England and Wales will not follow Scotland in updating equine welfare guidance

England and Wales have no plans to follow Scotland's lead in updating their outdated equine welfare guidance. This decision comes despite industry stakeholders asserting that there is "no excuse" for not modernizing the standards.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Government has published new equine welfare guidelines. This new document replaces the previous code of practice, which had been in place since 2009.

The newly introduced guidelines in Scotland are the result of a major collaboration across the Scottish equine sector, led by the National Equine Welfare Council. The guidelines reflect the latest scientific evidence, placing a focus on the mental wellbeing of equines and outlining how owners can take measures to truly provide their horses, ponies, and donkeys with a good life.