State University of New Jersey have
compiled this referenced guide to
the analysis of feed and forage for
horses.
Ration Formulation for Horses - Factsheet
from the Oklahoma State University
on ration formulation for horses.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutrition
- Information
on equine nutrition from the single
most comprehensive electronic reference
for animal care information including
over 12,000 indexed topics and over
1200 illustrations.
Nutritional Concerns for Exercising
Horses - Factsheet
from the Oklahoma State University
on nutritional concerns for exercising
horses. Covers topics such as nutrient
requirements, nutrient sources and
an example ration formulation.
Principles
of Housing
The Horse.com - Invaluable
website providing professionally
written articles on veterinary
topics and most aspects of horse
care. Requires registration
but is free to use. An essential
resource for all equine students.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Ventilation
- Information
on equine housing ventilation
from the single most comprehensive
electronic reference for animal
care information including
over 12,000 indexed topics
and over 1200 illustrations.
Housing the Horse - Magazine-style
article from the Equine
Research Centre and re-published
on Equiworld on housing
the horse. Covers topics
such as type and positioning
of stables, dimensions,
warmth and ventilation,
insulation and condensation,
light and behavioural needs
and ancillary structures
and fittings.
An Overview of Stallion Breeding
Management - This
information sheet from the Oklahoma
State University contains a
section on stallion housing.
Documented information on this
topic is relatively difficult
to find and there is not an
enormous amount here, but it
is a good start!
The Complete Barn Safety Design Guide
- Safety
considerations to take into
account when designing a stable
yard. From Equisearch.com.
Horse Housing - The
Ontario Ministry for Agriculture
and Food have created this referenced
information sheet on horse housing.
Covers topics such as housing
options, indoor housing and
outdoor housing.
Stable Design Fact Sheet - Really
useful article from The Equine
Centre in Australia which outlines
the salient points of housing
design.
Stable Design - Magazine-style
article from the Equine Research
Centre and re-published on Equiworld
on stable design and ventilation.
Bedding - Magazine-style
article from the Equine Research
Centre and re-published on Equiworld
on how to choose the right bedding
for your horse.
Requirements
of Horses at Grass
Managing the Grazing of Horses -
Factsheet
from the Oklahoma State
University on managing grazing
of horses. Covers topics
such as intake limits of
horses on forage diets,
forage nutrient utilisation,
estimating correct stocking
rates, grazing behaviour
of horses, considerations
for small acreage and some
recommendations to manage
grazing in horses.
Managing Horse Pastures - From
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture
and Food, this referenced
article covers topics
such as fertiliser, rotational
grazing, weed control,
rejuvenating pastures
and suggestions for horse
paddocks.
Back to Basics- Doctor Grass - This
magazine-type article
discusses the benefits
of grass as a source
of forage.
Improving Your Pasture Management
- Information
from the British Horse Society.
Feeding Light Horses - Well
illustrated guide to feeding
horses.
Sources of Nutrients
Animal Nutrition - Informed, well
illustrated lecture note-style article from
the University of Guelph on the nutrition and
nutrient absorption of a number of species.
Very useful if comparing different animals for
an assignment.
Feeding Horses - Factsheet
from the University of Missouri, covering
topics such as determining correct nutrient
levels, roughage for horses, concentrates
for horses and horse feeding/management recommendations.
Nutritional Concerns for Exercising
HorsesNutritional Concerns for Exercising
Horses - Factsheet
from the Oklahoma State University on nutritional
concerns for exercising horses. Covers topics
such as nutrient requirements, nutrient sources
and an example ration formulation.
Stereotypies
Equine Stereotypies - Fully
referenced, detailed book chapter from
the International Veterinary Information
Service. Contains excellent detail and
would be a good starting point for any
assignment based on stereotypies.
TheHorse.com - Invaluable
website providing professionally written
articles on veterinary topics and
most aspects of horse care. Requires
registration but is free to use. An
essential resource for all equine
students.
Normal and Abnormal Behaviour of
Stabled Horses - Referenced
information from the Government of
Alberta. Contains information on topics
such as ‘Normal behaviour’, ‘Abnormal
behaviour’, ‘Behaviour indicating
physical pain or disease’, ‘The most
common problem behaviour: stereotypies’,
‘Some new findings on stereotypies’
and ‘Other common problem behaviours’.
Equine Stereotypies - Referenced,
well illustrated article on stereotypies
from Pennsylvania University. Written
by Katherine Houpt and Sue McDonnell,
two of the leading authorities in
equine behaviour and welfare.
Stable Vices: A Measure of Poor Welfare?
- Magazine
style article that addresses the
question of whether stable vices
are a measure of poor welfare.
Identifying Abnormal Equine Behaviour
and Vices - Information
from Washington State University
on how to identify normal and abnormal
equine behaviour and vices.
All About Horse Vices - Containing
information on under-saddle vices
as well as stable vices, this magazine
style article provides a brief but
useful overview.
Behavioural Problems in Horses -
A
page of links to a selection of
articles about dealing with behavioral
problems and vices in horses from
Equisearch.com.
The Five Freedoms
The Farm Animal Welfare Council -
The
Farm Animal Welfare Council Home Page.
The Farm Animal Welfare Council:
The Five Freedoms. - The
Five Freedoms define ideal states
of acceptable welfare and are used
as part of the curriculum for just
about every animal based course in
the UK. If you learn these, it is
amazing just how often they can be
used in exams and assignments!
Welfare Legislation
Equine Industry Welfare Guidelines
Compendium for Horses, Ponies & Donkeys
- This
compendium brings together Comprehensive
guidance and recommended best practice
to ensure welfare standards for the
equine species, covering topics such
as horse management, feed and water,
health, management, housing, abandonment,
export, transportation, riding schools
and livery yards, EU legislation,
government publications, condition
scoring, advisory publications, orders
and statutory instruments, EU council
directives and governing bodies.
Welfare Organisations
International League for the Protection
of Horses (ILPH) -
Farm Animal Welfare Council -
RSPCA -
Universities Federation for Animal
Welfare -
Compassion in World Farming -
Scottish SPCA -
British Veterinary Association Animal
Welfare Foundation -
Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and
Law Veterinary Association -
