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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2025; 15(7); 1037; doi: 10.3390/ani15071037

Education and Licensing of Horse Owners: Addressing Poor Horse Welfare in the UK.

Abstract: Horse welfare is a subject of ongoing discussion and scientific investigation. Several solutions to combat poor horse welfare have been suggested by existing research; however, each of these has its limitations. In 2022, it was announced that France was introducing new legislation requiring all horse owners to be licensed on completion of particular horse-care education. This development raises an interesting discussion about whether such a framework could be applied in the UK. This systemised literature review analysed the prevalence of horse welfare concerns in the developed world and the UK, their potential causes and the barriers to reducing them, alongside the most often suggested remedial interventions according to stakeholders and the existing literature. This review also analysed the successes and limitations of education and licensing as possible solutions to horse welfare concerns in the UK. The findings indicate that education can increase horse-owner awareness of welfare issues. However, the literature also indicates that education has a limited influence on human behaviour change. There is also limited evidence in the literature that licensing can improve horse-owner awareness or welfare standards within a population. However, promising areas of future investigation were identified, which could lead to improved horse welfare.
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Publication Date: 2025-04-03 PubMed ID: 40218430PubMed Central: PMC11987943DOI: 10.3390/ani15071037Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research investigates the prevalence of horse welfare concerns and the potential solutions to them in the UK. The study analyzes the benefits and limitations of using education and licensing of horse owners as measures to enhance horse welfare.

Study Overview

  • The researchers examined horse welfare issues in the developed world, specifically focussing on the United Kingdom. They gathered data through a systemic literature review on reported welfare concerns, causes, and proposed interventions to tackle these problems.
  • The researchers studied France’s recent legislation requiring horse owners to get a license after completing specified horse-care education.
  • They analyzed the potential of education and licensing as a solution to improve horse welfare. They evaluated these measures’ effectiveness in increasing horse-owner awareness of welfare issues and influencing behaviour change.

Major Findings

  • The study found that education can enhance horse owners’ understanding of welfare issues. However, education alone seems to exert limited influence on prompting behavior change.
  • The literature provides little evidence to suggest that licensing can significantly improve horse-owner awareness or adopt better welfare practices for their horses.
  • The review’s findings indicate that while both measures have their merits and shortcomings, they mustn’t be discarded as potential interventions. Further exploration in these areas might reveal more about their potential in dealing with horse welfare concerns.

Implications for Future Research

  • Such conclusions highlight the need for thorough, practical, and policy-based research to investigate the potential of education, licensing, or a combination of both, in ensuring better horse welfare.
  • The research opens up promising areas for future study. For instance, there could be a focus on customizing and optimizing education modules for horse owners, exploring different approaches for the successful issuance and management of horse owner licenses, or finding ways to strengthen legislative measures related to horse welfare.

Cite This Article

APA
Hall-Bromley A, Dixon L. (2025). Education and Licensing of Horse Owners: Addressing Poor Horse Welfare in the UK. Animals (Basel), 15(7), 1037. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15071037

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 7
PII: 1037

Researcher Affiliations

Hall-Bromley, Aurelia
  • Animal Welfare Centre, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Easter Bush Campus, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK.
Dixon, Laura
  • Animal Welfare Centre, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Easter Bush Campus, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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