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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.

"https://files.usef.org/web/Town

Horse Welfare News

US Equestrian Awards Opportunity Fund Grants to Eight USEF Community Outreach Organizations

by US Equestrian Communications Department | 5/20/2024

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce that it has awarded $80,000 in USEF Opportunity Fund grants to nine USEF Community Outreach Organizations (COO) in the fund’s third year. The 2024 USEF Opportunity Fund grants will support a range of projects, from expanding programming and purchasing safety equipment to infrastructure improvements and business operations support. Grantees are listed below in alphabetical order: City to Saddle – Mesa Farm (Rutland, Mass.)...

US Equestrian Announces Inaugural Opportunity Fund Grants to USEF Community Outreach Organizations

by US Equestrian Communications Department | 9/9/2022

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce that it has awarded more than $60,000 in USEF Opportunity Fund grants to seven USEF Community Outreach Organizations in the fund’s inaugural year. The 2022 USEF Opportunity Fund grants will support a range of projects, from expanding programming and purchasing safety equipment to infrastructure improvements and business operations support. Grantees are listed below in alphabetical order: City to Saddle – Mesa Farm (Rutland,...

US Equestrian Provisionally Approves 17 Community Outreach Organizations Spreading the Joy of Horse Sports to Underrepresented or Underserved Communities

by Ashley Swift, US Equestrian Communications Department | 1/31/2022

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce it has provisionally approved 17 USEF Community Outreach Organizations as part of the USEF Community Outreach Program , pending fulfillment of required background checks and U.S. Center for SafeSport trainings. The USEF Community Outreach Program, launched in 2021 , is dedicated to supporting organizations across the country that provide equine-based learning opportunities and support the positive impact horses can have within their...
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