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Horse Welfare

Horses are the heart of equestrian sport. We are committed each day to helping people learn about and understand horses and their needs, protecting their well-being, and maintaining the highest standards for fairness and the ethical treatment of horses.
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Related Resources and Information

Getting to Know Horses
A Good Life for Horses
Unethical Treatment of a Horse
Drugs and Medication

Regulating Horse Welfare

Learn about GR838, the USEF rule that addresses cruelty, abuse, and the unethical treatment of horses. This includes any actions or inactions that may compromise the horse's health, safety, or well-being. We rely on participants like you to take a stand against unethical treatment of horses by reporting it to USEF.

Report Unethical Treatment of a Horse

USEF Position Statements

Equine Safety & Welfare Equine Overuse

Veterinary White Papers

Best Practices For Horse Welfare

US Equestrian Announces Schedule for 2026 Horse Safety and Welfare Town Halls

Following a successful first edition in early June 2025, US Equestrian is releasing the dates and locations of future town hall events focusing on equine safety and welfare. These discussions are designed to facilitate conversation between the Federation and participants across breeds and sports as US Equestrian considers how it can better support the well-being of our equine partners.

These town halls are open to all and will include USEF staff panelists, as well as affiliate organization representatives when possible.

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Horse Welfare News

Equestrian Weekly

USEF Insider: Our First Member Listening Session of 2026 Is Fast Approaching!

by US Equestrian Communications Dept. | 2/5/2026

After receiving positive feedback from members about our 2025 horse welfare town hall series, US Equestrian will be continuing in-person and virtual listening sessions in 2026 focusing on horse and member welfare. The first session of the year will be held at Desert Circuit at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, Calif., next Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 4:30 p.m. in the Palms Club. US Equestrian CEO Bill Moroney and COO/General Counsel Sonja Keating will be on hand to provide updates on...
Equestrian Weekly

October Horse Welfare Town Halls Generate Debate on Rule Changes, Equipment, and MERs

by Natalie Voss | 11/3/2025

October marked the first in a series of virtual horse welfare town halls on Oct. 20, as well as a well-attended in-person event held at US Dressage Finals in Wilmington, Ohio on Oct. 30. Members gathered digitally and in person to provide their feedback and questions on US Equestrian horse welfare programs and proposed rule changes. (c)Isabelle Whiteside/US Equestrian A replay of the virtual town hall is available here . Both events were wide-ranging, but a few of the topics generating...
Equestrian Weekly

Your Questions, Answered: How Does US Equestrian Enforce Horse Welfare Rules?

by US Equestrian Communications | 10/14/2025

Earlier this fall, US Equestrian began the rollout of a video series about our Horse Welfare Guidelines. In these videos, Chief of Sport David O’Connor and veterinary chiropractor and osteopath Dr. Christin Flynn explained the stoplight concept for interactions between horses and people, giving viewers specific examples of horse and human behaviors to watch for when trying to decide whether a situation is horse friendly (green), cautionary (yellow), or in need of intervention (red). Now,...
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