COVID-19 effects on horses in-transition: A survey analysis of United States equine industry perspectives.
Authors: Esterl-Byrne L L, Huseman C J, Haynes C, Kinman L A, Jones T N
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: COVID-19 and Unwanted Horses in the US Equine Industry During the pandemic, researchers surveyed over 1,000 US-based horse owners, non-owners, and equine professionals using a 23-question online questionnaire to determine whether COVID-19 altered the prevalence of unwanted horses and industry attitudes towards horses-in-transition. Surprisingly, fundamental aspects of equine management—including ownership rates, daily management practices, and time spent with horses—remained statistically unchanged throughout the crisis, suggesting the equine-owning population demonstrated considerable resilience. The most pronounced impact was restriction of event participation across all respondent groups, whilst financial hardship, behavioural problems, and injury emerged as the primary drivers of horses becoming unwanted, independent of the pandemic's economic disruption. When faced with a transitioning horse, respondents perceived euthanasia as the most feasible option and equine sanctuary placement as the least accessible, reflecting current infrastructure and resource limitations within the industry. For practitioners involved in equine welfare decisions, these findings underscore that systemic barriers to rehoming horses persist regardless of external crises—suggesting that improving accessibility to alternative outcomes and strengthening support networks for at-risk horses requires structural intervention rather than crisis-responsive measures.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Crisis management planning for equine operations should not primarily focus on increased unwanted horse populations, as major disruptions do not significantly increase rehoming needs
- •Behavioral issues and financial constraints remain consistent drivers of horses entering transition regardless of external circumstances; preventive behavior training and financial planning are ongoing priorities
- •Equine professionals should advocate for improved accessibility to donation and rehabilitation programs as alternatives to euthanasia, which is currently perceived as the most accessible option
Key Findings
- •COVID-19 pandemic had negligible impact on the number of unwanted horses in the United States despite major disruptions
- •Equine ownership, management practices, and time spent with horses were unaffected by the pandemic (P < 0.001)
- •Decreased ability to participate in equine events was evident across all surveyed groups (P ≤ 0.03)
- •Financial hardship, unmanageable behavior, and injury were the leading causes for horses becoming in-transition, with euthanasia perceived as most accessible transitioning method