Equine

The Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines was released in 2013. The equine Code’s 5-year review was completed in 2018. The outcome of the 5-year review can be found here.

Please note that content in the transportation section of this Code, along with additional transportation-related content (e.g., glossary terms) that had referenced or reflected the outdated version of Part XII (Transport of Animals) in the Health of Animal Regulations (HAR), or the now archived Compromised Animals Policy, has been updated to align with the amended regulations, which took effect on February 20, 2020. Hard copies of the Codes that were printed prior to this alignment will not include these updates. For clarity, Codes that have been updated will include a statement on the front cover that reads “Alignment with Part XII (Transport of Animals) of the Health of Animals Regulations: 2021”.

This update process was strictly aimed at revising existing text that no longer aligned with the amended HAR. Every effort was made to respect the original priorities and decisions of the Code Development Committee (e.g., text from the HAR was not added if it was not covered in the original Code). In case of a discrepancy between the hard copy and online version of a Code, the online version shall take precedence.

There are various ways to view the Code:

HTML version (or select from the Table of Contents below)
PDF version (1.9 MB)
EPUB (please note that you will need an application on your device [phone or tablet] to download and open the book)

There are a limited number of hard copies of this Code. NFACC encourages use of the electronic version and does not store hard copies. If hard copies are required, please contact Equestrian Canada.

Other resources:

Equine Code of Practice Online Training Program
Scientific Committee report - Review of scientific research on priority issues - July 2012
Equine Code Backgrounder - Do You Know the Code?
NFACC Code development process
Animal Welfare Research Needs
Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA)

Use of Thermocautery for the Treatment of Lameness in Horses – Position Statement
Elective and Non-Therapeutic Veterinary Procedures for Cosmetic or Competitive Purposes (Formerly Cosmetic Alteration) – Position Statement
Surgical Castration of Horses, Donkeys and Mules – Position Statement

Preface
Introduction
Glossary
Section 1 Duty of Care
Section 2 Facilities and Housing
Section 3 Feed and Water
Section 4 Health Management
Section 5 Feedlot Management
Section 6 Husbandry Practices
Section 7 Reproductive Management
Section 8 Transportation
Section 9 Change or End of Career
Section 10 Euthanasia
References
Appendices:
	Appendix A - Template Budget for Horse Ownership
	Appendix B - Sample Water Intakes
	Appendix C - Vital Signs in Horses and Donkeys
	Appendix D - Body Condition Scoring - Horses and Ponies
	Appendix E - Body Condition Scoring - Donkeys and Mules
	Appendix F - Key Points for Owners of Donkeys or Mules
	Appendix G - Understanding Flight Zone, Point of Balance and Field of Vision
	Appendix H - Transport Decision Tree
	Appendix I - Anatomical Landmarks for Euthanasia
	Appendix J - Technical Guidelines for Euthanasia Methods
	Appendix K - Resources for Further Information
	Appendix L - Participants
	Appendix M - Summary of Code Requirements

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Equine

Table of Contents