Equine

• DRAFT - Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines (Nov 2012)
• Review of scientific research on priority issues (Jul 2012)
• Current Code of Practice for the care and handling of Horses (1998) • Factsheet

Code Development Progress

• Equine Code Progress report
• Overall Code timeline 
• NFACC Code development process 
• Media Release Horse Code of Practice to be Updated (13 Dec 2010)

Surveys

As part of the equine Code development process, NFACC conducted three surveys to gain input from a broader group of stakeholders.

Survey one - awareness of and attitudes towards the equine Code of Practice 
Survey two - body condition scoring, reproductive management, transport
Survey three - health management and tail alterations

The surveys are now closed. We thank everyone who participated in the surveys; the results were very useful to the committee as they drafted the Code.

Priority Welfare Issues List

The priority welfare issues are species specific and manageable topics that are considered to be important for animal welfare and will particularly benefit from a review of the available scientific literature.

The Code Development Committee (CDC) and the Scientific Committee (SC) each identify their respective lists. Once complete, the committees come together to collectively finalize the priority welfare issues for the species. The SC then reviews the scientific literature for each priority welfare issue and develops a report synthesizing the research results, summarizing the consensus (if any), and identifying any gaps requiring further research.  See full SC Terms of Reference.

The CDC uses the SC report to develop requirements and recommendations around the priority welfare issues in the Code of Practice.

Following is the priority welfare issues list for the Equine Code of Practice update:

• Facility Design/Housing
  • Turn-out, social opportunities, foraging opportunities, provisions for daily exercise
  • Housing risks associated with stereotypic behaviour and management of the stereotypic horse
  • Inadequate housing (isolation, confinement, lack of enrichment, social behaviour, ventilation, bedding)
  • Stall sizes (box, tie, foaling)
  • Requirements for shelter and shade
• Equine Health
  • Disease prevention
  • Lameness
  • Painful Practices: freeze and hot iron branding; modifications of the tail; freeze and pin firing; soring; and castration
  • Hoof care
• Handling and Training
  • Learning theory as it relates to training and handling
  • Training methods - does the scientific research suggest a benefit to common methods used?
  • Head shaking
• Feed and Water
  • Water requirements in winter
  • Feeding behavior
  • Distil the more specialized nutritional issues into management components related to welfare:
  • Obesity
  • Thermal impacts on nutritional/energy needs
  • Laminitis
• Feedlots
  • Stocking density

Note: other welfare topics for the species will be covered by the CDC. The priority welfare issue list is comprised of issues that would particularly benefit from a review of the available scientific literature.

Equine CDC working on the Code (April 2012, Airdrie, Alberta)

Committees 

Equine Code Development Committee members

Participants are defined as per NFACC’s Code of Practice guidelines.

Equine Scientific Committee

• Camie Heleski (Chair)
• Katrina Merkies
• Dany Cinq-Mars
• Henry Staempfli
• Trisha Dowling
• Stephanie Yue Cottee (Research Writer)

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